[wizely]

I thought it'd be a good idea to give you guys some space to discuss whatever you want in the world of copy. I won't be leading this in any way - just offering advice etc. where I can.
Please feel free to start your own threads and don't be afraid to review each other's copy or give advice - I will never criticise anyone else or put someone's advice down. I just want you to get involved in copy.
This isn't my section of the forum - I just kick-started the thing with Ben, Dizi and Eris' help. I'm hoping this section of WDF will help with your designs and in life in general!

So go for it!

[wizely]

Now open for business!

[BlueDreamer]

I'll start!

How do people tackle customers who insist on filling their sites with corporate waffle and jargon?

I get them from time to time and always explain the benefits of talking in plain, easy to understand language. However, those types of clients always seem to know best despite my recommendations, inisiting that "they know their sites visitors" - even though, in reality, they generally don't!

[Badmotherz]

Kill them. It's the only way to be sure.

[Quimp]

Soaking up the standards and customers since 2006!

[Rob]

Badmotherz, on Jun 2 2008, 16:47, said:

Kill them. It's the only way to be sure.

I'm pretty sure this isn't the first time you've recommended this tactic…!

[wizely]

bluedreamer, on May 29 2008, 15:07, said:

How do people tackle customers who insist on filling their sites with corporate waffle and jargon?

I generally just chuckle away to myself safe in the knowledge that they're losing money!
I'm in the business of turning that kind of junk into something valuable and, believe me, it's sometimes hard to get through to people that professional copywriting and effective copy really can get you lots more sales!
It's an ego thing - some marketing/PR bod has come up with all these buzz words and jargon and convuluted rubbish because that's pretty much how they stay in jobs - they bamboozle companies into thinking that all that hot air is worth anything. Why? Because most of the time that's all they have - hot air. I've worked a lot in marketing (targetting campaigns, analysing performance - you know the useful bits!) and have heard nothing but vagueries and gibberish.

They think of what they want to say - not what potential customers want to hear.

The only way to combat it is to point this out to them, write a quick draft version that makes this change and hope they see it.

[ErisDS]

Same way I deal with people who think they know how to design.

Push the issue so far, but at the end of the day the customer is always right and if they don't want to hear a professional opinion from the professional they hired to do a professional job. Well.. it's their problem not mine.

[wizely]

You can lead a fool to water but you can't make him think!