Good copywriting is like good driving—you shouldn’t notice it. If I get lift from someone who jerks through the gears, drives too fast, rails about traffic, cuts people up, I inevitably think ‘never again.’ I’m not saying I’m a perfect driver – I invoked someone’s rage in the garden centre car park last week because […]
What do phoney psychics and lazy copywriting have in common?
Recently I stumbled upon this video of the stage magician James Randi challenging James Hydrick’s psychic claim that he can move objects with his mind. Following this, I found myself in an entertaining rabbit hole of further challenges as part of Randi’s One Million Dollar Paranormal Challenge. He would offer prize money for anyone who could demonstrate […]
Did I tell you about the time I was a model? There’s a reason it’s not in my biography
There you are! I was hoping to see you today! I think you’re just marvellous. Recently I’ve been researching biography copy of coaches and consultants. Some really stand out. They have the right credentials, case studies, perhaps a best-selling book, or a proprietary method unique to them. And then there are others. You can see […]
If the ratio of your compost was wrong, would you even know? Marketing to the unaware
How do you decide what to pay attention to in this crazy world? Imagine prioritising everything that bombards your senses—it would blow a fuse. A common therapeutic tool applied to someone in a moment of anxiety is to walk through the senses, identifying 5 things you can see, 4 things you can physically feel, 3 […]
Crickets didn’t chirp, but crisp packets crackled. Going off-script to captivate a crowd
(This was first published as part of the Weekly(ish) Note. Want to make sure you don’t miss one? Sign up on the form on the right…) “This song spent 15 weeks at number one, but we’re going to do our version based on the original…” The sparse crowd of parents and restless children at the […]