|
|
|
|
|
Hello,
I'm Richard Harrison, the business and marketing writer behind copywriting company RichWords.
Look around to find out why you should use RichWords, to see examples of my work for clients, or to read my blog:
|
Monday, 10 September 2012
|
|
Last week, I tweeted about Marketing Week's Q&A with Innocent marketing director Douglas Lamont and the pleasing match up between the company's brand promise and the experience of seeing/reading its product packaging and tasting what's inside.
Over the weekend, I observed the opposite effect while staying overnight in a Best Western hotel near Nottingham. The BW website uses the headline "Hotels with personality" (in a supposedly friendly script font) and explains its thinking by saying: "Every Best Western hotel is individual and crammed full of its own personality... The only thing that is the same is [each hotel's] commitment to the quality, value and standards of service that every guest receives."
Even the "in-room amenities" (e.g. bathroom goodies, pens and notepads) include copy - see below - using the same font and adopting a tone of voice that is - allegedly - full of personality. So far so on-brand.
Here are a couple of examples of what happened during my stay - and how easily the experience could have been different (i.e. more pleasant and more in keeping with the brand values):
1) I was given a credit-card style "key" for my room, which I put into my wallet, next to my cards, for safe keeping. When I couldn't get back into my room and trudged down to Reception to find out why, I was told that my own cards had de-magnetised the entry card. My wife had kept hers next to her mobile phone and the same thing happened: we couldn't get into our room.
It was a slight, yet unavoidable, inconvenience for us... and an expensive waste of time for BW's staff. Why? Because I've no doubt it happens regularly, meaning the staff have to explain the issue and re-set the door cards several times each day. So, you're potentially annoying your guests and certainly wasting time and money. Perhaps explaining the vagaries of magnetic strips to people as they check-in might be a good idea?
2) I ordered a Sunday newspaper, which wasn't outside my door at around 7.30am. I checked the in-room blurb - it assured me the paper would be in the breakfast room. I went downstairs but found no sign of life there (despite the same blurb telling me that breakfast was served from 8am). I enquired at Reception.
Without apology, the person behind the desk explained that "the paper boy isn't allowed to deliver this early, so you'll have to wait until breakfast time - around 9 o'clock." A bit peeved, I suggested how useful it would have been to mention this when I checked in and - upon being prompted by a staff member - chose to have a paper. The priceless reply: "You can cancel it, if you like."
The moral is... make sure your brand experience lives up to your brand promise if you want satisfied (and returning) customers. You might even save yourself some money in the process.
Best Western? More like a cowboy operation if you ask me.
|
|
|
|
Monday, 16 July 2012
|
|
One of my current projects is with a London-based company and so I've travelled to the capital a few times recently. I still get excited by the buzz when I go back (I spent almost 20 years' living and working in London), and love the fact that there's 3G access to the web in every part of the city.
One day, this could allow us all to "walk to work" - and, as the article concludes, 'maybe on a high street near you soon.'
|
|
|
|
Friday, 25 May 2012
|
|
A few of my freelance friends have been asking how I've managed to keep so busy over the past year, and I guess there are three answers: hard work, good work and good luck.
 The hard work involves self-motivation and long hours - getting into the office on time and doing a full day (even when the sun's shining, like it has been all this week). Sometimes, it can be about working in the evenings or at weekends too, although I try to keep this "overtime" to a minimum. This is because I want to spend time with my family and also relax and re-charge my batteries. This is important for staying fresh and creative - which in turn helps to keep my clients happy, of course.
Good work is all about meeting the brief in terms of timing, budget and creativity (as a minimum) - and trying to exceeed expectations wherever possible. It's also about being as helpful, approachable and knowledgeable as possible: to be the "go to" guy for a client's copywriting and marketing communications needs.
Good luck is about being in the right place at the right time, knowing or meeting the right people, or hitting on an idea that resonates with a client at just the right moment.
And the moral is? Doing the first two things consistently can help you get your own slice of good fortune more regularly.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
