Author: Cherith Andes

5 Golden Rules of Web Copy

Cherith AndesBlog, Marketing, Public Relations, , ,

Ten seconds.

That is all you have to grab the attention of a website visitor and convince them that your content is what they need. And 70 percent of people who leave your page halfway through will not return. Bottom line: in addition to design, website copy has no room for error. It must be informative and magnetic.

So where to begin? With these five golden rules for writing web copy.

1. Thou shalt know thy audience.

This the first cardinal rule in any marketing strategy, and it applies whole-hog here. Sixty-eight percent of users say if they don’t find what they want right away on a mobile site, they move to another website. Specifically identify what your audience is seeking on your landing page and ensure this information is easily found in the top few lines. This may differ with things like targeted campaigns for a certain buyer segment as well.

2. Thou shalt make all things skimmable.

First, stats.

  • According to HubSpot, 43 percent of people admit to skimming blog posts.
  • While 80 percent will pause to read a headline, only 20 percent will pause to read the rest.

Use the good ‘ole inverted pyramid to include the must-know information at the top of the page to show your reader that this page contains the info they need … (and entice them to read more). Employ headlines, bold text (as appropriate within your design and style guidelines), short paragraphs and phrases that lend themselves to “skimmability.”

3. Blessed are the brief, for they shall be heard again.

Related to Golden Rule #2. Write like you would speak: relatable phrases rather than lengthy jargon-packed paragraphs. Oh, and PS: good grammar actually matters to the reader. And in the spirit of brevity, that’s all I’ll say.

4. Thou shalt focus on the reader.

According to Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, self-esteem is near the top. Cast the spotlight on your customer by using “you” words; rather than “we the company can” or “I the consultant will,” say things like “you will … you can … imagine yourself.” Pepper the copy with messages that point to the reader’s success and completion of the goal that is driving them to your website.

5. Thou shalt call thy people to action.

Each page, blog or post should end with a call to action (CTA) that is commensurate with the readers’ journey. Are they ready for more information, tips or a download guide? Ready in the buying cycle to contact a rep, make an appointment, add an item to their carts? Visit a social media page to learn more about an event?

Copy should include strong conversion words that eliminate the sense of risk and provide a sense of assured success, like  “risk-free,” “everything you need” to show all-inclusive features. ThriveHive offers some great advice for tailored action words.

Looking for some help? We got your back on this one.

Drop Us a Line
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Raleigh Legend Debuts Play

Cherith AndesBlog, Clairemont Client News, In Our Community, , , , ,

Curtain up, spotlight on and enter stage right … a legend in the Triangle arts scene.

2014 Piedmont Laureate Carrie Knowles has no small resume when it comes to literature and the arts. Carrie founded the Boylan Heights ArtWalk, directed the Cross Currents Chamber Music and Arts Festival and provided board leadership for the Raleigh Chamber Music Guild, Burning Coal Theater and the United Arts Council. Let’s not forget her 45-year literary career, during which Carrie penned dozens of stories, published five novels and earned more than 25 awards.

A Stage for Change: SIX

Carrie is nowhere near stopping. For her 70th birthday, Carrie is releasing “Black Tie Optional: 17 Stories.” But this is no ordinary book release.

SIX: A Play in One Act

Carrie transformed SIX, one of the short stories from “Black Tie Optional,” into a one-act play. She is partnering with Burning Coal Theater and Women’s Theater Festival to debut SIX as a special staged reading. SIX follows the story of a young women seeking meaning and redemption after dark experiences — an evocative tale that inspires us to live life without regrets.

The premiere of SIX will serve as a fundraiser for Women’s Theater Festival, providing critical scholarships for 10 young actors/writers/directors to develop their talents and craft new work at the 2019 Women’s Theatre Festival.

