July/August 2012
Show, Don't Tell to Sell
Crotchety English teachers for centuries have admonished their students to "show, don't tell" when writing. For a shorter time period, but with no less verve, creative directors have been urging their advertising and marketing writers to apply this advice to their copy... Read More>>>
Recent Work: Smart Move>Fargo Moorhead
Fargo-Moorhead is just plain smart. Those of us who been living and doing business here have known this for years. The challenge for the marketing team of Jim B Creative, Shafer PR and FredComm was to build a foundation that would help the Greater Fargo Moorhead EDC make sure out-of-towners know it, too... Read More>>>
Nobody Wants to be A SAP
Send someone an email stating you need something ASAP, and they're likely to wonder what's gotten your panties into such a bind. "Cheeze, what's HIS problem," she'll say to the guy in the next cubicle over. "We just met on this yesterday and the deadline's not until next week." Thing is, technically speaking, ASAP doesn't mean someone's chomping at the bit, tied up in knots or going koo koo for Cocoa Puffs... Read More>>>
May/June 2012
Build Relationships & Trust With Great Content
We're all in the media business today, like it or not. Our businesses and organizations have websites, and smart ones use blogs, Facebook, Twitter and other social media to disseminate information and help drive traffic to those sites. The really smart ones go further, executing online Content Marketing strategies to more deeply engage today's Internet- and technology-savvy consumers....
Read More>>>
The Confession of Mr. Brevity
Again and again in The Red Letter, over more than eight years, I've spelled out my philosophy - nay, the very necessity - for concise communication. I've positioned myself as an expert, an accomplished practitioner of less is more. I've preached, postulated and cajoled.... Then, two nights ago at the dinner table, I heard the following spill from my mouth: "Our son has indicated an interest in trying football this fall".... Read More>>>
March/April 2012
Compelling Press Release Headlines: Write 'Em or Lose 'Em
Ten seconds. That's how long time-crunched editors, reporters and website visitors are going to spend with your press release... unless your headline is clear and compelling enough to get them to dive in.
To get them to take the plunge, we need to get as much of the story, or at least as much about the main point, into the headline of your press release as possible. The headline will dictate whether editors or reporters consider using your content. As for website visitors perusing your news online, it may be the only thing they read. We need to use the opportunity to communicate, rather than simply introduce, the message.
So what do some of the "experts" think it takes to write effective press release headlines? Blog posts and online stories by Doug Farrick for the Search Engine Marketing Group, by Mickie Kennedy, founder of eReleases, and by Thomas Murrell, an international business consultant and speaker, offer several tips. Here are my favorites from all three.... Read More>>>
January/February 2012
10 Reasons to Hire FredComm
Small and large companies hire external marketing strategists, creatives and copywriters all the time. They do it for all kinds of reasons, from saving money to effectively managing the time of internal staffs. It makes sense for them; it can make sense for you, too. Here are the top 10 reasons your business or organization should hire FredComm.... Read More>>>
The Red Letter Archive
The Red Letter is one-page newsletter of marketing, advertising and business communication news, observations, tips and musings from Martin “Red” Fredricks.
Sunday, January 1, 2012
Saturday, February 26, 2011
2011
November/December - Print is Undead
September/October - Take It - And Build It - One At a Time
July/August - Bringing America's Navy Home
March/April - FredComm's Online Boost
May/June - May the Force Be With You...
January/February - I Do Not Think That Means What You Think It Means
September/October - Take It - And Build It - One At a Time
July/August - Bringing America's Navy Home
March/April - FredComm's Online Boost
May/June - May the Force Be With You...
January/February - I Do Not Think That Means What You Think It Means
2010
January - Footprint of the Mind
February - Acronymenmity
March - It's For The Birds
April - No Quid Pro Quo
May - When Obvious is Best
June - Language Lunatics
July - We're All Entitled to Our Interpretations
August - CQ: We All Have One and Can Improve It
September - Return to HUSUM
October - FredComm, Partners Launch Global Wind Marketing Alliance
November - What's in a Name?
