Photo of “The Woz” used under a Flickr Creative Commons license. I’m sure the gentleman holding the mic is an excellent interviewer.

My mind goes to a butchered interview with Deepak Chopra, a flubbed talk with Mark Messier and a missed opportunity with Michael Stipe. I’m sure you have your own examples.

There’s one constant with all these conversational catastrophes: The interviewer isn’t listening. He or she is just reading from a list of questions and checking off items — regardless of how the respondent answers.

Whether it’s a television interview or a copywriting client, the discussion should have a natural evolution. You have to be willing to really listen and go where the interview is taking you. That’s how you find the “good stuff.”

I briefly mentioned this in my newsletter post, but what does it mean to “really listen” and allow an interview to evolve organically?

Photo used with permission from stock.xchng

I come from a decade-long career as a professional newspaper, magazine and dot-com journalist. I’ve also taken workshops and training courses on advanced interview techniques. In essence, the methodology is pretty simple: Be totally present with the “explorer” (interview subject). Track with their expressed thoughts, behaviors and visible emotions (rather than being inside your own head or referencing your own ego). Never interrupt and never offer “your take.” Just ask the best possible question from where they leave off based on an “order of operations,” of sorts, for what’s most important to question.

It’s really just the Socratic Method on steroids, but it profoundly influences the quality of the answers I receive (both as a copywriter and in everyday conversations).

Let’s connect this back to the copywriting work I do every day:

A few months back I interviewed an entire staff for in-depth company profiles. Many of these employees had similar job descriptions, so I really had to dig deeper to uncover what made each of them exceptional.

That’s where listening and asking great questions becomes so essential.

I simply entered those interviews from a place of nonjudgment, caring, acceptance and trusting each employee to be his or her “own best expert.” That is to say, I was totally “nondirective” in my approach. When you come without assumptions or an agenda, you’re then in a position to be truly excited and curious about what the person might say and ask the very best possible next question based upon where the interview subject leaves off.

At the personal growth and training center where I took my classes, they call it “being in the attitude.”

Near the conclusion of one of the company profile interviews, I asked, for a bit of extra color, what the employee liked to do away from work. She said she liked to knit.

I could have dismissed that as a “boring” answer and moved on. But I didn’t have a predetermined path. If she wanted to talk about knitting, then why not see where it might go? So, I simply asked, “What do you like to knit?”

She responded by saying that when she encounters people out in the world who are going through difficult times or illness, she knits them a shawl and prays for them as she’s knitting. She then brings it to the person hoping it will be a source of cheer and warmth.

That poignant answer allowed me to really convey the depth of this employee who was so much more than a company title — someone who in her free time enjoyed literally wrapping needy recipients in heartfelt prayers for well-being.

The same principles apply whether I’m listening during the process of ghostwriting, developing Web copy or business blog copywriting. It’s that ability to “go deeper” during interviews that ultimately makes clients shine.

I didn’t get to hear what Deepak would have said about the nature of reality … or how “The Captain” willed his way to so many Cups … or what Stipe was thinking when he wrote that song. But at least I know I that when interviewing my clients or talking to those I love, I won’t miss “the good stuff.”

Our business blog services caught fire in 2008. Clients love how easily they can speak directly to their customers’ needs, reach a larger audience and espouse the benefits of their services.

We made it our mission to create an “effortless” experience for our clients — handling both the creative and technical components so they can focus on their day-to-day and moment-to-moment workload. That was the key to the explosion of business blog clients: Business owners simply don’t have the time to manage a company blog and write meaningful, purposeful posts that actually accomplish something. When we showed potential clients they wouldn’t have to do anything other than a monthly interview, it was a no-brainer. We also focused on the utterly affordable end of the spectrum to get clients into the program so they could experience for themselves the nearly instantaneous (and complete) return-on-investment.

In 2009, we’ll continue to serve small business owners with economical plans while addressing the needs of companies and entrepreneurs who want a more robust WordPress experience. We’ll be offering “Platinum-level” packages that come complete with customized WordPress themes and functionality, full-blown SEO services, an entire site migration into the WordPress format (static pages + blog) and strategy sessions on how to monetize and leverage their new agile business instrument.

As a copywriter, I can’t get enough business blog work. I love conducting interviews and unearthing great content. The language of blog posts is more conversational in tone, which makes for fun and interesting writing. And I enjoy using that colloquial style to help business owners appear more approachable and accessible to their potential clients — that “they get it.”

