Located NE Ohio
Painesville Ohio
Greater Cleveland Area

On choosing writers and copywriters, from the master...

"Hire people who are better than you are (at writing and creating), then leave them to get on with it. Look for people who will aim for the remarkable, who will not settle for the routine."

- - David Ogilvy
 "Father of American Advertising"

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VALIDATED

Brochure sample, click to see larger image; hit your back button to return 

From a quill pen to a sophisticated word processor, things have changed, but it's not about technology...

COPYWRITER:  Freelance writer and copywriter services for diverse copywriting tasks

On marketing pieces like brochures, newsletters, websites, advertising, and the like - understanding purpose and results

See the list on the home page...

     "Ultimately, every single element matters in writing.  However, it's not so much about the words themselves, but what they do, the impact that they have on the reader. What matters is what the words set the stage for, the call to a specific action, and the actions that result. And it's not so much about the images, but what they convey along with the words, the picture that they paint, the mood, the feel, the direction toward action. So it's not even about the total package that displays them all, the paper or ink or the pixels of the electronics, but how well that package delivers on specific objectives that the client wants to meet. Whether an objective is sales, to convince someone to join something, to participate, or to understand a process or product or service,  the particular objective should be absolutely paramount, ruler and king.

As important as the words and images and the package are, nothing should ever distract the reader; the reader should hardly even notice them except in passing. The reader should only see and respond and react to the message.

     In this sense, and even paradoxically, everything matters in this process. It's not about memory or cleverness, not about recall of a specific ad or brochure or commercial or website. These should be seamless and forgotten, merged into the background of everyday life, of sense or perception and buried in the subconscious. Never should a person consciously remember the fantastic commercial or ad, but forget the product or service the ad was promoting - this happens far too often. When the reader or viewer takes specific actions that are desirable and intended to happen as a result, those should be the focus, as in the reader bought the ideas, whatever they may be."
- -  Don Calderwood, Hawkeye Services          [ Back to page top & navigation ]

     "Vigorous writing is concise. A sentence should contain no unnecessary words for the same reason that a machine should have no unnecessary parts."
- - William Strunk, Jr., The Elements of Style, Strunk & White
 
 
Thumbnail Sketch:  Professional copywriter services and beyond, a freelance writer providing copywriting, graphic design, editing, proofing, and project support. I go from the project concept to design to copywriting through to delivery, or printing or electronic representation, to end-user delivery or distribution, depending upon the project.

I provide services in any of these three levels:
                                                                           (to call, it's area code 440...)

• Copywriter and Copywriting Services:  providing copywriting for most all applications (see below), and provide text, editing, proofing or proofreading, of existing materials that you have, or new material that I generate.

• Copywriting, Graphic Design & Illustration Services:  providing copywriting, design, images, layout, font/type selection, color selection & management, including original illustrations, graphic image management, ready for printing or production. I provide these directly and/or through a professional graphic designer and illustrator, my partner.

• Copywriting, Graphic Design Services, Production, Distribution:  provide all of the above and arrange and manage the process for proofing, printing, and delivery to client, or direct distribution to end users/target audiences, depending upon the project and what is agreed upon.

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Freelance writer? Meaning what?

     Copywriting services for pay...

     An independent writer unattached to any other company or organization who writes for pay, but not as an employee, clearly sums it up. Freelance? Writer? In olden days a freelance, or a "free lance," was a soldier with a lance and weapons who sold his services to those willing to pay for his lance, his fighting ability, with no long term commitment to those employing him. The free did not mean without payment, but speaks to the relationship.  I am a freelance writer or copywriter, and I work to the advantage and benefit of those who wish me to write and create with them. I am an independent.

Copyright? See All About Copyright

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"Right" copywriter hard to find?

      Yes, and I've heard the stories. Finding the right copywriter can be extremely frustrating. Bad experiences with copywriters, relationships that go south, serious mismatches, and more are all too common. I hear these stories from businesspeople who contact me after such copywriting misfires, often on their 2nd or 3rd or 4th quest for the "right" freelance writer they need. Had a problem? Talk with me.

Causes of copywriter - copywriting problems

     Really good copywriting can be more complex than meets the eye. Getting the style, the voice, and the copy just right for the right audience can be challenging. What experience does the copywriter have, what skills, and what maturity level? After all it's a relationship with communication at its heart, sometimes assumptions are made on both parts, and various elements of "Murphy's Laws" come charging in to screw up the mix. Questions, doubts, fears? Get these out on the table. Communicate.

Explore copywriting requirements, expectations, objectives

       Solutions? Both parties must fully explore most all aspects that will come into play before the work begins. Not every copywriting job is right for a particular copywriter, and not every copywriter is wise enough to pass on jobs that are not a good fit with them. Clients must keep this in mind as well, and not assume that because a person has writing ability, that they can write for any and every project (I guarantee that they can't). Communicate. Communicate. Communicate.

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  Client Letter:  "He (Don Calderwood) is creative, quickly understands what must be done, generates fresh ideas, offers good suggestions, and is very professional." 

 - - Robert Ambros, former owner and CEO, Emergency Response Center , Letter on file

    Client Letter:  "Thank you. Your advice in every area we've discussed, even though you are not an expert in our segment of the business, has been right on target. In fact, your creativity is evident in everything you've done, from logos to letters."

