In 2007, Jean Tang saw the need for a 2.6-second website: bite-sized, seductive, and jargon-free. The lawyer-turned-journalist brought on other talented writers to help—and created MarketSmiths, which custom crafts websites, blogs, books, white papers, and more for all subject matters, voices, and format specialties.

In today's ultra-connected marketplace, content is king. But for many Brand professionals, writing doesn't come naturally or easily. What's the best way for them to produce the kind of content that gets results?

Personally, I'm glad that the marketplace insists on strong ideas, opinions, personality, and presence from Brands today: not only does it raise the bar, it puts copywriters with talent in terrific demand. But I agree: even for the most prolific Brand professionals, it's tough to keep up. So here's one trick that gets results: write what you say.

Every day, I interview at least one client who professes not to know what to write—yet knows exactly what to say. My clients' voices are nearly always lucid and intelligent and ripe and intact. Yet—nearly without exception—they demur when it comes to written content. The presumption is that writing—even copywriting—should be formal, neutral, and structured. The counter-presumption is that it needs to accomplish miracles.

Whatever leftover hangups anyone might have about term papers or dissertations, it's time to let them go, and let your brain show its stuff on the page. If you need to, you can always hire a copywriter to turbo-charge your naked thoughts—after the fact. But what you believe is important—and your audience deserves to know about it.

Of course, if you're using stale jargon and tired business clichés to describe what your brand is about, then there's work to be done. Look within—and find out what does differentiate your brand. And then: spell it out.

You advocate "Messaging Strategy." What does that mean and why is it important for Brands?
I'm glad you asked, because Spring Design Partners plays such a big part in that. When we crafted your website copy, I learned about Visual Strategy. In your hands, strategic design forms an arrow that gains greater distance and momentum simply by shooting straight.

It occurred to me how similar that is to a Brand's message, too. In a nutshell: fragmented, disparate messages merely fragment and confuse your Brand message. It's a lot more powerful to develop one story—one point of differentiation—then feed it to your audience in a way that will keep them "on story"...and aptly mesmerized. If your Brand stands for innovation: say so. If value plays into the picture, then weave that in. But never lose sight of the key message.

Does it get boring? Well no. You cultivate and build. You adapt your message to different mediums (Brand environments, advertising, online content) while keeping it streamlined and consistent. Establish rules (I always recommend a 'style' guide); monitor pacing and plot lines; ask "why" at every turn. Before you know it, you've got a captive audience—and a troop of loyal proselytizers.

More Brands are beginning to appreciate the value a proprietary and consistent Brand Tone can bring to their marketing communications. What is the process for developing a Brand Tone? What should the Brand Manager bring to this process?
To me, Brands are Method actors channeling strategies (versus characters). It's easier to think about in the context of a person, though. To develop your Brand tone, I recommend you invent a back story for your character—complete with what drives him or her every single day. Figure out his passion. Figure out how that character would talk, walk, and digest. Then guard every quirk—every idiosyncracy—diligently, vigilantly, jealously. No one else is charged with the specific commitment to your Brand—coupled with your one-of-a-kind, big picture perspective.

Today, Brands live everywhere. How can a Brand Manager ensure that their Brand Tone is consistent across all of their marketing touch points while being appropriate for the audience and the medium? Can you cite an example of a Brand that you think is doing this well?
To keep your Brand tone consistent, keep it simple. Start from the top. Exercise discipline. Refrain from writing haphazardly. Your strategy informs your message informs your branding...so start with your strategy, and let everything follow.

As for an exceptional Brand, I'm going to reveal my journalism roots, and spotlight my favorite magazine. New York Magazine (full disclosure: I occasionally still freelance for them) has rejected the all-things-for-everyone coverage of a typical NYC listings magazine. It knows its audience: loft-owning, Hampton-dashing, food-and-culture-snarfing, half-snide, half-awestruck intelligentsia with mid-century modern tastes and an incurable obsession with the obsessed. Talk about strategy-driven content. The range of topics is meticulously curated. No wonder their online readership hovers around 7 million a month—and they consistently win so many awards. And the magazine is a pleasure to read.

What advice do you have for the Brand manager who wants to hire a copywriter?
Do not—under any circumstances—hire a copywriter that doesn't invest substantially in your Brand. This means investing time and effort in getting to know who you are, what your Brand mission and strategy is, how it shows up in the market, and what its impact is.

Instead, hire a copywriter that's a partner. At MarketSmiths, you don't get a rotating staff of copywriters. We're largely journalists, and so we investigate Brands and businesses in thorough detail. It wouldn't be unusual for us to sit in on an entire Brand campaign for the purpose of absorbing—then channeling—what we learn. It's a bit like Brand therapy—you get an outsider's perspective, and your words and content are crafted accordingly.