Marketing Collateral Training Material Web Content Taglines Headlines Ad Copy Sales Kits Press Kits Proposals Newsletters Book Jackets Recruitment Folders		Content is the substance behind your service. It makes you more than a pretty face and backs up your claims. Grammar gets noticed. There's nothing more unprofessional than a typo. Clarity is key. Our society moves fast and people are seeking to understand a concept immediately. Voice represents the style, personality and distinguishing attributes of your business.
1) Dig and Discern I'll explore your business, employees, purpose, vision, competitors and maybe even find out what you like on your pizza. I'm not afraid to dig deep. Anything contributing to the best representation of you, your company and your offerings is fair game. You put it on the table. I then create paragraphs, bullets and those pesky compound sentences. 2) Reflect and Write I collect and craft your content with format, clarity and a human voice--something that speaks to clients and engages them before they call. Whether it's corporate, casual, complex or crazy, I'll give your information both a feeling and a face. 3) Revise and Repeat We'll talk. We'll discuss. We'll deliberate. We'll consider. It's your turn to provide feedback on the first draft. You might change your mind a few times. I'll tweak words, merge ideas and make your piece as concise as possible. It's a bummer. But what works for your brochure, flyer or press kit is often NOT transferable to the Internet. Web copy, in fact, works with a constructivist communication model, while print copy more often employs an instrumental communication model. Let me explain:
Instrumental Communication: PRINT What is it? Think letter. Think bat. Think advertisement. Its name is derived from literally using your advertising message as a physical "instrument" for communication. In this scenario, we are the perpetrator. What Happens? We pour our company's heart, soul, coupon and tagline into an ad, brochure or sales kit and then send it off. We make the first and only move, and apart from "thought you might enjoy this" there is no real-time exchange. What's Our Role? In this model, we lead. We are in charge. Arms outstretched, we say "Here!" and then back away. What are the Benefits? There's no immediate criticism or praise and we are allowed a resting period while our potential client considers our products and services. What's the Copy Conclusion? This model reflects more of a parent-child or expert-novice relationship. It, therefore, requires more formal content in the form of a lecture, educational piece or information share.		Constructivist Communication: WEB What is it? Think conversation. Think volleyball game. Think web site. Its name is derived from participating in constructive communication-a method where both parties feel equally involved and respected. What Happens? Potential clients visit our Web site. They knock. Arms outstretched, providing a page full of information we say "Is this what you want?" They say "not exactly" but keep searching and click again. Offering different info, we say "How about this?" Like a conversation, participants are both sending and receiving, changing each message in light of the latest response. What's Our Role? In this model, we treat the user as an equal, discussing and conversing as partners. We'd like potential clients to follow our lead, but we're also willing to follow their lead. What are the Benefits? We maintain fluid and consistent communication with our prospects, engaging them in our products and services. We're able to instantly respond to their need and inquiries. What's the Copy Conclusion? This model reflects a real-time exchange between two adults. It, therefore, requires a more casual content technique that one might expect in a conversation—questions and answers, fragments, subject words and conversation.