Why you need help writing your professional profile.

We've moved past the age of detached, impersonal machines and computers. The robot age may soon be upon us, but we're still people (for now) and we care about personal things. You might have thought that having so many things online and digital would have made things more remote and detached, but, contrary to dystopian visions of a mechanised future, the world is drawing in on you--the person behind the screen. Your hopes; your desires; your dreams for the future.

So it is that your presence online needs to be personalised. When people come looking for you, they really do go looking for you - the person; not only the service or goods.

The truth is that finding the service or product you need is ridiculously easy these days. Tap a few keys into Google and bam! you see what you were looking for. But with so many providers competing for your attention, something must stand out. That something is a personal story.

Great products and services have a personal story built into their creation. In fact, as Bernadette Jiwa so eloquently lays it out, the story should really come before the product or service design. And we know this instinctively; you only have to think of the stories behind great inventions. It usually goes like this, "I was thinking about how X was missing from my life, so I sought to find a solution - Y".

In the service industry; in fields like real estate for instance, it is all too common for the only difference between agents to be their logo and branding. But real estate agents are people too (I really believe that: I have worked in the industry myself, although, looking in the mirror now...) and the first contact you usually have with an agent is with the person themselves. The story of the person behind the brand will tell you a lot about the service you can expect.

So when people search for an service, they will often look at the "About Us" or "Meet the Team" page of your website. If that page is boring, or looks like every other agents' page, then they'll move on, and at that point, you've likely lost them.

When I write profiles for people to use online (or elsewhere) I am always struck by the many and varied personal life stories people have. Peoples' lives are fascinating, and there's always something worth sharing. It draws you in. It makes you feel like you know them. And when you feel like you know someone, you also start to feel like you understand them and can trust them. That is the first and most important step to gaining business. The internet has changed nothing in this regard, instead, it has made it easier to filter the information. Without a personal profile for your potential customers to read and get to know you with, you'll be lost in the crowd. Make sure you stand out, and get help if you need it to write your profile well.

You really need good real estate writing

Real Estate is a seriously tough, competitive business. Every agent knows that. And every agent knows that the first and most difficult task is securing listings. They are the foundation of your business. Successful agents know that if they have a good stream of listings, their sales and commissions will follow. Real estate is really about having something to sell; more than it is about being able to sell. 

In any given area, however, potential sellers have a raft of choice when it comes to picking an agent. You will rarely (if ever) have a monopoly. So something has to make you stand out and be the person a seller trusts with their multi-hundred-thousand dollar (or million dollar plus, as is likely in Australian cities), investment or home. 

You could use the old tactic of blitz advertising and promotion. Plenty of agents do. You can have your photo on all the signs and bus stops. Be all over the newspaper. Make a television ad. But this is hugely expensive, and of dwindling value in today's media-rich world. And it does not raise trust levels.

Sellers are now only a few mouse clicks and keystrokes away from detailed information on their suburb, sales statistics, and reviews of local agents. You can bet your bottom dollar they have already found you without reading their local bus stop advertisement. But they haven't just found you, they've also found everything written by you, and written about you. You want to be sure that this is positive stuff; that it steers them in your direction.

The only way to effectively do this is to be putting your word out there. Be it in newsletters, blogs, social media, even interviews with the press, you need to be putting your opinions out there. You need to be the expert that a seller can trust. 

It does take work to hold people's attention - you need to give them some interesting information. And not just on the property market; it works best when you also present yourself as a real human with community interests. All this takes time, but it is arguably the best marketing dollar you will spend. 

Yes, it can take time out of your day to write a blog. Or, you can get someone to do it for you. Yes, it takes time to produce a newsletter. Or, you can get someone to do it for you. Either way, this is how you connect with people, and that is how they will end up choosing you for their next sale.

I am not going to sell my own house. No, I would get an experienced agent who's far better at selling my house than I am. Likewise, if you're not fantastic at the keyboard (and we can't all be top-notch at everything, can we?), then outsource to someone who is. 

These days, putting your well-worded written opinion out there, regularly, is a major factor in being the agent of choice when it comes time for that choice. Don't let your years of experience get lost in the crowd. Get writing today!

