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Freelance Copywriter: Thank You Tom, James, Bob

By on July 9, 2009 in freelance copywriter

One of the many hundreds of reasons that I love the Internets is that I get an opportunity to speak with people that I ordinarily wouldn’t have the chance to, you know, conversate with.

Tom Lafauci

Tom Lafauci

For instance, when Barack Obama was speaking in Cairo, I had an extended exchange on Twitter with @tomlafauci, a former speechwriter to Joe Biden, Tom Foley and John Kerry. We had a really nice, brief back and forth for about fifteen minutes. Loved it. He’s clearly got a way with words.

Take a look at a few of Tom’s recent tweets:

@tomlafauci

@tomlafauci

@tomlafauci

@tomlafauci

@tomlafauci

@tomlafauci

James Fallows

James Fallows

I’ve exchanged a few emails with James Fallows, one of my very favorite persons and journalists.

And then I’ve just popped in on people for the joy of it. I wish I could tell you that I’ve done this hundreds of times, but it’s likely just a few dozen.

It generally looks like this. I land on someone’s site, loved it, sent them an email: “I love your site, you appear to be doing great work and I’m impressed and inspired. Thanks for having such a great site. I’m going to redouble my efforts because of you.”

Takes about all of 25 seconds to write an e-mail like that. And the recipient who has no expectation that anything like this is coming, is understandably quite thrilled. And we each go on our way. Me feel good. They feel good. (I’ve been on the receiving end a few times and can attest to the joy one feels.)

Copywriting superstar Bob Bly

Copywriting superstar Bob Bly

Meet Bob Bly – Copywriter & Generous Guy

Way back in December of 2007, I sent Bob an email thanking him for the great generosity he shows to copywriters. Hundreds of us, if not thousands of us have benefited from his work. Bob is the author of numerous books on copywriting and a force of nature in the world of copywriting. I wished him a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. “Thank you. You made my day,” he wrote back. Would I have snailed mail a thank you? Doubtful.

Today I found a directory for freelance copywriters that was different from the norm. This directory was owned and controlled by guess who? Bob Bly. Here’s the thing; he wasn’t letting just anyone into his directory. He made it plain it wasn’t going to be easy to get in. He wanted a track record, he wanted a client list, etc, etc. His name was involved.

Where’s All This Going?

Fast forward to today. I still had his original email, thanks to GMail. So I replied to a two year old email and said that I hoped he was still well and busy. I talked about the directory he’d just launched and how cool it was and that I would be honored to be included. I included my client list and some other information.

Ten minutes later Bob wrote back: “Impressive client list and website. You’ll be listed in the next few days.” Would I have been listed without the thank you? We’ll never know, but it sure didn’t hurt that we had a bit of a relationship to begin with.

There’s a saying that I can’t remember. It has something to do with doing something for someone before you actually need them. Someday I’m going to be able to help Bob Bly. Up till now, most of our exchange has been one way — he keeps helping me. So here I am again saying, “thank you Bob, you’re just a great, generous guy.” And you too, Tom LaFauci and James Fallows.

And you? Thank you for reading this far. Comments are welcome as is sharing. Have a Tom, Bob and James kind of day.

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Copywriter on the Road: Ground Zero in the Facebook Google Smackdown

By on June 23, 2009 in copywriting firm, Portland, OR, freelance copywriter, website copywriting
Alamo Square San Francisco - My former 'hood.

Alamo Square San Francisco - My former 'hood.

In my ongoing effort to add social media to my list of services, I was planning a trip to San Francisco to attend the incredible and amazing Inbound Marketing Summit put on by Chris Brogan. I needed a hotel.

A Facebook Search

As I prepared for my trip, I was figuring out how to get a good hotel at a good rate. And I did something I’d never done before. I posted this question on my Facebook page – “Anybody have any good ideas/suggestions on where to stay in San Francisco that’s relatively cheap?”

And within minutes I had an intriguing suggestion: The Grant Plaza in Chinatown. Tina, an old friend/work colleague that I hadn’t been in touch with for years (yes, those folks are good for more than you think!) was now living in San Francisco and gave the Grant Plaza two thumbs up.

Then, along comes “Pat” an old buddy from my hometown who lives in the Bay Area. “My friend Graham is the GM at the Hotel California on Geary Street. I think he’ll get you a great rate.”  Up pops Tina again: “I’d definitely go with Hotel California!”

Was it great? Yes. $69.00 a night great. And let me add a quick note; Best Western/Hotel California at Geary and Jones IS great. Wonderful hotel. Thank you Pat and thank you Graham.

So Why Didn’t I Use Google?

That’s a question that Google would like an answer to. Think of it this way – I was faced with a business decision. How do I get the best hotel rate in this city I’m planning to visit? And I have two options in front of me. The yellow pages – Google – or a room full of friends who I know and trust and who travel widely and who actually live where I am going? Which would you choose? It turns out that my decision – not especially thought through or considered – has big time implications for both Google and Facebook.

Here’s why, from a great article at Wired.com. Excerpt below:

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg envisions a more personalized, humanized Web, where our network of friends, colleagues, peers, and family is our primary source of information, just as it is offline. In Zuckerberg’s vision, users will query this “social graph” to find a doctor, the best camera, or someone to hire—rather than tapping the cold mathematics of a Google search. It is a complete rethinking of how we navigate the online world, one that places Facebook right at the center. In other words, right where Google is now.

Wow.

Are There Two Internets?

So one of the curious and interesting things about the tons and tons of data on Facebook is this – it’s behind a wall. Google can’t index it because all that data is on Facebook’s servers and they ain’t sharing for a number of reasons, one of them being that there is no love lost between “The Google” and Facebook. So the 200 million (and growing) people on Facebook and all their information is unseen and unknown by the almost all-knowing, almost all-seeing, Google.

That’s a lot of data and more important, that’s a HUGE audience for ads – the rocket fuel that keeps Google in the stratosphere. In fact, that audience is SO big, Google tried to buy a piece of Facebook only to be rebuffed. By Microsoft. Gggrrrrr!

I Hate Facebook

Facebook drives me completely bat guano crazy. It is the thorniest software to use on a daily basis. It’s easy enough to post updates, but try really using the thing – try building Fan pages and sending updates and creating a robust, rich Facebook presence and I guarantee you’ll be headed for the nearest bar in no time.

Half the time when you try to upload photos it doesn’t work, so they provide you with two ways to do it because they already know that one of the ways they’ve given you DOESN’T WORK. And these people want to take over the world? I don’t think so.

But here’s the thing. This notion of a humanized web – where friends, co-workers, acquaintances and peers weigh in on information? That is one powerful idea. And unwittingly, I tapped right into it when I asked my Facebook friends for a hotel recommendation. I should note: I’ve only done this once. Google remains far and away my preferred search method. But still…

I’m not entirely sure I want to encourage Facebook. Until they can give us something that is intuitive, less cranky and goofy, I’m staying put.

I’d love to hear your thoughts. Feel free to comment and/or pass along this post to your friends on Facebook or wherever they may hang.

Cheers,

Richard

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