Writing Without Waffle
Which way do YOU go?
There is a theory* that says some people prefer options while others prefer procedures. “People with an options pattern in a given context are motivated by opportunities and possibilities to do something in a different way… People with a procedures pattern like to follow set ways.” Commonsense tells us this Read more…
Writing Without Waffle
What a little tap-dancing girl can teach us about marketing
Watch this. Which dancer stands out for you? I bet it’s the one that’s doing her own thing. There’s a lesson here about USPs – Unique Selling Points. If you want to be noticed, do something different from the rest.
Good, bad and ugly ads
What’s wrong with this ad?
A warm voice reads: “You wouldn’t shampoo without conditioning, so why not use a combination thrush treatment like Canesten Combi to soothe the external itch AND clear the internal infection.” First, I reckon some people DO shampoo without conditioning. Second, there is absolutely no logical connection between washing your hair Read more…
Writing Without Waffle
Just how DID I win that design competition when I was young?
When I was a student, I worked on Saturdays and holidays in various departments at Allders of Croydon (now sadly defunct). For much of the time I was in the accessories department. (On one memorable occasion, I tried to persuade a customer to buy a grey jacquard scarf “because it Read more…
Writing Without Waffle
Objectives for your website, page by page
When constructing your website, you have to know why you are doing what you are doing. Each page can only achieve a few things. Here are some suggestions: Home page Let site visitors know they are in the right place by answering WIIFM (What’s In It For Me) from their Read more…
Writing Without Waffle
Faces, faces everywhere
Scuba diving on a coral reef in the Red Sea, I hovered over a clownfish (think Nemo) guarding its anemone. It kept darting towards my mask, clearly saying: “Keep away from my house”, ” I told you, keep away from my house”, “If you don’t keep away from my house, Read more…