John McCafferty

Buying a dog and barking yourself That’s a line my dad always used and it comes to mind from time to time when someone has hired a professional to do a job and then they try to do it themselves or stand over their shoulder and direct them. When you go to your doctor, you describe the symptom and they prescribe a way back to health. It’s the same with your mechanic. You take your car in, try to mimic that clickity-clack humming sound it just started making and the mechanic goes to work on diagnosing the problem. You wouldn’t tell the doctor what to prescribe, or the mechanic how to fix a tie-rod (whatever that is). They’re trained professionals and you trust in their knowledge and expertise. Shouldn’t that also be the case in the ad agency/client relationship? Trust your marketing experts the same as your doctor or mechanic. Understand that they are trained and experienced professionals. Give your creative partners a reason to live and die for you. You’ll find by doing so you...

Do you speak with your audience or at them? We all have a tendency to write for ourselves rather than our audience. This is especially true when it comes to writing marketing or advertising content. We want them to know our products' great features, how fast it is, how shiny it is and how it's the next great thing to come along. Before you start writing, try as best you can to stand in the shoes of the audience to whom you intend to market your products or services. Think about who they are, what are they likely to search for online, what do they want and need, and how can you meet them where they are rather than expecting them to move their thoughts and patterns to your position. To avoid having messages misperceived or misunderstood, choose language that will be understood by most (preferably all) of your recipients. Think of the individuals who comprise your audience before you communicate with them. Ask yourself: Who is the audience? Why am I ...