BUG BITS - The Letterbug writes for real estate!

I have always loved interior design, and adore looking at people's houses. During high school I had a thing for designing houses. I would sit at the kitchen table with my ruler and a trusty HB pencil and create floorplans of my 'dream home'. Mum kindly built a house when I was about 17, which thrust my designing activities into super-turbo-charged-overdrive.

So you can imagine how giddy with excitement I was when in 2010 I began writing for real estate. My passion for houses is now indulged every single week. Yes, nowadays my working week is dominated by real estate projects. And. I. Love. It!

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Of course I still write for an array of other industries, and I love a creative challenge.

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It's all good, people!

Jen x

BUG BITS - Forcefield Electronic Security

I love newspaper clippings. If any of my family or friends happen to make it into a newspaper or magazine I feel compelled to take the clipping and keep it. Old fashioned? Perhaps. But for me it's like trying not to close your eyes when you sneeze - near on impossible to control.

You can imagine then, how excited I was to write an editorial piece for Garth Heywood of Forcefield Electronic Security. Just before Christmas he had a 300 word slot in his local paper, the Blue Mountains Gazette. Here's what we wrote:

For more information about Forcefield Electronic Security, you can email Garth by clicking here.

Stay tuned for more of my hopelessly belated Bug Bits soon!

Jen x

BUG BITS - Cake Face

If there's one thing I love almost as much as chocolate, it is cake. It is my lighter, more spongy best friend. So you'll understand when I tell you that I was more than a bit excited when the delightful Mignon from Cake Face came my way a little while ago.

Mignon wanted to spread the word about Cake Face, and showcase her flair for bespoke wedding and special occasion cakes. In short, Mignon needed a media kit.

Here's a deliciously light, melt in your mouth taste of what we came up with:

...and the bio page:

If a taste of Cake Face is simply not enough, you can find out more here.

I never knew it was possible to create cakes like these. Mignon's gallery of cake extravaganzas really is a sight to behold. Treat yourself and take 10 mouth watering-minutes to take a look.

I am a cake face!

Jen x

BUG BITS - Lumina Motion Pictures

The Letterbug loves weddings, so while we're on a roll with wedding projects let me tell you about the project that made me cry. Often. I cried a lot while this project was on the go.

Richelle and Shane Kerr from Lumina Motion Pictures create the most beautiful wedding day films that I have ever clapped eyes on. These are not your average daggy wedding day videos, people! These are film-clips, motion pictures - beautiful, joyful, cinematic love-stories.

And every time I flitted over to the Lumina website and watched a teaser of their work, IT MADE ME CRY!

I don't know the brides or grooms featured in any of Shane and Richelle's work, but apparently it doesn't matter if the film is created by skillful cinematographers who share a love of weddings...

..sniff.

So anyway, Richelle and Shane wanted me to write a communication for them that outlined the different packages offered by Lumina Motion Pictures. Along with this we also needed to get the message across to brides and grooms-to-be that Lumina does weddings like no other videographer can. Have I mentioned the whole crying thing yet??

Here's a snippet of what we came up with:

For more information about Lumina Motion Pictures, click here.

I can't help myself, I simply HAD to include one of Richelle and Shane's gorgeous clips here at the Letterbug too. Enjoy!

Jen x

Kelly & Steven from Lumina Motion Pictures on Vimeo.

BUG BITS - Polka Dot Bride

I am quite a curious person, so you can imagine the effect it had on me when I took on a writing project for an anonymous blogger! The deliciously elusive Ms Polka Dot recently asked me to give her a hand while she worked through the super-exciting task of revamping her blog, Polka Dot Bride.

We worked on a range of different writing projects, one of which was an email to her advertisers to introduce the new look Polka Dot Bride. The vast new site has SO much to offer anyone interested in weddings. The key for this project was to outline all of the necessary information in a way that a) made sense, b) was easy to read, and c) didn't completely bamboozle the reader.

