Three Reasons Why We Love This Woman’s Story?

We love to greet the unexpected almost as much as rooting for the underdog. Audiences in the United Kingdom did both when nebbish Susan Boyle walked onto the stage for Britain’s Got Talent. They knew her type. She was forty-seven years old and somewhat dowdy. Her place was in a public library, not the fast-paced world of music.

Then she sang. Even Simon Cowell’s jaw dropped.

To date, Boyle’s enchanting performance of “I Dreamed a Dream” from “Les Miserables” boasts over 18 million views on YouTube. Twitter ranks the video as one of its most shared links. She is singing her way into the big leagues with CNN, ABC, The New York Times and MTV mentions. Boyle is living the dream of twenty-something pop ingénues. She is an overnight sensation. But why do we love her story? What lessons can her fast rise to instant stardom teach us as we create our own stories?

• Give them the element of surprise – Boyle’s appearance and timid demeanor trigger a pre-existing expectation of the experience to come. It is unlikely she will dominate the stage like Beyonce or Britney. Her voice quivers as she speaks. It appears that she cannot hold a tune. When she sings, she completely shatters our pre-existing notions and creates a sensory experience more enjoyable than if we knew she could sing from the start.
  
  
• Theory of emotional relativity – David slays Goliath with nothing more than a slingshot. Rocky defeats Captain Ivan Drago. Humans have an eternal love for the plight of the underdog because we see ourselves in that person. When they rise, we suddenly feel empowered to do so. Our stomach churns in agony in their moments of defeat. (Consider when you yell at the television to direct a character from a well-written movie, television show or advertisement.) Suddenly, these everyday people become our every man. Our trials and tribulations intermingle with their stories, and we need them to succeed so we can.
  
  
• Tell them a great story – Talented people beat the odds everyday—some of them on nationally televised talent shows. What makes Susan Boyle’s triumph so fascinating? Unemployed, middle-aged woman lives with her cats. Check. She seeks a shot at stardom on a TV talent competition. Check. She faces the wrath of not one, but three antagonists (the judges) and a mob of non-believers (the audience). Check. She triumphs and receives a standing ovation. Check. The result is a viral story sweeping the Internet and media outlets complete with the irresistible headline, “Never been kissed’ singer, 47, wows Cowell.”

What does this mean for your own story? When conveying a idea with editorial, creative or marketing copywriting, consider your readers’ desires for you to enrapture them with a great message. Defy their expectations; connect with their needs; tell them a story that will spark a response. Give your readers “water cooler copy” worth sharing, and they will think about your story for days to come.

Is Narcissism Dripping From Your Copy?

Congratulations! You do not have narcissistic personality disorder. Is narcissism dripping from your copy? Emily Yoffe explores the complexities of narcissism in the Slate article, “But Enough About You …What is narcissistic personality disorder, and why does everyone seem to have it?” Yoffe’s explanation of narcissistic personality disorder has many breathing a sigh of relief. One must wonder if our copy rubs readers the wrong way.

Many throw out narcissism as a catchall term and lump the egocentric with those with disabling personality disorders. In reality, the narcissism trait escalates upwards three grades on a spectrum. We like our narcissists in healthy doses. When they are charismatic and daring, we hang onto a narcissistic business leader’s every word. That leader’s thirst for adulation becomes irritating to followers at the second graduation. We might pay attention, but not as intently.

At the third stage, true narcissistic personality disorder, a narcissistic leader’s preoccupation with him or herself inhibits their ability to create and maintain productive working and personal relationships. Their stunted emotional development hinders their capacity to consider for others’ feelings.

What does this mean for their copywriting? Narcissists (and their organizations) often produce marketing collateral, web content or editorial copy that reads like the Autobiography of My Company and Me. Shockingly, it is only a few pages shorter (and slightly less humble) than the majority of the copy circulating today.

Fear not if you find traces of narcissism in your copywriting. After pouring hard work, creativity and countless resources into your business, you deserve to sing its praises. Your competitors are singing the same tune. Without a meaningful connection and tangible benefits to separate you from the pack, phrases such as a “we are the leading so-and-so” are nothing more than bombastic clichés.

Add to that the curse of knowledge shared in Chip Heath and Dan Heath’s bestseller, Made to Stick. Based on Dr. Elizabeth Newton’s tappers and listeners experiment at Stanford University, the Heath brothers surmise our years of experiences infuse us with an inherent desire to share our knowledge. When we do communicate this knowledge, we unleash it like a raging river bewildering everyone in our path.

Thankfully, an antidote exists for the curse of knowledge. People pay attention when writers research their market and weigh readers’ needs before they write. Seth Godin opens his book, All Marketers Are Liars: The Power of Telling Authentic Stories in a Low-Trust World, with the following: “I have no intention of telling you the truth. Instead, I am going to tell you a story. This is a story about why marketers must forsake any attempt to communicate nothing but the facts, and must instead focus on what people believe and work to tell them stories that add to their worldview.”

Develop a concern for your audience’s wants and needs, and then create a story so compelling your readers cannot help but to develop an ongoing relationship with you. I promise they will hang on to your words. But enough about my opinion. What is yours?

Lead With Strength - Operating Within Skill Set Is Key To Success

My former boss would stick out his chest out exclaiming, “We must lead from strength!” It was not until I became a consultant that I grasped the meaning of this powerful phrase. Businesses must recognize their strengths and market them fervently. Agility might be necessary in this ever-changing marketplace, but businesses – especially small businesses – that attempt to be everything to everyone inevitably fail.

Internally, business owners who don too many hats are certain to become overwhelmed. They overlook important tasks and attempt to tackle duties outside of their areas of expertise. This is most apparent in marketing and administration. Easy access to word processing, desktop publishing and web design software lulls business owners into a false sense of ability. They assume their ability to use the software translates to the talent needed to create professional materials that produce results.

Rudimentary ability should never be a substitute for expertise. Many professionals boast of their writing skills. Without a comprehensive knowledge of the theory and mechanics of writing, these professionals produce pieces riddled with embarrassing errors. Press releases go to the media with improper formatting and full of advertorial copy. Just as sure as you can say, “spam,” editors trash these press releases almost as quickly as they arrive.

All too often, eager business owners create postcards in a generic desktop publisher program. They throw in a barrage of cartoon clipart without giving pause to what colors detract from sales. They mail them out to prospective clients and wait in vain for the calls to pour in. They never do – at least not at a rate to keep the business alive. Score one for big businesses who know better.

“I cannot afford a copywriter or graphic designer,” is what small business owners say. Most business experts agree that 20% of a business’ budget should go into its marketing. Still, marketing seems to be an afterthought to the average small business owner. They believe customers will overlook their lackluster or non-existent marketing materials and ignore the excellent pieces of their wiser competitors. They believe that their clients – usually other businesses – will understand their plight when piece mill direct mail inches across their desk.

They do not understand. I have seen many an executive mercilessly pick apart a competitor’s website, or direct mail piece. I have even chuckled over terribly written press releases. It is a shame. A business owner’s time is much better spent running and growing their business instead of doing something outside of their skill set.

My recommendation to you great business leaders out there is to find your strength and lead with it. When it comes to writing, just leave that to professionals like me.