The business blog writing style also more closely mirrors my non-fiction writing voice, and it’s nice to have that versatility in my workload.

It’s the same with SEO copywriting. It’s something different as a writer, and every keyword phrase for a landing page is a mini-puzzle. It’s also rewarding to coach clients on how to utilize dedicated landing pages to achieve top search engine listings. I often give the example I first heard during my SEO training sessions so many moons ago: A psychotherapist in Los Angeles specializes in helping people quit smoking. He wants to be first in Google for the search term “quit smoking Los Angeles” … but he also would like to be first in the search engines for “couples therapy Los Angeles.” The best way to accomplish this is dedicated landing pages saturated in specific, targeted SEO keyword phrases, descriptions, etc.

We’ll have a number of announcements on expanded SEO copywriting and coaching services early in 2009.

Next Level: Better Credit Card Processing

It became clear during the fourth quarter of 2008 that my clients (and potential clients) would benefit from a full range of merchant services. In response, we’ve added virtual terminal processing for all major credit cards (Visa, MasterCard, American Express and Discover). We’ve also added an extra fax line to facilitate the transfer of project documents and contracts.

The spectrum of credit card processing is especially useful for the business blog clients who hire us for an “effortless” experience: We worry about the intentional blog copywriting, the technical administration/ troubleshooting and setting up a monthly recurring credit card charge. All the client has to do is talk to me once a month on the phone to generate all the material I’ll need for compelling and useful business blog posts.

Next Level: Time to ‘Tweet’

When clients (or my mom) want to know how I’m spending my time and energy, they can now follow my activities on Twitter. I tell my clients that it certainly can’t hurt for their prospects to see how busy they are via

Copywriter Evan Denbaum begins using Twitter

Twitter. And I just read an insightful e-newsletter that suggested we all utilize Twitter to follow those successful people in our field (or beyond) whom we admire. This notion immediately “clicked” with me because I’m a firm believer in emulating the positive behaviors and choices of those who are where you want to be.

In the coming days I’ll be writing more about the direction of this company and the expanded services I’m excited to extend to clients in 2009. Stay tuned and happy holidays.

Are you sensing a theme yet?

Let’s take them one-by one:

The ECO-SAFE Foundation & ECO-SAFE ‘Merit Badge’

As a copywriter, I print documents. I try to read on the screen until printing becomes unavoidable, and if those documents stay in-house (and aren’t sensitive in nature), you bet I’ll flip ‘em over and put them through the printer again. Ultimately, it all gets recycled — either as-is or shredded — depending on the situation. Still, whether it’s pen-and-ink or push-to-print, I have to admit that I’m going through some paper.

Inspired printing alternatives

That’s why I was immediately so smitten with the ECO-SAFE “Merit Badge.” This little bug easily goes beneath page content or in your blog sidebar. (Look down and to the right.) And if you’re working with me on an “effortless” business blog, there’s a WordPress widget that adds flexibility and happily takes code manipulation out of the equation.

This “printing alternatives” button is so simplistic and minimal that it’s easy to overlook the implications. What if every time a potential client or employer needed to print my resume, that person instead downloaded a surprisingly gorgeous PDF of the page or “self e-mailed” a clean, “green” version? It adds up … and it’s efficient as can be. It helps in the larger sense, and it adds functionality that helps you, too. And I haven’t figured out yet exactly what it means, but there’s a box on their site that says, “Receive free music from Apple iTunes by telling us where you placed the merit Badge.” I’m all for win-win-wins, so a bravo goes to the folks over at ECO-SAFE.

East Bay Green Tours & the Sustainable Business Alliance

I’m only just becoming involved with these two fine organizations, so I’ll mostly wait to write dedicated posts from a more informed perspective. Let’s just say that I love living in the East Bay because it’s so rich with conscious, forward-thinking people, communities and companies. I’m sincerely curious about the depth and scope of the East Bay’s green economy, and a tour around its sustainable businesses (with a chance to meet and ask questions of owners) is a splendid opportunity. The same can certainly be said for the Sustainable Business Alliance, where I can support through my copywriting and editing skills and network with a lot of open, like-minded individuals and business owners.

Sustainable Web sites

Again, this is a new discovery for me, so I’ll wait to say much more. But “100 percent carbon neutral Web hosting” with a “100 percent offset of energy usage with Certified Wind Power” and “green” hosting plans sounds like another step in the right direction.

Feel free to call me at the office (510-647-8529) or send an e-mail if you’d like to discuss these topics more.

