What’s So Money About Funny

February, 2021 * Volume I, Number2

Dear Howling Reader,

Believe it or not, it’s the end of the month already, and you know what that means.

Full moon.

But don’t despair: It also means you’ve received a brand-new edition of your favorite electronic news-free newsletter, Word PLAY!

I know, I know. It’s enough to make you howl at the full moon.

In this edition, we step away briefly from our award-craving series House Cats In Yoga Pants to explore a topic some people find uncomfortable and difficult to talk about. I’m referring, of course, to boring Marketing Copy.

I promise it’ll be painless. Or, well, at least it will be brief.

Joking aside, THANK YOU for reading… for not opting out just yet… and for making Firewords Creative Copy your go-to source for the words that win and the funny that makes money. I am humbled by your support, and seriously grateful for your business.

Meanwhile, in this edition of Word PLAY...

What's So Money About Funny?

Word PLAY… Playful Monthly Commentary
On Persuasive Copy For YOUR Business

Don’t look now, but Marketing Copy has you completely surrounded.

But even if you come out with your hands up, you’re still likely to find Marketing Copy everywhere, from your email inbox to your very own website.

And most of it’s pretty lackluster. Boring, even.

You can’t swing a yoga-pants-wearing cat without hitting some dry recitation on an “ABOUT US” page which chronicles some roofer’s graduation from trade school in 1979 and subsequent board certification by ABCXYZ which led to being licensed, bonded, insured, qualified, and able to roof tall buildings in a single bound.

Gret snick blega snoauxhxhgh…

(Sorry. I nodded off there for a minute.)

That’s why millions… well, hundreds… dozens? Okay, that’s why a massive handful of copywriting clients, business owners, solo entrepreneurs, and board-certified roofers are turning to the time-tested remedy of amusing marketing copy to save their sanity and improve their lives.

And keep their readers awake.

There are at least two good reasons to make at least some of your marketing copy at least lightly entertaining… but we’ll just talk about at least the top three:

1. Readers dig it. We’re finding that people who receive amusing copy, either in emails or newsletters or email newsletters or whatnot (especially whatnot) tend to actually open and read these pieces at a much higher rate than they do the latest scold from your bloodless tax attorney. They even look forward to them, and they actually don’t hate them, which in turn makes them less inclined to hate YOU, the business owner and/or board-certified roofer!

B. Your competitors won’t try it. It won’t even occur to “Brand X” to send anything lightly-humorous out into the world. They think (oh, so wrongly) that it would make them come across as “unprofessional.” What they fail to realize is that their boring copy makes them come across more as “unlikeable.” Like they take themselves too seriously. Like they’re too worried about their professional image, possibly because they are new to the business and not all that relaxed and confident about knowing their stuff. Unlike YOU. Which is why you can kick their booty with funny stuff on a regular basis.

4. Most writers can’t pull it off. Really. Try this: Write something funny. Right now! There’s a deadline! Sure, you can probably squeeze out a sentence or two… maybe even a paragraph of mildly-amusing stuff. But keep at it. Gets you right there in the wrists, eh? Yes, writing that boring Marketing Copy is a skill (and I’m not knocking it)… but making your stuff both persuasive and amusing is a talent. You either have it, grounded possibly in a lifetime of ridicule-worthy goof-ups and monkey-brained “key learnings” on your own part, or you don’t.

Your readers remember the funny stuff they read. Humor has all kinds of great effects on the attainment of your marketing goals, including Hedonic Effects, Utilitarian Effects, and Social Effects which gret blick snaughghgx.

(Sorry, fell asleep again. I was trying to quote an actual academic article on why humorous stuff kicks marketing butt, and I won’t attribute it to Drs. Warren, Barsky, and McGraw because I’m sure they wouldn’t want even the slightest association with the likes of me. But you can look them up. It’s a thing. And they did a boffo job on it.)

Think about it. Look at your last blog post or newsletter and ask yourself, “Did I remember to feed the fish?” Also: “If I funnied this up, would it actually be more effective with my readers? Would they realize that, while I take my business very seriously, I don’t take myself too seriously?”

The massive handful of businesses who’ve tried it already know the answer.

Their fish are just fine.

Key Take-Aways From This Edition

***

Discussion Questions

I write HUME-orous marketing copy for happy clients who take their professions very seriously… but whose customers like and trust them because they (the clients) don’t take themselves too seriously. Want more info? Get in touch…

Call me: (303) 478-8702
Email me: michael@michaelhume.net
Investigate me: FirewordsMedia.com
Feed my fish: 195 South Rancho Vista Drive, Pueblo West, CO 81007

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Copyright 2021 by Michael D. Hume, M.S. All rights reserved.
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FireWords Creative Copy, 195 South Rancho Vista Drive , Pueblo West, CO 81007, United States