Episode #135. Today’s topic is a technical skill on copywriting and its critical role in driving action and building brand trust.  Joining Abby to discuss is seasoned copywriter Dave Harland aka the Word Man. A naturally entertaining storyteller, over the past two decades Dave has built a notable career in persuasive writing that captures attention for brands such as Google, Jaguar, Tesco and Castor. He is a regular speaker at industry events and also has a LinkedIn following of almost 100k people who enjoy his witty stories - particularly leading scammers down rabbit holes and challenging bad actors on the internet.  In this episode Dave shares his definition of copywriting, 3 effective copywriting principles, when brands get it wrong, empathy for your audience, copywriting tips and brand success stories.   Plus Dave’s career highs and lows and advice for marketers.    00:00 Welcome and why the art of copywriting is so important for marketers.  05:44 How being entertaining converts consumers into loyal fans.  07:52 Ryanair excels at self-deprecating, entertaining branding.  13:16 Brands misuse clichés and jargon which impacts consumer engagement.  18:56 Empathy is crucial for effective copywriting skills.  22:20 Knowing what is interesting to your audience.  26:50 How to improve your writing skills.  31:37 How Dave turned a career low into university writing opportunity.  36:46 Dave’s career high and advice for marketers.    Host: Abigail (Abby) Dixon FCIM/ICF | LinkedIn Guest: Dave Harland | LinkedIn   The Whole Marketer podcast is here to support and empower the people behind brands and businesses with the latest technical tools, soft and leadership skills and personal understanding for a fulfilling marketing career and life as a whole. For more info go to www.thewholemarketer.com