It’s not uncommon for me to have a conversation with a friend or colleague only to have that person stop two-thirds of the way through and say, “I’ve been talking this whole time. I’m so sorry!” I just let that person know that I don’t mind in the least bit. I already know what I plan to say. What’s new is hearing a different take from someone I care about and respect.

You’ll notice newsletter subscription functionality has been added to the sidebar. I have plenty of ideas about what I’ll write in those installments, but again, I already know what I plan to say. What would be wonderful would be to get the thoughts and feedback of readers, clients, friends, (maybe even webcrawlers) about what would make an absorbing newsletter. If you have a spare moment, please first sign up, then give me your input.

I know this newsletter will include strategies, interviews and stories on how to be wildly creative, exceedingly productive and thoroughly inspired.

Now let’s see if I can live up to that billing!

I’ll never forget those first notes of utter ridiculousness upon hearing The Real Tuesday Weld’s “Bathtime in Clerkenwell” or The Flaming Lips’ “Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots.” If it weren’t for Nic Harcourt, Air might not have become my all-time most-played source of background music while writing. And Frou Frou and Franz Ferdinand might not have become staples of those morning walks where so many pages of text came together in my mind.

I didn’t know Mr. Harcourt had moved on to his next adventure until I launched the latest streaming show and heard an unfamiliar DJ’s voice whispering back at me. I wish Jason Bentley all the best filling a giant’s shoes (more for my sake than his; this is the only “radio” show to which I ever listen.) I’m sure the show will never be the same, but it probably shouldn’t try to be.

Thinking about writing in the post-Harcourt era (at least on Eclectic), led to more thoughts about how music influences, inspires and drives. I think every copywriter has a different system when it comes to crafting content, especially on-deadline. Coming from a family of musicians, music has always been essential to my creative (and creation) process. Usually I can’t listen to songs with English lyrics while writing; the words create a war for my attention and affect my sentence construction. What seems to work best is ambient music, Latin music and classical.

Here’s a list of my current favorites, should you want to try to write or paint or proof math equations to something different:

Ambient/New Age:
Air – Pocket Symphony
Deuter – Earth Blue
Present Dreams – Present Dreams
Boat Club – Caught The Breeze
Magic Sound Fabric – Freedom Star
Mouse On Mars – Rost Pocks: The EP Collection

Latin/World:
Any and all Bebel Gilberto (also a Harcourt favorite)
Cesaria Evora – “Petit Pays” (Chateauflight Remix)

Classical:
Yo-Yo Ma, Ennio Morricone, Roma Sinfonietta – Yo-Yo Ma Plays Ennio Morricone
Yo-Yo Ma – The Cello Suites – Inspired By Bach

I guess the time has finally come to lean more on Pandora. Wish me luck …

One of the best examples was my introduction to Lee Rodrigues, co-founder of The Technology Dojo. Unbeknown to Lee, I was privately researching how to best convert my clunky, “overly masculine” (to quote my wife) Web site into being a lighter, more versatile communication tool. I ultimately decided on migrating my content into a WordPress-powered format. The next morning I visited a business networking group in Oakland, met Lee and discovered he does that (among other things) for a living. At TechDojo, Lee does technology coaching and strategy sessions on how to make bloated, do-nothing sites more flexible, more search-engine optimized and easier to monetize. We hit it off, and I’m thrilled to now be a copywriter and proofreader in TechDojo’s stable of resources.

I was also amazed at how much more quickly and efficiently my SEO techniques took effect in the WordPress format. Within just a few days my site moved near the top of the Google rankings in categories crucial for me. For instance, I’m the first two listings for the Google search “proofreader berkeley.” I’m also the first two listings for “berkeley copywriter,” and so on. My old site and Google didn’t get along nearly that well, despite my best SEO efforts.

Additionally, WordPress has hundreds of thousands of users contributing new plug-ins and themes, and it feels like all those people are working as my Web team in some small way. Many of those user-generated plug-ins are now essential to my workflow. WordPress (combined with MacJournal) also makes writing this business blog a heck of a lot simpler.

Now that my professional Web site is humming along, I’m utilizing The Technology Dojo to take things to that proverbial “next level.” And my wife is going to be taking advantage of a special very-reduced strategy session rate they’re offering right now to move her blogspot blog over to her own domain as her audience and reach expands. (She writes a blog that explores sea vegetables a a sustainable food source. It’s fascinating stuff, and she somehow makes seaweed fun, too.)

One of my goals with this blog is to highlight great local and online resources. WordPress and The Technology Dojo both fit that description, and it just so happens that they go hand-in-hand.

