Having been a web copywriter for many years now, I have to face the sad fact that people don’t read my copy. Yes, even though you think you’re reading this article now, you may in fact simply be scan reading it, whizzing across the page as fast as you can, zipping through my hard-crafted copy [...]

I am now only a few weeks away from squeezing a new mini-Toon into the world and people are telling me to waddle away from the laptop and start relaxing.
So this will be the last of my ‘How to’ blogs for sometime, and what subject matter is more fitting than delivery?
The comparisons between the birth [...]

Although I only started blogging recently I’ve been amazed at the amount of traffic and interest it’s generated for me and my business.   I’ve quickly realised that Blogs are a great alternative to a standard website, allowing you the flexibility to update frequently at little or no cost.
If you’re new to the world of blogging, [...]

You’re nearly there. You strategy is spot on, you’ve ticked off all the various copy points, your design is award winning and your code faultless.
Now – how about we get this bleeding email sent?
Here is a nice pre-send checklist for you:
1)    Create an online version
Make sure you have an online version of your email ready [...]

Coding for email is still way behind the code required for a web browser. Email readers are pretty basic when it comes to HTML so that requires coders to dust off their historic coding practices and go old school. Here are some hints to polish up your eDM code.
1) Back to basics
Ah! Remember the old [...]

Firstly, let’s understand something: An email is not a piece of direct mail. Recently while working for a major ad agency in Sydney I was horrified to discover that they were literally taking snap snots of direct mail pieces and sending out these single jpeg images as emails.  This was for a major financial brand. [...]

Here are my other core email copy guidelines for ensuring your email really hits the spot.
5)    HTML header
By this I’m referring to the piece of copy that appears before the email proper begins. Most silly people write some nonsense such as: “If you are having trouble viewing this email communication, click here to view online [...]

Most email copy is dreadful and consists of overlong, chunky paragraphs of guff that no one ever reads. Writing copy for emails is a different skill again from writing for the web and an art in itself.
Here are a few useful tips to guide you:
1)    Consider who your email is from
Decide whether your email is [...]

I’m sure that barely a day goes by when you don’t check your email. Electronic Direct Mail (eDM), as some old-school folk describe it, has become an integral part of how we conduct business, socialise with friends, shop, bank and interact with the world. It’s crucial to get it right.
Over the next few weeks I’ll [...]

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Prints Clean: The algorithm removes ads, navigation, and all the junk you don’t want to print.
Prints Pretty: Uses best practices in print Typography to format your document for great readability.
Customize: Saves paper and ink, [...]