This document provides tips and advice for effective copywriting and business writing. It discusses common challenges with writing for work and school. It emphasizes the importance of planning, understanding your audience, using clear structure and formulas, differentiating your message, and thinking creatively. The document also provides tips for specific types of business writing like web content, reports, press releases, and grammar best practices. Overall, it aims to help readers overcome struggles with writing for work and provide strategies for writing that wins customers and stands out from competition.

1. Get Your Customers to ‘CLICK’
Robert Bullard
Perfect Text – Oxford

2. Tips for good copywriting
What makes
writing jobs difficult?
Copywriting mistakes
Business Writing Tips
SURPRISE!
Tips on writing web copy
Reports and press releases

3. How was English at your school?
Was it good for business writing?
… or Bad?

4. English at school
1. Quantity – Writing more meant more marks
2. Structure – Intro., Methodology, Analysis, Conclusions
3. Grammar – were you taught any?!
4. Scoring – no marks for writing style
5. Style – formal rather than creative

5. How good is your writing at work…
• Does it win you customers?
• Are you proud of it?
• Do you stand above competition?
• Or, do you find writing jobs a struggle?

6. Writing at work
Typically:
1. We may lack confidence/Feel out of practice
2. Anxieties as we write
3. We write like our organisation/profession
4. We absorb bad practice around us
5. Receiving feedback isn’t comfortable
6. Training is rare

9. Our kitchens get replenished with wonderful ingredients early
each morning and our Hot Chefs are often the first through
the door. In their quest to keep our shelves full of oven-fresh,
homely hot food, they bake in small batches. Little and often
is the key. Straight from the kitchen. Hot off the shelves.

10. Our kitchens get replenished with WONDERFUL INGREDIENTS
early each morning and our Hot Chefs are often the first
through the door.
In their quest to keep our shelves full of OVEN-FRESH, …
HOMELY HOT FOOD [1-2-3], they bake in SMALL BATCHES.
Little and often is the key. STRAIGHT FROM THE KITCHEN.
Hot off the shelves. [1-2-3]
Language MESSAGE/EMPHASIS [1-2-3]

11. Le Creuset is synonymous with high quality. The smooth enamel finish
is durable and hygienic, meaning everything you stew, braise or simmer
in a Le Creuset casserole will taste as good as you intended. It also
means your dishes will look great on the hob, in the oven and on the
table… Perfect for creating a variety of meals for one or side dishes for
your meals.

12. Le Creuset is SYNONYMOUS WITH HIGH QUALITY.
The smooth enamel finish is durable and hygienic, meaning everything you
stew, braise or simmer [1-2-3] .. TASTE AS GOOD AS YOU INTENDED
… your DISHES WILL LOOK GREAT
on the hob, in the oven and on the table [1-2-3]
PERFECT FOR creating a variety of meals … [repetition]
PERFECT FOR marinating, baking, roasting [1-2-3] … or SIMPLY STORING [!!]
MESSAGE/EMPHASIS Language [1-2-3]

13. We are a pub to the bottom of our boots, and have a real
focus on good quality, fresh food which we source locally
wherever possible. You won’t find televisions, gaming
machines or pool tables, but you will find a warm and chatty
pub with lots of character.

14. We are a pub to the bottom of our boots, and have a real
focus on good QUALITY, FRESH FOOD … we SOURCE LOCALLY
wherever possible.
You WON’T FIND
televisions, gaming machines or pool tables [1-2-3], but
You WILL FIND [repetition]
a WARM and CHATTY PUB with LOTS OF CHARACTER.
MESSAGE/EMPHASIS Language [1-2-3]

15. Barcote Park
Why we love it: Feel like the lord of the manor, the
chance of a lifetime to live in this opulent Parkland
setting. History, high ceilings, and the height of
fashion, the management charge is low at £1,600 per
year. Guide Price £700,000.

16. Barcote Park
WHY WE LOVE IT
Feel like the lord of the manor, …
The chance of a lifetime to live in this opulent Parkland setting [1-2-3]
HISTORY, high ceilings, and the height of fashion [1-2-3],
the MANAGEMENT CHARGE IS LOW at £1,600 per year.
MESSAGE/EMPHASIS Language [1-2-3]

17. Copywriting fundamentals
1. It starts with careful planning
2. Remember, who is your audience
3. Structure – follow trusted formulas
4. Try and differentiate yourself
5. Think outside of the box.

18. Writing for the Web
Blogging

25. Writing for the Web and Blogging
– Remember the 5 S’s –
Simplicity
Scannability – short, striking and stand out
Slow readers down – questions, bullets, titles
So what?’ test
Straplines – underused, but can have big impact
‘Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication’
Leonardo da Vinci

26. Writing for the Web/Blogging
Have a voice/Personality
be BOLD
use WORD ORDER
and RHYTHM Use vocabulary
Punctuate effectively
Avoid ‘turn-offs’

27. Grammar Quiz
Anything wrong in the following?
1. Five items or less.
2. The Personnel team have a reputation for being kind at the bar.
3. Here’s your FREE gift
4. I tried to quickly respond, to the blond’s complaint.
5. Ceri attends the church were she got married regularly.
6. For you and I they are offering a discount.
7. “Whom did you tell?”, asked Raza.
8. She is an award winning leader.
9. I have tickets for the festival, can you come with me?
10. Cycling down the road, a leopard appeared in front of him.

28. Dispelling grammatical myths
1. You can start a sentence with and, but,
because, so or however.
2. You can split infinitives. So you can say to
boldly go.
3. You can end a sentence with a preposition. In
fact, it is something we should stand up for.
4. And you can use the same word twice in a
sentence if you can't find a better word.
SOURCE: Plain English Campaign

31. Report Writing
1. THINK: What and why are you writing
2. Who’s your audience(s) – background, interests,
worries, etc.
3. Look for something visual – potential for huge impact
4. Executive Summary – fundamental it’s your best shot
5. Headings and sub-headings – tell a story
‘If you can’t explain it simply
you don’t understand it well enough’ – Albert Einstein

32. Writing Press Releases
1. Beforehand – does your story pass the ‘So what?’ test
2. Target your release – for right media; with an angle
3. Remember your competition – is there a news hook?
4. Think long term – issue a good release, be available, etc.
5. If not picked up – pursue, think positive
Remember, there are
other ways to get coverage

34. Copywriting
Editing/Proofreading Book Coaching
Training in Writing Skills

35. Copywriting
Areas of expertise
bids for funding
blogs
book chapters
brochures
case studies
Ghostwriting
manuals
newsletters
project summaries
reports
tourist information panels
tourist information
literature (displays, print
and audio)
web text

36. • 17 chapters – from planning your
work, through to proofreading
• 10 tips per chapter
• 192 pages
• Key points
• Example texts, with commentaries
• Exercises and references
• £14 (inc. p&p)

37. 2 Special Offers
For today’s delegates only
1. FREE consultation OR feedback on website/document
2. 40% Discount on my book: £14 → £10 (inc. p&p)
→ Just leave your business card
→ OR Email me

38. Robert Bullard
Perfect Text
www.perfecttext.org
robert@perfecttext.org
077 6522 7530