Your Kansas City Copywriter!
Hi.
I'm John Laing and I'm a writer.
I live in Kansas City, but work for clients around the world. If you use brand name products or spend much time online, you've probably seen or interacted with my work.
What do I write?
- Promotion ideation / concepts
- Campaign ideation / concepts
- Corporate brochures
- Business introductions
- Training materials
- Product launch materials
- Written materials for e-businesses
- Web page content
- Catalog content
- Media releases
What do I produce?
- Corporate videos (write & produce)
- Training videos (write & produce)
- Promotional overviews
- Event recaps
Who do I write for?
Confidentiality agreements prevent me from disclosing the majority of my client list. Here is a partial list of client industries. An asterisk next to an industry indicates that I have written for one of the top three manufacuturers in that industry; A + indicates that I have written for multiple clients in that industry.
- Health & beauty *+ (my work includes makeup, deodorant, vitamins, toothpaste, lotions, soap, OTC meds & femcare)
- Food *+ (my work includes frozen entrees, shelf-stable entrees, soup, branded produce, salty snacks/chips & more)
- Other CPG *+ (my work includes cleaners, disinfectant sprays, tissue, toilet paper, disposable plates, batteries & more)
- Small electrics *+ (coffee makers, electric tools & battery-operated floor cleaners)
- Fast food *+
- Automotive *+
- Long distance *
- Service providers + (testing services, billing services, psychological service providers, entertainment companies & more)
- Direct marketers + (misc. direct to consumer and business to business companies)
- Technology *+ (computer equipment & software)
- Apparel +
How can you put my skills to work for your company or brand?
It's easy. Just contact me!
Technology writing in the Heartland
Technology in a flyover state? You betcha.
During college I spent a good chunk of time finding exciting ways to describe hard drives -- and got paid for it. Since then I've had a soft spot in my heart for tech. Of course, I did more than just write about hard drives during that gig, but at the time external hard drives were that company's bread and butter. Finding exciting ways to differentiate them -- and keep them entertaining -- was a challenge.
I received my first national exposure during that stint -- I wrote the copy for a double page spread for a new computer that ran in several national publications. I also learned quite a bit, not the least of which was that catalog and technology copy can be fun...and that if done right, "fun" can translate into big sales.
I went on to found Drinkspecials.com, a nightlife destination. A couple years later, I then co-founded VendingAuction.com, a business to business site that enabled vending companies to liquidate excess inventory. (As far as I know, it's defunct now -- but I cashed out before that happened.) Around that time, I co-founded BillMyClients.com, which currently processes half a billion dollars worth of invoices each year.
I've spent a great amount of time in consumer packaged goods and promotions, but I know what MTBF stands for. I also know how to set up and administer a web server, be it Windows/IIS or Linux/Apache based (Ubuntu, preferably). Couple my technology experience with my writing background and you've got a geek translator. Literally.
If you need a seasoned technology writer, drop me a line -- I'd love to discuss your project!
Spring cleaning.
The snow drifts are melting. The economy is bouncing back. Birds are chirping. Tulips are blooming.
What a wonderful time to dust the cobwebs off the copy on your website or corporate brochure!
Sure, everyone talks about "spring cleaning" around the house...but what has that sort of spring cleaning ever gotten you? A happier spouse? More room? Sure, more room. More space to be filled with new stuff. How are you going to afford that new stuff if your website and corporate brochure aren't pulling in business like they used to?
That's right, without money-making copy on your website and corporate brochure, all of your spring cleaning at home will be for naught. Who wants to spring clean in vain? Certainly not you.
One quick e-mail to yours truly for a copy tune-up and you can make sure that your house stays full of stuff. Who can argue with that logic?
What’s your copy done for you lately?
I was recently approached by a writer who uses his website and blog to advertise that his writing has created $1 million in sales. He told me that advertising this claim was driving in new business. I know that self-promotion (and self-confidence) is important, but there's something about advertising numbers like this that rubs me the wrong way.
First, it's a pretty low tally for anyone who has been in the business long. There are thousands of copywriters across the country who - just like me - have worked on campaigns that cost far more than $1M and who have probably generated hundreds of millions - or even billions - in sales. But we don't advertise that.
Maybe we should.
Nah.