December - Think Positive
February - Acronymenmity
March - It's For The Birds
April - No Quid Pro Quo
May - When Obvious is Best
June - Language Lunatics
July - We're All Entitled to Our Interpretations
August - CQ: We All Have One and Can Improve It
September - Return to HUSUM
October - FredComm, Partners Launch Global Wind Marketing Alliance
November - What's in a Name?
December - Think Positive
2009
January - Take a Moment for Pe
February - On Omens & Signs, Plus Five
March - Let the Kids Have Their Fun
April - This is a Close One
May - Death of a Sentence
June - Evaluating Brand Positioning Lines
July - Common Traits of Uncommon Ads
August - Go Ahead, Have a Blast
September - Make It a Date
October - Copywriters Are No Chickens
November - Advertise & Market Through the Recession
December - FredComm, AdMark Earn Silver International Davey
February - On Omens & Signs, Plus Five
March - Let the Kids Have Their Fun
April - This is a Close One
May - Death of a Sentence
June - Evaluating Brand Positioning Lines
July - Common Traits of Uncommon Ads
August - Go Ahead, Have a Blast
September - Make It a Date
October - Copywriters Are No Chickens
November - Advertise & Market Through the Recession
December - FredComm, AdMark Earn Silver International Davey
2008
January - Slippery Positioning
February - GFMEDC Brochure Makes the News
March - Choice: FredComm-EDC Brochures Earn ADDY™ Judge’s Honor
April -
May - Excuse Me, But I Do Exist
June - FredComm Goes to Germany
July - pr = PR … Not
August - Gossip Girl: Threat to Opportunity
September - Another Good Man Gone
October - It’s Ours, Not Theirs
November - Editors Ro(Su)ck
December - XXX
February - GFMEDC Brochure Makes the News
March - Choice: FredComm-EDC Brochures Earn ADDY™ Judge’s Honor
April -
May - Excuse Me, But I Do Exist
June - FredComm Goes to Germany
July - pr = PR … Not
August - Gossip Girl: Threat to Opportunity
September - Another Good Man Gone
October - It’s Ours, Not Theirs
November - Editors Ro(Su)ck
December - XXX
2007
January - It’s A New Year…Stay Positive
February - So You Wanna Be a Spokesperson
March - Your Ad Is On A Mission
April - FredComm Contributes to Telly Winning Videos
May - Red letter Nabs First Place Nod
June - Remember the Passenger
July - Fusion Marketing: 21st Century Alchemy
August - Exclusively Inaccurate
September - C4 Communication
October -
November -
December - Break Out
February - So You Wanna Be a Spokesperson
March - Your Ad Is On A Mission
April - FredComm Contributes to Telly Winning Videos
May - Red letter Nabs First Place Nod
June - Remember the Passenger
July - Fusion Marketing: 21st Century Alchemy
August - Exclusively Inaccurate
September - C4 Communication
October -
November -
December - Break Out
2006
January - Get Centered in 2006
February - Can You Join The Cult of Cults?
March - FredComm Takes Top Copywriting Honors at AdFed Awards
April - Don’t Orientate Me, Man
May - Cuts, Cakes and Copywriters
June - Five Steps to Creativity
July - Media Interviews: Be A Good Scout
August - In Order To Have A Greater Impact…
September - Brand Positioning by Bennett Brauer
October - “A Logical Absurdity”
November - Bosses: Avoid Messy “Shoulding”
December - Let’s Hear It For Looney Language
February - Can You Join The Cult of Cults?
March - FredComm Takes Top Copywriting Honors at AdFed Awards
April - Don’t Orientate Me, Man
May - Cuts, Cakes and Copywriters
June - Five Steps to Creativity
July - Media Interviews: Be A Good Scout
August - In Order To Have A Greater Impact…
September - Brand Positioning by Bennett Brauer
October - “A Logical Absurdity”
November - Bosses: Avoid Messy “Shoulding”
December - Let’s Hear It For Looney Language
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