Copy Writing Goodness

Hi all,

Thought I'd share a great link I found today. Let me know what you think by commenting below.

http://marketingbeforefunding.com/2012/09/26/ways-to-improve-copywriting/

Cheers!

- Bryce

This week's homework

Hi all, I didn't make it to the in-class work I promised you so I'll make it up to you by providing primarily lab time next week. That way I can spend individual time helping you.

Placeit.net

http://placeit.net

We all liked the way some of Graham's pieces were presented. That's where placeit.net comes in.

It's a paid service, but there are flexible options that may work for you. Even if you just wanted to do a few singles of your best work, it's $8 a piece. Totally worth it, when you consider that this is the vehicle that is going to launch you into the career of your dreams. ;)

Editorial Calendar wha?

Go here and read: http://coschedule.com/content-marketing-editorial-calendar

This will give you a good overview of how and why to use an editorial calendar. I gave a brief overview at the end of class, but for those who missed it, this is a great way to plan your content over time. Why are we doing this? Because you're going to schedule out delivering your in-page copy content over the next few weeks... You know, the way bloggers do it. What? You didn't think they just wrote off the cuff about whatever they wanted did you? They have their topics planned out waaaaay in advance. 

So. For next week, I need to see individual blog posts on your blog representing each page of content you will be creating. Each post will have a due date (ideally the day before each class period), spread out through week 10. Let me know if that doesn't make sense.

Trello.com

I use Trello for scheduling out projects all the time. It's what it's for. It's also free. Have a look at the project I created and you'll see what I mean. It's super easy to create categories (backlog, in-progress, done... Whatever makes sense to you). From there you can create cards, and assign dates to them, , and drag the one you're currently working on into the in-progress lane. You'll need to add the calendar power-up from the "show menu" to the right of your board. You'll see what I mean. Anyway, when you're finished with your copy content, you can add it to the description or as an attachment, mark as done, and drag it into the finished lane. Trello... It's what's for dinner. 

https://trello.com/b/WV3Qf4fX/editorial-calendar-example

Attention Fashion People!

I believe an apology is in order

You may not have guessed, but I don't know a lot about fashion. I'm guilty of wearing checkered jammy pants and striped shirts on Saturday mornings. I've also been guilty of wearing a hoody AND hooded sweatshirt. That's right. Two hoods. I pretty rocked it though. The trick is to rock it like you own it. Anyway, in order to atone for my fashion sins, I've compiled some helpful information.

Ok, anyway... Here is some general guidance I've compiled for fine-tuning your portfolios.

1. Have a look here for some great fashion portfolios: https://www.siteinspire.com/websites?categories=63+19
2. Fashion Marketing sites tend to be very image-heavy. Make sure it's clear users can tell what they're looking at, and what your role was. You've got some great shots, but your portfolio should make it clear that it was your creative vision that brought it all together. 
3. Tell people what you do. What are your strengths? What do you want to do? What do you do best? Make sure when people first hit your site, they have context for the work they're seeing.
4. Take a long, hard look at your work and remove anything you think isn't top-notch. This is tough, because we're all attached to our work. The problem is, nobody else is. They'll only see something that doesn't quite have "it" and won't be impressed. This happens in every industry... Music, film... Often times the director has to make the agonizing decision to leave her favorite scene on the cutting room floor. But why? Because it didn't support or took away from the overall story. If you've got something that's not quite ready for prime time, either swallow hard and pull it, or blow off the dust and polish it up. Sometimes we don't quite have the time to finish a project and it sits on a shelf. Finish it up!
5. Include project details. In viewing some portfolios this morning, I notice that not all portfolio sites have descriptions for every picture, but the ones I liked gave me the ability to see the overall project details. This is important because you get to tell your story. Goals, how you overcame adversity, improvised, and generally kicked ass. ;)
6. Don't paint yourself as a small-town girl/boy. The fashion world tends to paint itself as a global/international world of glitz and glamour. You don't want to be perceived as a naive kid from a small town who will have their dreams crushed by the fast pace of the big city. Your bio should reflect your industry. Caveat: If your strategy is to paint yourself as the small town success story who, through raw talent and tenacity, clawed your way up... You're painting a picture of someone who paid their dues and earned their stripes. But generally, look at the bios from the link above and see what they do. Don't be afraid to borrow ideas you like... Just don't directly plagiarize. 

Cheers!

In-Class Content Workshop

Today's class focus will be on content. 

Following a brief lecture, we'll review all of our sites as they currently sit, provide feedback for each other, and then dive into creating content. 

We'll talk about what makes effective content, and develop a strategy for delivering the final revisions of our content.

Looking forward to seeing you all tonight!

Cheers,

- B

Adobe Slate?

What to bring to tomorrow's class

It's that age old question... What to bring...

Let me help you out with that. Remember, this is a pass/fail situation for mid-term, so this is not the class to blow off!

Here is what you'll need:

• Credit/Debit Card - We'll be purchasing domain/hosting/service... 
• Site outline or sitemap - We'll be installing the basic structure of our sites tomorrow. 

That's it. I'll do another brief comparison of some of the front-runners (Wix, etc.). Feel free to choose any of the ones we talked about in class. Just make sure to pick one and pay for it by tomorrow.

LMK if you have any questions. See you in class!

- B

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Cheers!