Thank me later...

It's 7:30am and my mouse was annoying the hell out of me. Do you know the feeling, when your mouse doesn't do what you tell it to do? You go to point at something and the thing that the mouse was on moves (really I don't recommend using a notebook as a mousepad as I have been for weeks), or the damn laser on the mouse isn't agreeing with the glass-top desk (see above picture). Soooo frustrating! Distracts from the process of crafting superb, elegant, clever and crafty copy, it does. Ok, so maybe I'm just having a grumpy moment...

ANY WAY... I have the solution!!! There is a cheap and cost effective way to remove this irritant from your life! With a few simple items, you too can enjoy the smooth glide of accurate mouse pointing!

Step 1: Take a plain ol' manilla folder and cut it in half so that you have a nice flat piece of card.
Step 2: Tape it down firmly and flatly to your stylish glass top desk.
Step 3: Put mouse on it and start using!!

SIMPLE! Problem solved! Plus you could even scribble notes on your new mouse pad (that only cost cents to build!)

There. Done. It's ok, this advice was free. You can thank me later.

Why Sport; Not Science?

Given the huge and predictable excitement surrounding the sporting congregation in a certain South American country, it was an interesting time to listen to a panel of scientists, business leaders, and one comedian speak about the unfortunately low status of science in Australian society last night at the ACMD Research Week public debate.

Sport in Australia is, well, the national religion. And we're not just tunnel-visioned towards one code, such as Soccer, as many countries are. Oh no, here in the Land Down Under, sport of any kind is celebrated, and sporting success is the stuff of myth and legend. In some parts of the country we even race cane toads and place bets on the outcome. So it's hardly surprising that sport garners more attention on the pages of the news and in public life generally.

Science on the other hand, an area in which Australia excels and has been a world leader over the years, suffers from 3rd or 4th rate status. Strike that--it really doesn't have status. A lot of money and effort is put into scientific research here, but it is losing its market share. Why is that? Why aren't people interested in science? Why don't they follow scientific progress like they follow sport?

That last question is ridiculous, is the short answer. The two aren't the same thing. Not even remotely. Sport is a community event and a competition. It has a clearly defined goal, set rules, and a definite outcome. Science pretty much has none of these attributes. Goals, as close as they come to goals, that is, are simply tests of hypotheses. Rules? Not really! Science is remarkably fluid, changeable, and prone to revision. As for outcomes, well, as they say, you can only disprove a hypothesis, never prove one. In other words, even the victories are negative, in a sense.

But science does have fabulous stories and fantastic people, just like sport does. It has heroes and heroines, and it has long, trying and amazing journeys. Finding those people and telling those stories will be the key to raising science's status.

Ultimately, what really hooks people into something is the narrative. We just love a good story. So does the media. Science has all that, but it needs more storytellers. Raising science's status is genuinely important, because in this day and age, high profile equals dollars. Science needs more. Scientists and administrators everywhere need to realise that having a continuing conversation with the public is how other fields got so big in the public eye. So, science, remember--it's no good having a great story if you don't tell it.

If you are a scientist, or a manager of scientists, and you would like help with telling these stories, don't hesitate to drop us a line at articul8.com.au  -- an actual degree qualified and experienced scientist wrote this piece and he's ready to help you!

Week in Review: Fashion, Movies, Real Estate, Walk a Mile in Their Shoes

It was busy last week in the Articul8 command centre. This was helped by the plethora of lifestyle activities that Melbourne has on offer - always something to do; always something to write about!

Kicking off, we wrote about the upcoming Melbourne Spring Fashion Week for one of our regular clients. A huge lineup of Australian and International designers and fashion heavyweights will descend on the Melbourne CBD including Thurley, Jason Grech, Gwendolynne, Aurelio Costarella, Rachel Gilbert, Carla Zampatti, One Day, CristahLea and Bianca Spender. This being the premiere fashion event of the season, it's sure to create a buzz and have the city looking its suave best. Get your hair done and your outfits ready! See more at msfw.melbourne.vic.gov.au

Some time had to be spent on keeping up to date on the real estate market, where things seem never to stop. The east coast of Australia is looking like having an absolute screamer of a spring market, and many of our clients are actively encouraging vendors to get on the market early to avoid having their listing swamped by the spring surge.

