Life and the pursuit of...

The Follow was written for Inboun Marketing, where I am currently a summer associate.

The job of a copywriter is to be creative—that’s why they call it creative writing in the first place!

But is the word “copy” in “copywriter” being taken more and more literally?  Perhaps so.

Clichés in themselves are clichés. Saying something is cliché is unoriginal. Just about every article title starts “Top 10 Ways” or “Tips & Tricks”. Sure, they are informative, but in all honesty…they’re boring. The titles aren’t the only blasé aspect of copywriting; general phrases are afflicted as well. As like any human, you don’t know something is wrong until someone else points it out.  And Inboun is here to point out the obvious to you.  We’ve provided two short of a dozen sayings that are overused and need to be put on the shelf for a while.  We give you the top 10 cliché phrases of all time:

“It is easy as pie”: Last time I checked, pie isn’t easy to make (unless it’s store-bought from the grocery store!). Not only is this cliché phrase totally confusing, but it is also very much outdated. “Easy as pie” replacement:“Like napping on a Sunday, it is effortless.”“Like hotcakes”: If I knew where hotcakes were sold, I’d wager that the owner would be ashamed to disclose the sales figures. Think about it: hotcakes haven’t been in high demand since the great depression. “Like hotcakes” replacement: “Like an iPhone on release day.”“It’s gut check time”: In sports, a gut check is defined as a striking blow to the mid-section to verify if you’re still able to compete. In the real world this can be constituted as battery. “Gut check” replacement: “If you’re not ready, quit now.”“Don’t re-invent the wheel”: Honestly, who is sitting in their garage trying to re-invent the wheel? Sure, you can re-imagine the wheel and even create new materials that can be used in the composition of a wheel. But when it comes to the invention of the wheel, it is pretty standard. “Reinvent the wheel replacement”: “Don’t waste your time rebooting a movie that was better to begin with.”“It is revolutionary”: We live in an age where words are thrown around despite their true meaning. If something is truly revolutionary, it should have a major and sudden impact on society. The iPhone is an example of something that was an innovation based off of other products. Something cool? Yes. Something that changed society? For its customers, without a doubt. But it was a culmination of ideas and technologies that had already been around. “Revolutionary” replacement: “It is an evolutionary innovation.”“It is the Cadillac/Rolls Royce of…”: What is the use in comparing a product with one that is in no way similar? Sure these brands evoke a product of superb quality, but it’s redundant. Toyota isn’t calling its Prius the “Cadillac of Hybrids”, are they? “Cadillac/Rolls Royce” replacement: “The effort and care put into_______ is hard to be matched.”“Once in a lifetime”: This cliché implies that there are some experiences that can happen more than once. Everything is once in a lifetime. It’s paradoxical. No experience is ever exactly the same. Every moment in life is unique; you’re always older than your previous self, everything that is happening is always new and will never be duplicated.  “Once in a lifetime” replacement: “A unique occasion.”“Think outside of the box”: I’ve never, nor have I met anyone who has, encountered this proverbial “box”.  The idea of the box is a reference to general common thought. I get that. But this idiom is like beating a dead horse (oops! See #10! Even I’m guilty every once and awhile). “Outside the box” replacement: “Explore an independent realm of opinion.”“The best kept secret”: Add a “T” and drop the “M” from the word “idiom” and you have the type of person that relies on this statement. If you aspire to make a profit off of your business, why would you keep it from the masses? What could’ve been said: “The best you didn’t know about yet.”“Beating a dead horse”: I hope by now you’re in on the joke. Clichés are used simply because they’re easy. These phrases were once original, but because everyone enjoyed using them so much, they’ve lost the zing they once had. So let’s avoid beating the dead horse and instead…“Beating a dead horse” replacement: “being redundant.”

There are many other expressions that have been overused or become dated. These clichés surface because we, as a species, tend to use something up until we become tired of it. Moderation isn’t our forte—though we know the definition, we’ve yet to apply its meaning. 

From now on when writing, don’t be afraid to give your copy a gut check. It’s as easy as pie to revolutionize certain clichés. When you’re creating new phrases, it’ll be like you’re re-inventing the wheel on the Cadillac of copy writing. In the long run you’ll be glad you did.  After all, followers tend to read articles that are outside of the box.  Before you know it, your copy will be selling like hotcakes. Plus, enjoyable writing is something to take pride in. So much pride even, you may want to keep it a secret. However, hiding your talents can make you feel like you’re just beating a dead horse.

Alright Zuck! I get it You Want Me to Interact with People

It’s a game of Chess and We’re forced to choose who we are rooting for. Google came out with Google+, which if you weren’t paying attention at first don’t worry your not really missing anything. It’s like that new bar that you hear about how awesome it is, and how many people go there. But when you finally get there you realize hardly anybody you know is there, and the people you do know just keep talking about how much they like the regular bar better.

But where were we, G+ came out and a week later Facebook announced what the intentions of their recent deal with skype were. To match G+ huddles FB hyped up their already available group messaging. Along with that came the big news, Free Skype video calls through FB without having to have a skype account!

Now, G+ still has the upper hand as far as the technology side goes, But the way I see it FB is really winning because they have the way larger user base. Which they keep, despite how many people complain “the new layout sucks”. What they lack in aesthetics they make up for in user friendlyness.

