Copywriting
Copywriting Services the Holistic Brand
At Helms Workshop, our core passion and focus is building robust, vital, holistic brands. An essential part of those brands is their verbal identity—what they have to say to the world and how they say it. Verbal identity is a potent assembly of taglines, tone guides, brand personality copy, functional headlines, and more that serve to guide all of a brand’s communications.
We Put the Art in Articulate.
Professional copywriting services are a key offering that makes us a proper full-service branding agency. It’s a big reason our work stands out from both design studios and advertising agencies. We’re a boutique of curious thinkers, obsessive tinkerers, and out-of-the-box craftspeople hell-bent on redefining the status quo—and driving sales via branding that adds value to people’s lives. In short, we go beyond design and give brands way more attention than a typical ad agency. We punch far above our weight.
We hold our verbal identities to the same high standards as our visual identities. While completely distinct to the client we wrote it for, each is rooted in strategy and centered around a shared passion with the people we are lucky enough to share a “conversation” with. Every verbal identity must differentiate itself from competitors and be uniquely ownable. People should be able to recognize each brand through its voice as quickly as they do through its visuals.
How a brand talks is as essential to us as how it looks and feels. Think about all your favorite people—you don’t love them because they’re beautiful; you love them for who they are, their personality, and their sense of humor. The maxim holds true—the thing is never the thing; good copywriting starts not with writing but with defining a personality and voice. We can’t necessarily teach you how to become a better writer, but we’re happy to share what we think leads to excellent copywriting.
Finding Your Voice.
“Words mean more than what is set down on paper. It takes a human voice to infuse them with deeper meaning.”
–Maya Angelou
Finding your voice in the world is a formative challenge for people and brands alike. Thankfully, this isn’t the real world; you can pay someone to do this for you! We’re kidding, but not really. How do you create a voice that is so definitive that it can span across multiple impressions, from product packaging and web copy to social media and PR? Copywriting services all of these media and more. Our writers figure out what you have to say and give you a bullhorn. Or an anthem. And a manifesto. However, they must be based on businesses’ values and reason for being, not just a marketing strategy. It is vital that each of these feels real—connecting with people in ways that are genuine and human.
Our writers follow a process similar to strategy and design here at the agency. Before putting pen to paper or fingers to keyboard for a writing project, we dive deep to learn everything about your company, team, business, and brand. We ask a lotttttt of questions. We research. We slip into your competitors’ DMs and see what they’re up to. We get in your audience’s heads to see where they are in life, what they love, what they’re wrestling with, and where they could use a little nudge.
We immerse ourselves in the culture you’ll be playing in because there’s a whole lot more to talk about than RTBs. Plus, the solutions are often hidden in the problem itself.
All of this helps us shape, test, experiment, and ultimately refine the voice we create so it doesn’t crack the first time it decides to speak up. It might seem like a lot of extra work, but it’s beyond worth it. Without the deep dive, you risk sounding shallow.
“Let’s Give ’em Something to Talk About.”
Clearly, Bonnie wasn’t talking about how to drive organic traffic in her 1991 hit, but it’s a clever insight into any form of communication. Seth Godin said (sang?), “Today, marketing is about engaging with the tribe and delivering products and services with stories that spread,” and “If you want us to follow you, don’t be boring.”
Amen, Seth. We help each of our clients understand and master this simple but profound truth. Sure, you’re competing with other companies and products, but first and foremost, you’re competing for everyone’s attention. We see upwards of 46 bazillion (yes, that’s an actual number) messages daily—billboards, commercials, road signs, t-shirts, social posts, click this, swipe that, learn more, buy now… ads to ad nauseam. It can be too much to process. That means we’ve all become super adept at ignoring the endless stream of messages fighting for our increasingly limited attention spans.
How can your brand cut through all of this clutter? Don’t just stand apart from your competitors; stand out. Be unignorable. Surprise people. Reward someone for spending time with you. The best copywriting keeps this maxim close to heart at all times. It’s funny. Touching. Thought-provoking. Unexpected. Relevant. It’s whatever it needs to be to connect with a real person and earn their trust. The brands that bark at us about their wants and needs get eye rolls or, worse, ignored. The ones who take us seriously and give us something to talk about get our admiration and, better yet, our business.
Celebrate More Than You Sell.
The best brands go all in on a shared passion vs. sterile persuasion. When you connect on something your audience is already stoked about, getting them to join the conversation is effortless. Copywriting that hammers home points about your bottom line will invariably go in one ear and out the other. Ironically, you will better sell your brand by not always focusing on sales.
If you’re a beer, it’s okay to talk about golf. Or disc golf. Or whatever else your customers are into. If you’re a destination resort, wax poetic about the farms and produce in your area and why your corner of the earth is worth seeing. Share experience, insight, and inspiration, not just product descriptions. Project your brand personality and have a point of view. It’s okay to branch out and talk about anything but business. These days, brands publish magazines, create podcasts, and have comedy-filled social accounts. People want to know the brands they’re spending time and money on have a point of view—and care about things they value.
And Now, the Fun Part.
Enough writing about writing! Once you have a unique verbal brand identity, what do you do with it? Think of your verbal identity as a professional-grade toolbox, holding everything your team will need to build any type of communication for your brand. Take that puppy for a walk! And if you need an extra hand, we’re here to help.
We frequently continue to work with client partners after their initial brand-building project to put their voices to work out in the marketplace. Copywriting services all advertising and marketing efforts; we frequently collaborate with our brands to write and build those campaigns. Email copywriting, social media posts, and even content copywriting services are all pieces of the puzzle that communicates your brand. With a clearly defined verbal identity, each piece fits together seamlessly.
