Content Cavern

Honest tales from the content marketing climb

Nobody Can Call Themselves a Copywriter, Unless …

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Boxing and copywriting

When I started copywriting I thought I could defeat the world.

I look back now and laugh – what a tit.

I took any job with total belief, regardless of the meagre purse.

Four fights in, my chin was rocked and left hanging. Rookie.

Guard down. Burnout closed in for the kill.

Then a haymaker took me off my feet – client criticism.

Confidence stolen and dreading the next bout, I crawled back into the ring.

Focus lingered on defeat. Doubt took over. Fight lost before the first bell.

So, why the boxing talk? Well, that’s what saved me in the end … [Read more…]

Why it’s Perfectly Okay to Steal this Content

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Theft-ContentCavern

In 1872, George Davey went down for a month’s hard labour in Wandsworth Prison.

He was 10 years old.

Before I let you know his crime, I want to confess my own – see if you can relate …

I once felt the internet was riddled with repeats of the same idea, the same arguments – even the same content.

Nothing NEW left to discuss.

“Nobody’s gonna read my article, when they could spend their time reading [INSERT FAVOURITE BLOGGER HERE].” I’d say to myself.

Now I reckon that’s all bollocks.

Let me explain why … [Read more…]

The Disturbing Truth About Empathy that Every Writer Needs to Know

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Empathy HannibalWhen Thomas Harris wrote Red Dragon and Silence of the Lambs, he shadowed his characters in each scene.

Invisible to them, he took notes on their conversations.

But when creeping into the presence of Dr. Hannibal Lecter for the first time – his skin crawled … as if the doctor knew he was there.

Harris had created a character so REAL, he was acting on freewill.

There’s a muscle fiction writers use to do this:

[Read more…]

5 More Ways to Avoid Freelance Stress (You May Not Be Able to Try Them All)

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FreelancerI was a machine operator back in the day.  The most creative I had to get about pushing buttons was which finger to use. I miss that head space.

Not sure if it was youth or tit-headness, but I didn’t get the whole stress thing – viewed anyone staking a claim to it as a copout.

These days, I’m all too aware of how ignorant I was, and how vulnerable we are to its mind games – especially as copywriters who actually care.

If you let it, stress stops you being a copywriter. It makes you crave an uncluttered head – a push button lifestyle. Nothing wrong with that. But you wouldn’t be you anymore. The creative you. The real you.

It takes heart to keep at it, along with some immediate changes.

Now, I’m nowhere near an expert on stress so please don’t read this as a sermon, but these small changes are working for me – so far …

[Read more…]

Master This Hollywood Technique to Write Your Best Copy

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filmingInstead of dialling 911, Lou videotapes the blood trails, bullet holes, and bodies of a family mass murdered in their home just seconds ago.

And he’s going to flog his footage to the morning news.

Lou’s a ‘stringer’. A freelance video journalist so bloodthirsty for success, he stops at nothing to suck the most shocking images into his camera every night.

If the crime scene isn’t dramatic enough, he tweaks it – maybe drags the body into position for a better shot.

[Read more…]

TravelMassive Manchester: What Does it Take to Go from Copywriter to Content Marketer?

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Pego de Inferno ImageThanks for listening to me ramble on about stuff at Travel Massive in Manchester.

Here’s the quick answer to the question I was asked before the event …

What does it take to go from copywriter to content marketer?

  • An understanding of what a real copywriter brings to the table, that a ‘vendor’ doesn’t
  • An understanding of what’s needed in order to become a real copywriter
  • An understanding of the need for authentic content
  • An understanding of what the great copywriters have done before
  • An understanding of empathy and its power in all relationships (not just with the customer)
  • An understanding of the bigger picture – beyond writing the copy itself
  • An understanding of who else you may need on-board to execute a world-class idea
  • An understanding of the primary goal in any campaign (sales)
  • An understanding of the need to measure results and adapt the campaign

It goes even deeper than this. And that’s what the Content Cavern’s here for.

Paul and I will be scuba-diving into this stuff throughout 2015.  If you join using the form with our big red button, you can enjoy the journey with us from the very beginning.

By the way, if you didn’t grab a handout at the event, here’s the pdf version:

Travel Massive Handout

And here’s a quick video if you didn’t make it on the night:

Thanks again – see you soon,

Rob

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Image source: Husond, via Wiki Commons, (with filter added and text overlay)

What’s the Content Cavern?

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You’re one of the first people to stumble upon the Content Cavern.

This is a new spot – where two copywriters share their struggles from the content marketing climb.

One works as the Head of Creative for a UK marketing agency.

The other works as a freelance copywriter on the frontline.

Both will be 100% honest with you – in every story told.

You can stay to read. But the Content Cavern is more useful if you join (free).

As a welcome to the community, we critique one piece of your work – free of charge. You also get a free ebook straightaway.

We’d love to have you.

Thanks for finding us,

Rob Philbin (agency Head of Creative) & Paul Philbin (freelance copywriter)