Usable Words

When I started in business a few months ago, I decided to operate under my own name. It wasn’t so much that I loved the idea of being my own brand; it was more that I couldn’t think of a name that really captured the kind of business I wanted to be. So many copywriters’ business names were, I thought, just lame – wincingly bad puns, or try-hard attempts to be “writerly”. If anybody should have a kick-arse brand name or nothing, I thought, it was a copywriter. So for want of anything better, I became Angus Gordon, Copywriter.

Then, one night, I suddenly sat up in bed (the way you do). I won’t pretend I yelled “Eureka!” but I certainly thought it. Usable Words just seemed to encapsulate everything I stood for. On top of that, it was four easily remembered syllables. Talk about pithy! With trembling hands I got onto the net and checked for the domain name: bingo! It was available – not just the .com.au, but to my surprise the .com as well. So Usable Words was born. read more >

Here are three recent blog posts that I highly recommend you read right now:

• SEO Copywriting – You Can’t Make a Silk Purse Out of a Sow’s Ear. She’s right, you know. You can’t.
• Copyblogger – Warning: Narcissistic Marketing Can Be Dangerous to Your Business Health. Actually, I probably need to read this more than you do.
• IttyBiz – The Only Thing You Need to Know About Copywriting and Conversions. Of course, if that was literally true, you’d never have to read my blog again. I don’t suggest you stop reading my blog. I do suggest you start reading IttyBiz.

This recent post from Social Media Guru Chris Brogan echoes something I’ve recently been banging on about to anyone who’ll listen:

For every “we” site, you now need a “me” person on the site. Why? Because we do business with PEOPLE, not with corporations. The corporations give us branding and other legal constructs, but we buy from humans.

Nowhere is this message more direly needed than in the so-called “business to business” (B2B) sector. People seem to think that if you’re “talking to businesses” your communication needs are different – because unlike human beings, businesses have (supposedly) completely rational and transparent motivations. They exist to make profits. Show them a good bottom line impact and you’ve got ‘em; anything else is pointless.

But of course you can’t talk to a business, only to a person within a business. And you’re not necessarily talking to the person who owns the business either, so the bottom line might in fact be pretty low on their list of motivations, compared to pleasing the boss, making themselves look useful, having fun while they’re at work, avoiding tedium, and so on. Emotions, people. Your accountant has just as many of them as your grandmother.

Image: fabbio

Wondering why you’re reading something called the “usable words blog”?

This is the blog formerly known as “Textual”. Usable Words is the new name for the blog and, pretty much, me. Yes, I’m rebranding, and you (all, er, three or so of you) are the first to know. I hope you like it. Logo, website and more to come.

Image: takomabibelot

Here is a handout [PDF link] I used for a presentation at BNI last week. It’s a quick 3-point check for the front page of a business website. Pretty basic stuff, but it’s amazing how many sites fail it.

Image: foundphotoslj