Date: Sunday, May 26, 2019, 3 p.m.
Location: Burning Coal Theatre, 224 Polk Street Raleigh
RSVP: Here!

https://www.facebook.com/CarrieJKnowles/videos/332956537257430/

A Place for a Party

And what’s a show without a little afterparty? Carrie also invites guests to join her and the cast in the lobby afterward for cake and bubbly to celebrate her 70th birthday!

The event is free with a suggested $5 donation to benefit the Women’s Theatre Festival Scholarship Fun. “Black Tie Optional: 17 Stories” will be available for purchase (and autograph!) with 40 percent of the proceeds benefitting the Women’s Theatre Festival.

Join us to enjoy a show, cake and bubbly! Space is limited, so reserve your spot now!

RSVP for SIX!
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Transfer Co. Food Hall’s Final Tenants

Cherith AndesBlog, Clairemont Client News, Restaurant PR + Hospitality PR, , , ,

We’re excited to work with client Transfer Co. Food Hall — and not just because we’re foodies (although the tidbits we’ve tasted are showstoppers, people). Founder Jason Queen crafted Transfer Co. Food Hall as a hub for collaboration, innovation and the transfer of knowledge — in part what inspired its name. It’s long-awaited curation of tenants features everything from fresh seafood to burritos, Asian cuisine and North Carolina’s own bagels.

And now, Transfer is rounding out its tenant list!

Transfer Co. Food Hall, an historically inspired culinary destination in downtown Raleigh, will open its doors with expanded hours on Tuesday, May 7, 2019, followed by a month of celebratory activities leading up to a late-summer grand opening. In addition to its current roster of chefs and restaurateurs, Transfer Co. Food Hall will debut its latest tenants with plans to open in full by end of summer of 2019. Tenants include Mama Crow’s, Alimentari by Left Bank, an expanded Burial Beer can shop, a ballroom/event space and a coworking hall.

“Since inception, we designed Transfer Co. to encourage tenants and guests alike to share knowledge, maximize collaboration and spark innovation,” said Jason Queen, founder, Transfer Co. Food Hall. “New tenants, new event spaces, a coworking hub and new culinary concepts are some of the final cornerstones to this downtown vision, and we can’t wait to share them with you!”

Alimentari at Left Bank

Alimentari at Left Bank stems from a creative collaboration between Josh DeCarolis, acclaimed chef of Durham’s Mothers and Sons, and Saxapahaw’s nationally renowned Left Bank Butchery. In addition to serving a farm-fresh menu of Italian specialties and fresh pasta by the pound, this collaboration will offer the only local whole-animal butchery and charcuterie shop in downtown Raleigh. All animals will be sourced from Cane Creek and Braeburn Farms, both recognized across the country for their restorative land management and heritage breeds. The menu will focus on tigelle’s – Northern Italian style small flatbreads stuffed with a variety of Left Bank Butchery’s meats and charcuterie, fresh local cheeses and vegetables. Alimentari at Left Bank plans to open in late summer of 2019.

Mama Crow’s

Drawing on their own culinary background, the partners in Transfer Co., including Jeanne and Jason Queen, join creative forces with Executive Chef David Mitchell to debut Mama Crow’s. Named after a great-grandmother, Mama Crow’s will feature a menu of fresh, locally sourced salads, fresh, top-quality burgers, house-made cheeses and hand-cut fries. Chef Mitchell will apply his rich experience from Raleigh hotspots — including Trophy Brewing, State of Beer and The Oak — to craft a locally inspired and healthy-minded haven at Transfer Co.

Burial Beer Gets Bigger!

Burial Beer in Transfer Co. will also expand its current 670 square-foot space to 2,000 square feet linking the connection between the food hall and Longleaf Swine BBQ. Behind Burial, Transfer Co. will open a rentable 3,000-square-foot ballroom/event space that is now accepting bookings. The space is designed to accommodate gatherings from a five-person luncheon to a 350-person concert — all with full catering access to the food hall and the site’s 14 distinct restaurants. The event space will also offer a rotating calendar of live music, pop-ups, artisan markets and community activities.