If you want to chat with Lee about your site’s growth opportunities, you can reach him toll-free at 1-866-556-4269 or through their contact form.

Wooing the SEO beast & gaining Google’s favor

“The terrible beast that no one may understand, came to my side and put down his head in love.” —Louise Bogan (1897–1970), U.S. poet

The importance search engine positioning in our daily lives is becoming more and more obvious. Just think about how many Google searches you’ve run today … or this past week … or this past month. And in all those searches, did you click to Page 2 once? With me, it happens, but it’s rare. I scan for the listing that is both clearly reputable and meets my needs (or price) and away I go.

That’s what happens when a person in Berkeley needs a carpet cleaner, or someone in San Francisco is selecting a recording studio. Appear at the top and your small business might not ultimately get the job — but it’s definitely going to get the first serious inquiry.

“How would you like to have the first listing in Google? … Well, how would you like to have the first seven listings in Google?” —Tom Petty, WSI

As a professional communicator, what stands out to me is that I don’t even know who’s out there typing a Google search that’s relevant to me. I can’t make a personal appeal — verbally telling that searcher all the reasons to go with me — unless I make it through that Google gatekeeper.

Then, you begin to wonder and start typing in your own Google search terms … featuring you! There’s no more helpless feeling than clicking through pages and pages of Google listings wondering where the heck you are … and why that lousy competitor is ranked so much higher than you. Well, as more and more of us are becoming aware, there’s an art and science to Google’s listing hierarchy — and a whole industry now devoted to the perfection of that practice: Search Engine Optimization (SEO).

My SEO research began with nine hours of Lynda.com training videos featuring a search engine optimization and marketing specialist. My SEO copywriting career later kicked into high gear when I forged a “power partnership” with a certified Internet consultant named Thomas Petty, who works with an SEO firm called WSI (”We simplify the Internet”). Tom is an SEO expert and educator, and the more I worked with him the more SEO savvy I became. When we work together, he does all the SEO research for a client and then I write the new SEO-style Web copy with the keyword phrases he provides based on that research.

Additionally, Google itself has become more transparent about its SEO guidelines.

I remember one exchange with Tom that really opened my eyes: He asked, “How would you like to have the first listing in Google?” I replied, “Of course.” Then, he said, “Well, how would you like to have the first seven listings in Google?” I was going to respond by saying, “You can do that?” when I realized that of course you can do that. It’s just about applying the same “white hat” practices to multiple Web pages.

I’m reverse-engineering copy … like a building contractor first installing the kitchen appliances on a vacant lot … and then putting in the foundation and erecting the house around the sink-with-granite-countertop and Sub-Zero refrigerator.

And going one step further, you can use different site landing pages to achieve the first Google listing in very different searches — searches that correspond with your different professional specialties. What does that mean? Well, say you’re a lawyer based in Oakland. You primarily focus on estate planning, but you also help people incorporate new businesses. Wouldn’t you want to be first in Google if someone types in “lawyer estate planning Oakland” … and … “lawyer business incorporation Oakland”? You can optimize different pages of a Web site to accomplish those two very different Google listing goals.

I could go on and on because the opportunities are so bountiful. And, let’s face it, I’m biased. The more SEO clients Tom has, the more SEO copywriting I get to do. And like I mentioned in my “Power of a Business Blog” post, writing for SEO is totally unique beast. Essentially, I’m reverse-engineering copy from the important keyword phrases, like a building contractor first installing the kitchen appliances on a vacant lot … and then putting in the foundation and erecting the house around the sink-with-granite-countertop and Sub-Zero refrigerator. (More simply put, it’s working backwards, or maybe upside-down.) Anyway, it’s different. And different is good when it comes to breaking up a workday.

So call or contact Tom and find out if SEO is the way to go for your Web site. He’s one heck of a nice guy, so even if you don’t move forward with anything, you’ll get a good conversation out of it.

Get a Webscan and comprehensive, 20-page report for $195 (discounted down from $350) at WSI by telling Tom that “Evan sent you.” Call (925) 245-0216 or e-mail Tom.

I love being a professional copywriter … but I love being a copy editor even more. As I say on the “about” page, I just love to play with words and work with clients to make stories, books and business materials better.

