Welcome to our site. We’d like to take this opportunity to clear up two misconceptions about The Hired Pens: 1) We don’t sell pens. 2) We do copywriting, not copyrighting. (You’ll need a lawyer for the latter.) So who are we? Here are a few quick facts:
But enough about us. How can we help you? To start the conversation, call us at 617-359-8812 or visit our Contact page.
Naming, taglines, tone and voice guidelines: If you’ve ever done any online dating, you’ve probably been asked to think about “your personal brand.” This is really just a clever way of asking, “What makes you ‘you’ and different from your competition?” In business (and probably dating, too) the best brands are distinct, consistent and memorable.
Brochures, catalogs, direct mail, white papers, case studies: Finding the right mix of collateral is different for every company: Do you make in-person sales calls? You should probably have some sort of leave-behind. Are you a tech company trying to make a name for yourself? Consider investing in a white paper. Not sure what you need? We can help you figure it out.
Strategy, content creation, editorial calendars: Content marketing is based on a pretty indisputable premise: No one likes to be sold to. The best way to build loyalty is by giving customers and prospects something valuable: a white paper on a relevant industry topic, an engaging e-book that helps them do their job better, etc. The deals will follow.
Feature articles, profiles, newsletters: Got more to say than will fit into 280 characters? Of course you do. But choosing the right topics, the right angle and the right words can be a full-time job. And we know this because it’s ours. Don’t worry — we’ll give you all the credit.
Event emails, sales emails, drip campaigns: Think about your inbox: How many emails do you trash instantly? A lot, right? In fact, in a national study of the most challenging jobs, “subject line writer” was second only to “air traffic controller.” It’s true.* And to get someone to open, read and act upon what they’ve read? It’s not easy, but nothing in life worth doing ever is.
* It’s not true.
Strategy, blogs, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn: Just because you have a 25-year-old receptionist who is “always on her phone” doesn’t mean you should put her in charge of social media. Unfortunately, a lot of companies have to learn this the hard way. We know you’re not one of them.
Keynote speeches, state-of-the-business addresses, TED Talks: Did you know that audience attention flags after just seven minutes? To wake ’em up, you can stop talking, say something jaw-dropping or plop a heavy chain on the stage. We’ve worked with clients who have employed one or more of these tactics successfully, including senior executives, a rodeo queen and many, many TEDx speakers.
Training, instructional and promotional videoscripts: Will all content be in the form of video five years from now? We doubt it, but video is clearly on the rise. And if it’s not part of your marketing mix today, it’s probably time to give this medium the respect — and budget — it deserves.
Websites, landing pages, e-books, digital ads: Writing effective Web copy is different than, say, writing a novel. We have no idea how to do the latter. But the former is all about being succinct and scannable — and remembering that while Google is reading every word you write, it’s more important to write for actual humans. (So no more keyword stuffing, cool?)