Speaking of real estate, Harcourts Victoria and the Harcourts Foundation are busy preparing for their annual Walk A Mile fundraiser on Friday September 2. Harcourts staff, family, friends and supporters across Australia will be walking down a different path and joining forces with White Ribbon Australia to take a stand against violence. Join them from 11am until 1pm at

the Southbank Spillway in high heels (yes, the blokes too). To participate (it’s just $25) or donate, please call 1300 856 773. For further information, please see www.whiteribbon.org.au/events/walk-a-mile-in-their-shoes-victoria

The Melbourne International Film Festival is in full swing, and we have been keeping up with all that is brilliant on screen. So much great film from Australia and beyond, and yet so little time! This premier event is only on a little longer, check out the program here: miff.com.au

Soon we're off to relax to sultry latin jazz at Melbourne's newest and best jazz club, Bird's Basement for their Latin Jazz Month in August. Bird's Basement has direct links to the iconic New York jazz scene, and we can't wait to see what they have in store. Might get some delicious tapas while we're there!

And if that get's too much, we're going to visit the Mornington Peninsula's famous hot springs. 

So much to do, so much to write, but we love it and we can fit something in for you. If you need a write up, or to craft a blog post, or need something written for your website that is both engaging and optimised, get in touch today!

What story is your brand telling?

Storytelling is the default human mode. I can't help it; you can't help it; it is how we relate to the world. Everything that we see, hear, touch, smell, and taste fits somewhere into the narrative of our lives. And if you don't believe me, ask yourself this, "why am I reading this blog post?"

Still here? Good. Let me tell you about stories. For some reason, probably related to staying alive in jungles and on plains in spite of lions and snakes, our brain is a relational machine that links events to memories and then threads them together in story form. We hear the rustle in the bushes, link that to the story told about a distant cousin ambushed by a hungry lion, and depart from said bushes in a hurry, aided by a bolt of adrenaline. Or we see a stick on the ground and our first thought is "snake!" Although these reactions are automatic and inevitable, they are a form of pattern recognition that is linear and temporal in nature. That is to say, one thing leads to another.

One thing leads to another. It's the story of our lives. But all good stories have a protagonist, or hero, and the most important hero is you. You are the protagonist of your own dramatic arc. And we're all the most important person in our own stories. As a result, we tend to characterize ourselves. You know what you're like, don't you. You've even used that expression I bet - "... and, you know me, I went and did ..."

When a brand sends out any marketing material (ads, blogs, packaging, social media) it should be appealing to that inner protagonist. To do that, the brand needs to decide what type of protagonist they have in mind, and what kind of story they want to tell. Done correctly, this will result in an instantly engaging experience for the consumer.

There are too many articles and books on this topic to name here, suffice to say, sitting atop the tree is one Carl Gustav Jung. Although his (and Freud's) applications to clinical psychology and psychiatry have been roundly criticized, Jung's discussion of archetypes remains important to the foundations of human storytelling (and probably to anthropology generally).

As the diagram at the top of this post suggests, there are different 'modes' of protagonist and story. Each brand has its own mode. The successful ones stick to their archetype. Google is the Sage, Dove the Innocent, Apple the Magician and of course, Nike the Hero. By framing their campaigns within these archetypes, they ensure that anyone who fancies themselves as that kind of person will find a friend in their brand. You then attach the right kind of story for the archetype you wish to use and there you have it!

Consider a real estate agency. They might think that they really just want to be the Everyman, the regular guy who belongs. They think that this engenders trust because who doesn't trust Bob next door, right? This is perhaps a faulty strategy because the Everyman does not stand out from the crowd. He's just an extra.

We all know that real estate agents stand out (mostly because of the suit, the prestige car, and the loud voice at auctions). Basically nothing about the real estate agent says "Everyman", so it's unwise to try to appeal to that archetype. Instead, agents should frame themselves as, say, a blend of Jester and Sage. Sure, they're fun loving and want to get the most out of life, but they're also wise in the ways of the market.