That being said, the vast majority of the work I do for businesses is generating Web and print copy from scratch. That certainly has its own creative rewards, but it tickles a different part of my brain than the part used for tightening and punching up existing copy. There’s a part of me that just “knows” when something needs fixing … and what that change should be. It doesn’t really process like “that’s a dangling modifier” or “that really needs a conjunctive adverb.” Instead, it’s just instinctual — just as when any of the many musicians in my family “just know” when a note is off or what lyrics are meant for a melody.

I was telling all this to my wife over the Thanksgiving holiday, and she gently suggested that “I do something about it” to increase the percentage of time I spend on proofreading and copy editing (as opposed to interviews and copywriting). What follows is my attempt at doing just that:

Introducing the Year-End Proofreading Rate Special

For the grotesquely low price of $89 (total), I will proofread any professional’s site* for grammar, punctuation, spelling, flow, meter, parallelism, punch and active/passive voice. You (or the colleague you refer) will be amazed at what a difference a little tightening and sprucing up can make. It will read and feel like new … or like the copy it was originally intended to be. Proofreading also eliminates all the little mistakes and misused words that undermine professional credibility. I rarely proofread a site without finding one or two of these tiny-yet-big blunders. Usually the business owner is bright and capable but has just read that Web copy too many times to notice the “little things.”

You’ll also receive a Recommendations Report highlighting “what works” and “what doesn’t” about your site (from a copywriting perspective) … along with my suggested Top 5 priorities for improvement. In the report I’ll provide all the contacts and resources you’d need to get those items accomplished.

I’m also open to the idea of extending this offer to print materials on a case-by-case basis. Just keep in mind that this is line editing; we’re not talking about major copy reconstruction or rewriting.

This offer is only good through Dec. 31, and I can only accept as many clients as my schedule permits. So, if you are even remotely interested (or know someone who would be interested), please contact me now so I can save a spot on the calendar.

I can be reached during office hours at 510-647-8529 or via e-mail. Like I said, I don’t usually do this kind of thing (or work at that kind of rate), so take advantage of it!

*Promotional rate covers the first 10 pages of any one Web site domain. Please call me at 510-647-8529 to discuss terms if your site(s) contain more pages than that.

Blogs provide a wonderful opportunity to boost your credentials, heighten your visibility, promote yourself and engage your client base in a way that builds familiarity and trust. As a copywriter, I’m getting more and more inquiries about “ghostwriting” blogs for clients. I’m excited whenever the topic comes up because it’s something interesting and different (like SEO) that adds diversity to my workload and engages my creativity.

Should you choose me to ghostwrite your blog, I’ll do my best to make the process simple and painless by handling both the technical and creative components of blogging. All you have to do is sit back, relax and answer a series of questions specially designed to get beneath the surface and illuminate the thoughts and characteristics that distinguish your business from its competition. It’s fun, oftentimes inspiring and provides your copywriter (me) with everything needed to write a blog that intrigues, fosters customer loyalty and generates new business. (Please call me during office hours at 510-647-8529 to learn more.)

Here’s what a business blog will do for you:

Promotes you and your business: Blogging rich with hyperlinks focuses customers’ attention anywhere your products or services are featured (magazines, newspapers, etc.) and allows you to highlight community service contributions.

Heightens your credibility: Blogging is a chance to display the breadth and scope of your knowledge within your chosen field, and online notice and interest enhances reputation.

Improves your karma: When you use your blog to cross-promote other companies and organizations, it fosters good will and inspires others to return the favor with referrals.

Inspires money-generating ideas: Discussing and writing a business blog helps you think differently and acquire alternative perspectives, which can ultimately enhance creativity and productivity.

Change customer perception and engage your audience: A frequently updated business blog suggests that you’re a dynamic, changing, growing company (as opposed to the stagnant competition). The blog is also a great place to comprehensively respond to customer inquiries and allow for suggestions through “comments.” Clients appreciate interaction and become loyal to your brand.

Makes you more approachable: The conversational nature of blogging makes your business appear more “friendly” and comfortable. Over time, readers feel they know you and can trust your business.

Show you’re tech-savvy: Younger potential clients expect technical competence; older customers are impressed by it. And blogs are a great place to utilize interactive PDFs, podcasts, YouTube videos and other multimedia.

Provide a learning tool: Use your blog to make potential customers more informed and more interested in following up.

Stay on your clients’ radar screens: Enabling RSS feeds means that every time you update your blog, signed-up clients know through e-mail or text messaging and have a reason to return to your site — where they’ll find whatever you choose to promote.

I’d be happy to discuss the possibility of business blogging with you further and answer any questions you may have. Just call the office (510-647-8529) and we’ll talk about all the fascinating possibilities.