Here's a confetti-coated snippety snip of the email we put together:

This email goes on to cover many more fantastic features, all of which are now firmly in place at Polka Dot Bride. To go and explore this treasure trove of weddings, click here.

Note: Can you believe I still have NO idea about Ms Polka Dot's identity?! I can tell you that she is delightful, clever and witty. Her ability to sift out the most beautiful wedding inspirations is amazing, and she is about as intriguing as they come. I am just as curious now as I was before this project came about. Thanks Ms Polka Dot!

Jen x

BUG BITS - Little Moos

Pretty, pretty, pretty...

Imagine my luck when I was asked to write about the softest, fluffiest, prettiest little tutu's around? When Jaki from Little Moos asked me to write a press release for the latest collection of Little Moos tutu's I really didn't know where to start. That lasted for about 0.317 seconds, because tutus are so spectacularly fun, and they're just SO pretty, pretty pretty!

Here's what we put together:

To learn more about the sheer bliss that is a Little Moos tutu, click here.

And while we're just, you know, chatting - how old is too old for a tutu?
I'm just taking a poll, in case anyone ever asks me... that's all :P

Jen x

BUG BITS - Little Elk

I'm back!


Like the builder who never manages to do any work to his own house, I have recently been a very naughty and neglectful little Letterbug when it comes to this blog. The good news is that I have been a busy bee on all sorts of interesting writing projects for lots of lovely clients. And now I'm going to get back to telling you about them...


Not so long ago I crossed paths with an exciting new online business called Little Elk. Sally from Little Elk is set to share beautiful, timeless treasures that she has sourced from all over the world. The first of her wonderful discoveries is a range of super-cool kid's gumboots - a highly necessary wardrobe item in Melbourne this winter!!

Sally asked me to write an introductory press release for Little Elk. Here's what we put together:

The joy of working with Sally was her clear vision for Little Elk. Many business owners struggle to define their business. What do they stand for? Who are they targeting? Why are they even in business? Hopefully these sound like pretty straight forward questions to you if you are already in business. But if they don't, it might be time to put your thinking cap on.

Clear business focus cannot be underestimated. I love helping clients to get some 20:20 vision on their business, and I also love working with clients (like Sally) whose vision is already crystal clear.

For more information about Little Elk and their gorgeous gumboots click here.

Jen x

BUG BITS - Little Bird Photography

It's a break from tradition, but I had to show the finished article for this press release, written recently for the beautiful Pru at Little Bird Photography. I don't always get to see where my words end up - the 'finished product' if you like. So when I am lucky enough to see this kind of thing, well, it kind of takes my breath away.

Once the words were on paper, I whisked the finished copy off to Prue from Gigi & Lulu, who has (once again) worked her graphic design magic here:

This is a reminder: Take some time here and there to appreciate what you've achieved. It's great to look ahead to the next goal - the next mountain you want to climb. But once you've reached the summit, take a minute to admire the view before you start abseiling, hang-gliding or bungy jumping off the other side!!

Jen x

BUG BITS - Splendid Days

When Union Jack and I got married, our reception was held in a cosy, sparkly, ever-so-slightly-sloping marquee in my big sister's garden. I love nature far more than formality, and I had too many overseas guests staying in my house to start sweating the small stuff - so to me it was perfect.

Ever since that warm February evening six and a half years ago, I have had a soft spot for marquee weddings. The atmosphere in a marquee has an intangible quality that I simply love. So what a truly splendid time I have had recently, when I was lucky enough to work with Grainne Bartholemew, co-founder of the most beautiful luxury marquee hire company ever to come my way - Splendid Days.

There were a number of elements to this project, including proof-reading and editing web copy, writing a press release, editing a sales brochure and writing a promotional email for prospective venue suppliers.

Here is a snip snip of the promotional email:

For more information about the stylish and sophisticated Splendid Days, click here.

