Bar of soap, goat milk
Advice is great, but advice on its own won’t make you a better writer. We become better writers by writing and it’s always easier to write when we’re inspired. To that end, a creative prompt using an ordinary item.
bar of soap, goat milk | an exercise in writing seven words or less
This week’s ordinary item: Goat milk soap
What is it? The Bend Soap Company makes all-natural skincare products for people with sensitive skin. Their goat milk soap can be used as body wash, face wash, shampoo, shaving cream, bubble bath, and more.
Safe in 7 words
I’m sure for many of us the bar of soap is just that thing sitting off to the side, unnamed, barely noticed, a necessary item but not one we spend much time or thought on. It might be white, yellow, green, blue or any other tint of color. It may smell of this scent or another. There are differences for sure, but again, barely noticed.
But for those with sensitive skin, the soap we choose is not a secondary matter. The wrong choice sends pain shooting throughout the body, develops rashes, dries out skin to the point that medication may be needed to recover.
Enter companies like Bend Soap who understand the importance of a well-chosen and naturally-made bar of soap. It’s a product with clear differences in an industry filled with “it’s just a bar of soap” competitors.
This left us with one big question - how would you catch the attention of a potential buyer in 7 words or less?
Today’s task, write up a short headline promoting Bend Soap Company’s goat milk soap, think of it as a billboard even. Try to do it in 7 words of less! (we’re borrowing from Martha’s advice below)
Remember, have fun with it. Don’t take it too seriously. You won’t have ALL the information you need, but use your imagination, make up some details, tell a story, paint a picture for us.
Most importantly, write something!
Goat milk soap from Bend Soap is __________________ .
Not sure where to start? Some prompts to get the creativity flowing…
Whose attention do you want to catch?
What are they most likely in the middle of while you’re trying to catch their attention?
What do you most want them to know, feel or think?
What have they tried in the past instead of goat milk soap? What happened?
What’s the most dramatic version of the story you can tell?
Looking for professional advice on how to write a compelling billboard, or short headline, messaging? Here’s what a few of the experts had to say when I asked them to fill in the blank, “When writing copy for a billboard, it’s important to………”:
“Communicate one idea in seven words.” - Martha Holler
“Be creative, entertain and keep it short!” - Jared Hendler
“Have fun! This is where you get a chance to be creative and play with language.” - Eleanor Baldwin
“Make sure it complements the image, and that it's impactful and concise.” - Ney Lins
“Captivate your audience using simple words that are easy/fast to read and give a call to action (call now, visit our website) and use an image that they will remember but it won’t crack them up so much they crash their car!” - Amy Levy-Savage
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