- - P. Gray, President, Gray Security, Inc., Professional Service Firm

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Copywriter, BROCHURES:  Copywriting and designing brochures, multiple types

Copywriting must be short, effective

Brochures demand copywriting that communicates a large amount of information in a very short space, assuming the brochure is not huge. Writing "short" is indeed demanding, and that is exactly what is called for, whether it is a brochure for membership, for sales, a general company capabilities brochure, an informational brochure, or a service or product brochure. Copywriting with images is a distillation of overall picture, clearly targeted at the objective. What must be understood are the critical copywriting parts of a brochure or risk failure of meeting the objectives. Far too many brochures miss the target as the medium is not understood.

Brochure Objectives

A brochure starts with objectives - it's not an end in itself. What do you want to accomplish? A well done brochure can be a veritable workhorse, helping you to accomplish your mission, objectives, and goals, by communicating through text and  images, colors and paper. Tangibly, it delivers a "feel." A brochure can work hard for you and over a relatively long period, delivering on your objectives if it is done well. However, this ONLY happens when a brochure is done well.
 

You must avoid negatives in writing or designing a brochure. The negatives are when a brochure:

• has spelling or grammar errors;

• has writing that is geared above the audience comprehension level (a  Flesch-Kincaid Scale score that is too high);

• badly done images that are skewed, off, blurred, stretched, inappropriate to the message that should be communicated;

• uses colors incorrectly, when colors clash, detract from the message or are in conflict with it, organizational identity is not followed or in conflict;

• when the writing is unclear or confusing, convoluted, off the mark, in an inappropriate style, inappropriately esoteric or filled with jargon;

• when the printing isn't sharp and the paper is marginal, wrong for the image and message, the folds off the mark, creases resulting from lack of scoring or incorrect scoring and folding;

To avoid these negatives and the negative consequences that result, hire a professional to write, edit, and produce a quality brochure.

OBJECTIVES:  Examples of objectives below might be for a sales company, so apply the ideas creatively to your organization if it is not. An effective brochure helps you to meet objectives in myriad ways. What are the objectives?

• Communicate. You already know the reasons to do this.

• Build a more positive image for your company, products, and services.   

• Keep your name in front of customers and selected prospects.

• Develop interest in add-ons, upgrades, added services and products, new products or services.

• Introduce new ideas, new applications, and new methods.

• Remind them of all your products or services; memories are short. Cross selling.

• Gain an edge over competitors.

• Show customers how to get the most from your services and people.

• Solve recurring problems in your customers use of your services, prevent problems, or deal with them effectively.

• Help to increase your customer retention by communicating effectively.

• Add to your selling arsenal.

• Give a boost to the many different facets of your organization.

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Copywriter, NEWSLETTERS:  Copywriting for organizations

           Newsletter Copywriter? Skill necessary...

COPYWRITER, and freelance writer and producers of customer newsletters, company newsletters, organization, and association newsletters.  

VERY Important Note:  I do NOT provide "s t o c k" or
"c a n n e d" newsletters, ones with complete, pre-written copy and articles and images that you place your name on and mail out.

Go: newsletter copywriter objectives

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SEO Copywriter, WEBSITES:  "Search Engine Optimization"

     SEO copywriting? Totally different...

       Copywriting with the purpose of optimizing a page and a website for search engines can be difficult. It is completely unnatural to begin to write material, with the goal before you even start, to take a variety of keywords and phrases and blend them a set number of times (frequency) into the message.  The smart money focuses on copywriting to meet the optimization objectives by skillfully blending keywords throughout the copy so they're not even noticed, and making the copy flow naturally to deliver the important information that should appear in terms of real content. When you've read copywriting on a website and it is stiff, super repetitive with the same words appearing over and over and over ad nauseum, almost nonsensical and even boring, you have witnessed an SEO copywriting failure. As an experienced and practiced SEO copywriter, I get good results, and have done so since my first website training by AT&T in 1999. (more - click on the more recent SEO Certificate for a larger size and details)

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ADVERTISING Copywriter:  Copywriting and design for advertising, promotions

     Copywriter for ads, tag lines, flyers...

       I offer experienced  advertising creation and support services for small to medium-sized businesses and organizations, including some public relations elements. I create advertising forms and vehicles, from ads to flyers to complete collaterals, as well as press releases, backgrounders, press kits, etc.

► Advertising in all sizes, design through final output, print or electronic.

► Logos, tag lines, market positioning, competitive positioning

click PDF for description of meaning:    (Opens in new window or downloads)

► Advertising and communications planning and plans, with specific promotions

► Press releases, backgrounders, product or service descriptions, company or organizational histories, press kits, etc.

► Corporate or organizational identities, concept through management on an ongoing basis

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About Editing and Proofreading within Copywriting

     There are different types...

If you write your own material, and you want to make sure that the grammar is right, that it has the right tone, feel, or style, that it packs the punch that you are trying to achieve, contact me. Whether your form is a sales letter or a website or a brochure, contact me for assistance. Error-free copy, the best word choice, editing at this level, all can improve your written material and your results.

Really effective communications demand high level writing

     You know good writing when you see it...

You can almost feel it. Get your communications looking sharp and producing the kind of response you'd like see. Use a professional freelance writer and graphic designer for your applications. From plan to execution, we are an alternative to traditional, large, and expensive agencies. 

Please inquire to discuss your needs for a writer, editor, graphic designer, illustrator. Discover how we may help you. Using a freelance writer and designer when you need them makes better  business sense than hiring a full time employee.

For more INFORMATION please inquire:   Thank you.

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