How much time do you spend on drafting important emails? Do you spend hours producing a first class press release only to shoot it out to the press with a rushed email message?

Stop!

First impressions count! When communicating with clients (existing or potential), give yourself every chance of success by allowing time to consider your email messages in the same way as you would the documents attached.

Read what you have written OUT LOUD before you hit the 'Send' button. You'll be amazed how many errors you can pick up this way.

Jen x

BUG BITS - Little Bird Photography

The loveliest little bird came my way a few months back - Pru Trundle from Little Bird Photography. Yes, I know - I am desperately behind on my BUG BITS posts. Suddenly I am referring to months ago when it should really be weeks, or even days between BUG BITS. What can I say? My client's projects always come before mine, and my to-do list has been pretty impressive of late!

Aaaanyway, along with Prue from Gigi and Lulu, we updated and refreshed the Little Bird Photography Session Guide.

With a client as delicate and gentle as she is cheeky and full of fun, the copy needed to strike just right balance. I love working with clients that have a very clear sense of who they are, and this was most definitely one of those projects.

Here's a snip:

Providing information and/or giving instructions really doesn't have to be dull and unappetising. With some imagination it is possible to bring light to a subject - a sense of fun amongst the facts, humour and even playfulness!

For more information about the photography I MOST aspire to because it is simply impossible to tear your eyes from it, click here.


I cannot visit this website without the music and images turning me into a smiley happy Letterbug. Go and take a peek!


Jen x

BUG BITS - Chic Party Boutique

I love birthday parties, I can't help it. For my 26th birthday I had a fairy party simply because I never had one as a child. And I believe every girl should have a fairy party in her lifetime!


You can imagine then, how excited I was when the delightful Nicky from Chic Party Boutique contacted me in search of help with her web copy.


Nicky had come to the fairly common realisation that while we often know what we're trying to say, sometimes it can be really difficult to get the message across clearly. This is especially true when trying to write about our own business - our 'baby' - the thing that we live and breathe every single day. It really shouldn't be so hard, but gee, often it is the HARDEST thing to write about!


So, the brief from Nicky was to write some fun, relaxed and informative copy that was inviting, concise and easy to follow. We worked on copy for her home page, product descriptions, category descriptions and 'About Us' page.


Simply because writing 'About Us' pages is one of my favourite things, here is a snip of what I put together for Chic Party Boutique's 'About Us':

To find out more about the gorgeous stationery available from Chic party Boutique, click here.

Have you looked at your web copy with fresh eyes lately? Is it fresh, up to date and full of life? Would a new visitor to your site feel like they're visiting a vibrant hub or a ghost town?


If it's time to give your web copy a boost but you're not sure how, send me an email - I can help!

Jen x

BUG BITS - White Soda

As the chilly weather takes over Melbourne it is hard to imagine we will ever have a need for swimwear again. But with only five weeks until the shortest day of the year, I'm confident we'll be charging headlong towards another scorching Australian summer before we know it.

Two people who are already totally prepared for summer 2011 are the gorgeous Romi and Danielle from White Soda. I recently wrote White Soda's latest press release for these two lovely ladies. The release features White Soda's latest fresh and colourful children's swimwear collection for summer 2011. I couldn't help but be inspired by the gorgeous designs and wonderfully enticing product names that capture the essence of long hot summer days.

Here's a snippety-snip :

To learn more about the super stylish swimwear available from White Soda, click here.

It is so important to think ahead when it comes to PR. Don't wait for the weather to start warming up before thinking about your summer campaign! Don't wait for tinsel and holly to be on display before you start work on your Christmas campaign!

Working six months ahead means you can be sending the right information to the right people at the right time to give you and your business the best chance of success.

Need help writing your next press release/bio/media kit? Send me an email and let's get started!

Jen x

BUG BITS - Modern Little Munchkins

Newsletters! Newsletters! Newsletters!

