The Three Most Important People In My Life
Words matter.
That’s why I gave my children unique and compelling names.
You see, I could have given them names like Bob or Elizabeth, which are two perfectly good names many people give their kids. Nothing wrong with that.
But I didn’t want my children to have “regular” names.
Like Matthew, for example (my own name.) Sure, it’s a fine name. I’m happy with it.
A lot of other people are happy with it too, as Matthew (a.k.a. Matt) consistently makes the top ten list of favorite baby names here in America, decade after decade. Like me, you have probably known many other “Matts” throughout your lifetime.
So, what does that tell us? Well, one thing for sure… Matthew is a popular name, but it’s also common. Unoriginal.
What’s In a Name? Everything.
And if you randomly asked people on the street what the name Matthew means, most wouldn’t know the answer. (I will touch more on the importance of this in a moment.) In case you’re curious, Matthew means “gift from God.”
Interesting, eh?
We may know what our name means, but we usually don’t give much thought to the meaning of other people’s names. For example, I don’t have any idea what Jeffrey, Logan, Taylor, Stacey, Tina, Makayla or Roger means. But when I hear a name like Royale (which is my wife’s name), I immediately have an idea of it’s definition. (It means “royalty.” Pretty straight forward.)
Or if someone is named Running Bear, Sitting Bull, Sky, River, or Meadow…these are all words in the English language that immediately give you a word picture to grasp the message conveyed behind the word.
The way parents choose names today seems to be more about personal preference, the way a name rolls off the tongue, or other factors like carrying on a family tradition. Nothing wrong with doing this…
As long as you are not a copywriter looking for the perfect word(s) to convey a message on a web page, print ad, brochure, sales letter, email or blog.
Normally, when we pick names for our children, it’s all about us–what we want, what we like, and we don’t care what anyone else thinks about our choice of a name.
When I “wrote” the names of my children, I was actually thinking beyond myself and the child. I was also thinking about the “audience”, or the people in life that my children would encounter.
I wanted the “audience” to be moved by the words making up the name. I wanted people to experience an emotional reaction and feel compelled to a call to action whenever they heard these names or saw them in print. I wanted to make the audience think. To be inspired.
That’s why I named my children…
Drumroll Please (For Those Who Don’t Know)
Courage. Integrity.
I don’t know, maybe it was the writer and word lover in me…Or maybe it’s because I like to be different.
Or, maybe I’m a little weird.
Could be a combination of all those reasons, but anyway, while researching and brainstorming name ideas, I thought about how my children would hear, write, read and speak their name millions of times over the course of their life. Whatever name they ended up with would be their personal “brand,” so my wife and I wanted to select names that were unique.
So, Courage is the name of my son, and I have a daughter named Integrity.
Okay…but what does this have to do with copywriting?
Glad you asked.
The Three C Formula
From a writing standpoint, let’s look at these two words I chose to name my kids. Each one accomplishes three important writing objectives—what is known as the three C’s of copywriting…
- Clear – There’s no confusion about the meaning of Courage or Integrity, unless you don’t speak English at all.
- Concise – Each name packs a succinct, powerful punch through the use of just one word. A second word isn’t necessary to convey the message.
- Compelling – Each word stands out, attracts attention and gets noticed.
This is how I approach every piece of writing.
The copy needs to be clear, concise and compelling.
Words matter.
The right words increase your sales by thousands or even millions of dollars, while the wrong words cause your sales to drop.
As Mark Twain once said back in 1888, ” The difference between the almost right word & the right word is really a large matter–it’s the difference between the lightning bug and lightning.”
Zap!
If you need to put a bolt of electricity through your sales copy that brings in a thunderous ROI, email me. Today.
Oh, and as for any future names for additional children…my wife and I are not sure about adding a third crumb cruncher, but if we do, I already have a boy’s name picked…
…which is under wraps for now. *wink*
What is your take on this topic? I would love to read your comments.
Kaboomis Copy 