Reality Copywriting: Are You Afraid To Be Unique?

Ecolumn - Thursday, February 22, 2007

Are You Afraid To Be Unique?

I'm coming out of the closet…

I have TWO middle names.

First one is Clark. The second one is Anthony.

John Clark Anthony Manley.

I was never a big fan of Clark. So I stopped using it for quite a while. Just stuck with John A. Manley.

I always include the A in hopes that it'd reduce the number of "Weren't you the Canadian Minister of Finance?" jokes that I hear on a weekly basis.

But having two middle names is unique.

A while back I had no cash on me, and needed some items from the convenience store around the block. I pulled out my credit card, and the lady says, "Can I see some ID?"

"ID?" That was the first time I was ever asked to show ID for my credit card. "What for?"

"We've had some incidents. I need to see two pieces of picture ID."

Well, all I had was my Ontario Health Insurance Policy card. Being half-blind I don't carry a driver's license. I ended up having to trek back home and pull out my passport.

Well, my credit card had printed only the A initial, while my passport had the C initial. She was almost not going to let me purchase the packet of stamps and bag of cat food.

"I have two middle names," I explained.

"Well," she said holding my ID under a magnify glass, "I have heard of stranger things."

My points is, anything that makes you unique, or otherwise differentiates you from your competition, use it (with some discrimination, of course).

It's rare I ever see a new copywriter put up a website that doesn't look like a "me too" look-a-like of every other mainstream copywriters' site.

She's trying to blend in.

No, no, no! If you blend in, you'll disappear off your prospects' radar.

Just be yourself. There are more than enough prospects out there who'll resonate with you. You don't need to try and blend in. If you blend in, no one will notice you.

So I'm sticking with John C. A. Manley from now on. I also like it because I'm a proud Canadian, and the middle initials look like the domain extension for a Canadian dot com.

For those who signed up for Shaune Clarke's next coaching program, you'll discover how to…

* differentiate yourself when writing a website or sales letter to promote your

copywriting services.

* How to use that same USP-writing ability to make your clients' products or

services original and refreshing – attracting increased sales for them and

increased pay for you.

* Find out that you don't have to be the next Bencivenga, Halbert or

Kennedy -- you have to be YOU.

If you haven't done the program yet, I believe there is still one seat left for the upcoming group. Find out more at…

www.newcopysecrets.com.

Capture, captivate, convert!