Confession One: I don't have enough time in the day to swing past all of my favourite websites and blogs, even though I'd dearly love to. It makes me sad, but until an extra 3 hours are added to the usual 24 each day it is something I just have to live with.

For me, the next best thing is for my favourite sites to email a newsletter that lets me know what I'm missing out on. If I suddenly turn a sickly shade of green from envy I click immediately on the website link. (I'm the baby of the family - I hate missing out on anything!) Even if I don't turn green, I'm still happy to be kept in the loop during my website absence. Reading newsletters is easy!

Confession Two: The Letterbug also loves writing newsletters. Short, punchy prose that gets straight to the point, what's not to like?

This week was no exception, as I completed the first newsletter for gorgeous Louisa at Modern Little Munchkins. With winter at our doorstep, the brief was to showcase winter fashion from new labels at Modern Little Munchkins, and write up Louisa's two feature products for the April newsletter.

Here's a snippet:

To find out more about Modern Little Munchkins and their hip and wonderful range of organic and eco-friendly products for kids, click here.

Newsletters - a valuable element to consider in your marketing strategy.

To enquire about The Letterbug's newsletter service (or any other copywriting service), email hello (at) theletterbug (dot) com (dot) au.

Jen x

BUG BITS - Little Bird Decor

A recent Letterbug highlight for me was meeting and working with Maryanne Priestley of Little Bird Decor. My brief was to write a introductory press release for Little Bird Decor, and the theme was "A million smiling faces".

With such beautiful wall art on offer, Little Bird Decor will be the source of far more than a million smiles. Is there such a thing as a cazillion?? Here is a taster of Maryanne's press release:

For more information about these tip top quality Australian designed, Australian made decals from Little Bird Decor, click here. They are so cute!

This press release is a good example of how an interesting angle can make promoting your business so much easier and way more fun! Taking the time to look beyond the obvious when working on your PR campaign can really pay off. A unique angle makes your efforts all the more memorable. And that's what we're after, right?

Jen x

BUG BITS - Victorian Touch Football Association

Extra! Extra! Read all about it!

The Letterbug recently metamorphosed into a "Sports Reporter" when I completed a project for Touch Football Victoria. I wrote an article about their upcoming appearance at the National Touch League competition - a major event in Australia's Touch Football calendar.

With next to no knowledge of the game, I was fortunate to be guided by Touch Football Victoria's Regional Manager, Michael Lovett. What a hard working and extremely patient creature he is! Some input from the team coaches guided me along the way, and the job was completed in a jiffy. (This is always a bonus when there is a deadline - and it's tight!)

Here is a snippet for you to read:

I love the fact that this project stretched me to write about an unfamiliar topic, and it proves that a little bit of quality research can go a long way.

To learn more about Touch Football Victoria, click here.

Thanks for the opportunity Mick, I look forward to putting on my 'hard hitting sports reporter' hat for you again some time soon!

Jen x

BUG BITS - Little Maison

Launching a new website is always so exciting. Congratulations Leah, on the successful launch of Little Maison - hooray!

Leah came to The Letterbug for assistance with her 'About Us' page. It seems that the 'About Us' page can be one of the toughest for business owners to write for themselves, yet it is one of my favourites tasks. With a project brief and a rough concept for the page, I took to the keyboard. Here is a snippet of the final copy:

For more information about Little Maison and their wonderfully stylish children's decor solutions, click here.

You can also find other examples of web copy by The Letterbug by clicking here.

Jen x

BUG BITS - Tom and Molly

Working on web copy can be SO much fun, especially when you have a brand as pretty as Tom & Molly to write about. Imagine giving names to a whole range of beautiful twirly whirly Tom & Molly skirts?? As the only female in my household this project was almost considered therapy!!

Here's a snippet of Tom and Molly's 'About Us' page:

For more information about Tom & Molly, please click here.

It was such a joy to work with the gorgeous Kate from Tom & Molly. With a great product range and a wonderful outlook, Tom & Molly is destined for great things.

Jen x