Ballrooms, Event Spaces and a Coworking Hub

In addition, Transfer’s final footprint includes a 50+ desk coworking hall with three levels of membership designed to encourage collaboration and innovation across all levels of startups within and outside of the food industry.

The Transfer tenant roster features top foodie masterminds from across North Carolina, touting culinary awards like Food & Wine’s Best Croissants in America and Draft Magazine’s #1 choice. Check out the complete list of mouth-watering talent!

Transfer Co. will host a series of celebratory activities through the months of May and June, including guest chef appearances, pop-ups and musical performances. To stay updated on the event schedule, follow Transfer Co. at www.instagram.com/transfercofoodhall and www.facebook.com/TransferCoFoodHall.

Expanded Hours Starting May 7, 2019:
Tues. 11 a.m. – 10 p.m.
Wed. 11 a.m. – 10 p.m.
Thurs. 11 a.m. – 10 p.m.
Fri. 11 a.m. – 11 p.m.
Sat. 11 a.m. – 11 p.m.
Sun. 11 a.m. – 8 p.m.

While dining our way across America, we’ve had the privilege to work with some phenomenal restaurants, chefs and culinary clients. How ’bout that time we took a chef to cook at the James Beard House in NYC?

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Upsetting the “AP”-ple Cart: AP Changes

Cherith AndesBlog, Professional Development, Public Relations, , , , ,

In PR and journalism, we hold each other to a code. It’s not a secret handshake, invisible ink or Bat Signal. Oh no, we nerds like to think it’s far cooler.

Two words: AP Style.

The Associated Press developed the Golden Rule of writing and grammar for journalism and public relations. It governs everything from sentence structure to how many spaces surround an ellipses. (One space on either side of the ellipses, in case you’re dying to know.)

We’ve pored through that style guide, memorized it and marked up many a news release to remove the loathed Oxford comma.

But, like everything else in our industry, the AP Stylebook makes annual changes to its rules. Now don’t get us wrong. We LOVE staying on the cutting edge of trends, tools and opportunities. Something new to explore? Sign us up! But there are two AP Style rules that have been feathers in every journalist’s cap, the hill on which they’ll die.

And recently, both rules changed. Cue a writers’ riot.

  1. The Percent Sign. Historically, AP Style religiously mandated that you spell out the percent sign, as the “%” symbol did not always translate between AP and newspaper computers, according to ProofReadNow.com. (Isn’t there an app for that?) For example, “This year, 100 percent of Clairemont employees ate peanut butter pretzels.” (True statement. Small addiction here.) Now, AP accepts the symbol, as in “At Clairemont 100% of the employees think this rule is a tad bogus.”
  2. More than vs. Over. Put up your dukes, people. This is a big one with AP Style OGs. When showing an amount greater than another amount, AP Style used to dictate the use of “more than,” such as “Cherith ate more than 7,000 peanut butter pretzels this year.” The word “over” was reserved for a physical position, such as “The light bulb dangled precariously over Cherith’s head.” Makes perfect sense. Now? AP Style accepts “over” in place of “more than.” I’m so over this.

Other general and miscellaneous AP rules?

  1. The plural of “emoji” is “emoji.” Which can actually come in handy when your mother sends you texts comprised of nothing but emojis … er–emoji.
  2. There’s a rule for quoting hashtags. “#NoLikeReally”
  3. Use “canning jar” instead of “Mason jar.” Well. Thank God someone finally addressed this journalistic crisis. We could see it now: masses of Martha Stewart followers storming the streets, aprons flying, spatulas brandishing, because NOT ALL CANNING JARS ARE MASON JARS. Serious business.

All in all, we take our work very seriously when it comes to accuracy … but perhaps not-so-seriously when it comes to a sense of fun and play. The 100% perfect mix.

See some of our writing fun in action!

Cover image from APStylebook Instagram account.

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Becoming a Thought Leader

Cherith AndesBlog, Professional Development, Public Relations, , , ,

When I worked as the communications director with the YMCA of the Triangle, Chip and Dan Heath held celeb status in our halls.

