Thoughts and Strategies About Brand Communications
Words don't sell. Neither does design. It’s the strategies behind them that turn prospects into clients. And that's what you get with each issue of Compositions, my column about brand communications.

Subscribe to Compositions using the handy form to the right. Each issue includes ideas that will make you a more strategic thinker... and more effective marketer.

While you're here, check out the Compositions' Archive to enjoy past columns.

And don't forget to read the feature articles below:

Marketing Resolutions for 2010
Got big plans for your 2010 marketing? Good. But great ideas only work with consistent execution. Keep this list handy for the coming year.

The Branding Genius of Rodney Dangerfield.
Sadly, Rodney's not with us anymore, but his legacy teaches a valuable lesson for how a focused message leads to persuasive copy.

What Marketers Can Learn From Politicians.
Politicians win when they appeal to more than one group. Just the same, winning business often requires getting sign-off from multiple departments. Try these strategies when selling involves convincing more than one department.

Executives Have Feelings, Too: Writing for High-Level Decision Makers Doesn't Have to Be So Highfalutin
Senior executives might have nicer offices than you and I, but they're wired like everyone else. So when you're selling to upper management, make sure your copy taps into the same emotions that drive them as consumers.

How to Align Copy With Strategy
When you develop copy that's not consistent with the strategy, you're just guessing. And guessing is as effective as sending a message in a bottle. After all, writing is only as good as the thinking behind it.

Challenging Conventional Wisdom: Must Web Copy Always Be Concise?
The prevailing maxim of writing for the Web tells us to be concise. Remember, however, that you're not trying to reach the masses; you're only communicating with a select audience. So go ahead and write more - as long as you follow these tips.

Narcissism, Psychology, and Attention: How to Write More Convincing Business E-mail
We use e-mail all day trying to convince, persuade, sell, and agree. With the quality of our writing ultimately affecting efficiency and profits – and all of the time it uses up – you would think there’d be a strategy for writing more convincing e-mail. Now you have it.

Why Marketing and Sales Literature Fails
Too often, companies focus on writing that sounds good and forget the real goal of marketing collateral: to generate immediate interest in their products and services.

Marketing's Role in a Web Site
Marketing ultimately dictates what information goes on web pages, but you must give the web team freedom to filter those messages into discernible, user-friendly information.