Now with the background story out of the way Here is Today’s Big News! Facebook has released a completely dedicated FB mobile messaging app. Full Details HERE. Quick rundown; available for iOS and Android, Easy ability to create chat groups on the go. The Ability to share your location on a map with friends which you can also turn off if privacy is your “thing”. Keeps an on going history of your messages, as well as offers improved alert support. Because one thing that chaps my knuckles is when someone messages me and I feel like a dick because FB didn’t notify me until an hour later when I pull my phone out of my pocket, check the FB app, and then it’s like your stoner roommate, “Oh, Hey your mom called, something about what is a poke?”

So now we wait to see what Google will put out next to give Zuck the finger. It’s an ongoing battle of social networks in which we are compelled to be apart of. On the bright side, we get to reap the benefits of new technology that will take over our lives.

An Internet Time Capsule Waiting to be Opened.

Nos·tal·gia \nä-ˈstal-jə, nə- also nȯ-, nō-; nə-ˈstäl-\ 
: a wistful or excessively sentimental yearning for return to or of some past period or irrecoverable condition; also :something that evokes nostalgia

Today, I woke up and said well I need to put up a new post on that there old Tumblr. As I stared blankly at my computer screen thinking about what to post, “Something about music?” no, “Google Plus?” no everyone is doing that, “A Funny Picture of Dakoda?” no, that’s too easy. So I start thinking more along the lines of general social media “what’s new, what’s hot?” It hits me, I realize that’s all we hear now-a-days. It’s always about the new, we are so quick to forget the past, and what had to be done to get us to where we are now. I’ve always been a fan of a good process, which is why I’ve always wanted to be an actor, I find the process one takes to truly become a character is more interesting that their performance as the character. Don’t get me wrong a finished product is awesome. But you have to open the loaf of bread grab two slices, pop them in the toaster. Go to the pantry get the Peanut Butter. Snatch the Jelly from the fridge (unless you use Smucker’s Goober PB & J in a jar, which is a life choice you have to live with once you decide to take that route.). Make sure the bread has properly transformed into the perfect slice of toast, & combine the three ingredients to make your heart’s desire of the perfect toasted pb&j.

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The Curious Crusade of my first Zaarly

The first Question you may be asking your self is “why am I even on this site?” I’ll tell you why, you want to be entertained. So I’ll do my best to attempt that. Now that I have answered your first question, the second thing you’re thinking has got to be what in the hoot is a Zaarly? Well a Zaarly is a transaction, it’s a community, and it’s a website. Zaarly is one of the hottest internet startups around. It’s available in major cities around the country and is headquartered right in Kansas City. It’s a lot like Craigslist in that it serves a host for a peer to peer market place; however the similarities run short right about there. As crunchbase.com puts it,
          “Zaarly is a proximity based, real-time buyer powered market. Buyers make an offer for an immediate need and sellers cash in on an infinite marketplace for items and services they never knew were for sale.”

It targets what people value the most in this day in age, what they want and when they want it, NOW. It’s a very cool fun site to browse on and I recommend you give it a look. http://www.zaarly.com/ …. Go ahead, I’ll wait.

Now that you are some what familiar with Zaarly I can tell the tale of my first Zaarly. I had been browsing the site for about a week and hadn’t made any offers or wants, after seeing progress of the site I wanted in on the action. However I couldn’t think of anything to want. I was at my loneliest point of the day and that’s when it hit me I needed a pick me up, I needed something to brighten my day, I needed an EPIC HIGH FIVE!

          I Posted under wanted “A High 5”, following that in the description I typed “I am looking for an epic high five” I set the time limit to 3 hours and a Price of $2. After waiting for an hour and a half I finally had a nibble on my offer. The following is the conversation between me and my prospective high fiver. 

I can give a definitely epic high five

• YOU 3:28 PMwhere are you located?
• THEM 3:29 PMHa! Midtown..
• YOU 3:31 PMcan you be at infront of the Mr. goodcents by 4:30. also are you ok with being paid in quarters?
• THEM 3:33 PMMr goodscents where?
• THEM 3:45 PMWest port or waldo?
• YOU 4:03 PMprairie village.
• THEM 4:06 PMBy 4:45
• YOU 4:06 PMDONE.
• THEM 4:05 PMHa!
• YOU 4:36 PMI’ll be sitting on a bench outside of goodcents, with a navy blue t-shirt and white shorts.

I headed down to Mr. Goodcents and met my fiver. I anxiously awaited his arrival on the bench outside. At 4:45pm on the dot he arrived. We locked eyes, analyzed in our heads the proper height of where our hands should slap together, he gave me a nod and we engaged. Needless to say my request was fulfilled. It was crisp, swift and loud. The five its self was awesome but it’s the story around it that makes it epic. We didn’t even talk much; after he five’d me I paid him $2.25 in quarters and a koozie. He gave me a business card and a sticker the band he is in. 

          (My fiver is a real cool dude by, his names Ryan and he is in a local band called Heroes+Villains you can go listen to their music
here, http://www.myspace.com/heroesandvillains It’s pretty good) 

He drove across town, probably spent more on gas to get to me, showed devotion and passion for delivering high exceptional fives in a timely manner. He didn’t look at my post and think “well that’s not even worth it”. I’d like to think we were both in it for the right reasons; we wanted to have an adventure and a story to tell. This is why Zaarly is so great, if you want a couch you can get a couch, if you want a DVD of Major Big League, most likely someone has it. Or if you’re just looking for an adventure with a good story to tell you can find that to. The only thing that limits Zaarly is you and your imagination.