We had never even met the duo. But the Y staff had poured through their book, “Switch,” discussed it in fervent (sometimes overly caffeinated) groups, storyboarded its concepts and penned strategies of action.

“Switch” served as a catalyst for systemic change for the Y — all 13+ branches in our region. The Heaths’ three-step process for inciting transformation at all levels — staff, members and the community — proved radical.

The Heaths had successfully positioned themselves as thought leaders. 

Thought leaders aren’t just experts. They are the “expert of experts.” After demonstrating valuable contributions to a specific field, thought leaders rise as the “go-to” resources, the keynote speakers, the daily bloggers.

As you develop your influence as a thought leader, fuel your journey with these six steps.

1. #Inspo: Find Your Why. 

This crucial first step will serve as the foundation for the next five steps. Determine for yourself why you want to pursue this specific niche of expertise. Is there social change you’d like to encourage, people you’d like to help, a business you’re dreaming to start? A deep, specific conviction serves both to focus your strategy on an end goal while also keeping you inspired over the long haul.

2. #Niche: Specify your what. 

What is your area of expertise? Since specificity is key, define not just your field but also your niche and your stance on that niche. For example, Clairemont works with Newland Communities, the country’s largest private residential real estate developer. We worked with one of its executives who was a thought leader not in real estate, not in mixed-use real estate (although we’re getting closer) but in the authentic mixed-use development inspired by natural habitats and heritage. Newland’s mission propels the company to develop communities based on the culture, heritage and natural topography of the land to foster the area’s culture. See how this is much more specific than “real estate”?

In this phase of discovery, remember that you need to offer something new. Perhaps you’re taking a new stance on a topic or adding a new angle to accepted rhetoric. Either way, proffer something fresh to the pot. Once you’ve fleshed out your particular brand of cool, hone it to a four- or five-word phrase that cleanly portrays your value as a thought leader.

3. #Proof: Build your credibility. 

Create a profile that showcases why you’re a thought leader on a source. This could include a list of accomplishments and experiences in this field, works you’ve written, awards won, organizations to which you’ve contributed or research you’ve conducted. Build proof why your followers should look to you as the quintessential expert.

4. #Authenticity: Hone your voice.

People don’t follow ideas. People follow people, which is a wonderful invitation for you to unveil your personality, style and voice. Take the opportunity to develop your personal “boilerplate” or your story that led you to your expertise. What spurred you, what obstacles did you crush, what change did you witness? Be forewarned: our culture has a strong radar for heavy-handed sales tactics. So undergird your writing and thoughts with transparency without asking for anything in return.

5. #Connected: Use your tribe.

When setting up your strategy, consult a team of trusted advisors, like your colleagues, fellow board members or your PR agency team. Share your why, what, proof and credibility points. Ask for feedback and expand ideas together: topics you could address, events or panels on which you could speak, workshops to teach or social media strategies. Define your outlets and plan of attack. Will you solely provide blog material? Teach workshops? Are you writing a book? Your team can provide invaluable direction; don’t go it alone!

6. #Indispensable: Be a resource.

Once your strategy is in place, here’s where the proverbial rubber meets the road. All of your knowledge doesn’t mean bupkis unless your followers find it useful. Since you’ve established a stance on a topic (see #2) backed by data (see #3), spotlight your golden discoveries.

Articulate a common problem that your field faces and offer your solution; share ideas in approachable, actionable terms. Stay apprised of the very latest developments and news in your industry to weigh in with your advice. Diversify your input across several types of mediums (such as videos, infographics) and platforms (like reddit and LinkedIn) to connect with varied audiences. Offer consistent content, and above all commit to quality over quantity. Your audience will learn to trust your counsel and follow your strategies.

At Clairemont, we love to help our clients explore their full potential as thought leaders. Want to learn what that means for you? Us too! Drop us a line. 

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