Anyone who wants to buy a new home wants these two things - a great new home, and a clever purchase. Anyone looking to sell a home wants to know that their agent knows the market, but also that he's bringing a whole caravan of buyers, like he's the Pied Piper of Property or something. If you can get these fun and wise messages out there, you will be top of people's mind when they go to choose an agent.

Stories are memorable; plain vanilla facts and information are not. Also, good rhetorical skill is essential to telling a story memorably. You liked the alliteration of Pied Piper of Property, didn't you? Yes, seductive stories sell.
You want to be memorable.

It's worth remembering that big companies start small, and famous brands were unknown once. So it is that no company attempting to grow should forget the power of the story they tell. Consistency is the key to a developing brand. Know your audience type. Know the story you need to tell for them. Stick to it and your brand will be entertaining, engaging, and might, just might, become like a virus of the mind, one they'll spread across the world. That's the kind of pandemic you want to see!

What do Vampires and English Grammar have in common?

No, it's not that they will both drain the life out of you.

It's not even that the undead have a lot of time to read and therefore learn a lot of words.

With enough time, we could all gain better vocabularies than Shakespeare who, at around 30,000 words*, is often thought to be at the apex of such things. Most of us blunder about with only 10-20,000 words at our command. Having said that though, Shakespeare was not the most eclectic word user of the great writers. Marlowe is thought to have had a greater number at his disposal, and certainly used more different words per play than Shakespeare, as did Jonson. Some assert that Shakespeare typically tops the list simply because he wrote more plays. Time, it seems, carries great lexicographical weight. One could expect a timeless bloodsucker to know more words than anyone else.

Still, enormous numbers of words are not the connection between vampires and grammar. That was, I'm afraid, a blood-red herring.

The connection is far more interesting than that. Not that vampires aren't already interesting enough. All those questions of life without life, the meaning of death, the barely (or not at all) concealed sexual energy and symbolism threading through the tales of lustful fangs and dripping necks. It's enough to make you want to sit in front of the tv and binge-watch True Blood (come on, admit it, you already have).

True Blood gives us a clue to the connection. When Vampires on the show use their supernatural powers to render their victim open to persuasion, and thus convince them to open the door or other such plot-turning devices, they are said to "Glamor" their victim. (Or "glamour" as it is spelled everywhere except America.)

Glamour is a word people associate with celebrity and fashion. A star is glamorous on the red carpet. It suggests a certain allure; a captivating appeal.

Aha! So someone who is somehow "otherworldly" to us, by virtue of their fame, or money, or status, has the ability to magically gain and hold our attention. And then they persuade us to buy things like watches, cars and shampoo. So they're a bit like True Blood's vampires, taking us into a trance, making us suggestible, and then controlling our behaviour. Celebrities huh!

This sense of glamour is actually as old as the word itself. Because glamour is actually a Scottish variant of the word grammar that dates back to the early 18th century (as a noun, and then we see 100 years later in 1814 the first verb usage as seen now in True Blood). The magical connotation stems from the fact that the word in its Latin and French roots implied education in language as well as spells and incantations. The occult and language were close bedfellows and a person educated in grammar knew both.

So it was that through the 15th and 16th centuries and beyond, to be highly educated in the arts and letters was thought, essentially, to give someone the ability to enchant the less erudite. There was a certain magical aura to the highly educated, just as there was a magic surrounding those of high social status, such as lords and kings. Little wonder then that to have grammar had a certain allure. Indeed grammar slots in nicely with words like alluring, enchanting, spellbinding and captivating.

Indeed, glamour and grammar are, etymologically speaking, the same word. If it weren't for the Scots, we would probably have to make do with a word like allure for celebrities. Or perhaps they'd strut grammarously down the red carpet. Who knows? Clever Scots!

So, what do vampires and grammar have in common? Well, it turns out that vampires are masters of grammar. It probably explains the pale complexion of your primary school English teacher. Quickens the pulse, it does. Better bring the garlic to your next class...


*Estimates vary from the mid 20 to high 60 thousands. Which is as much to say we don't know how many words he actually knew, we just know how many are in his plays. Even then, the count is muddled by whether one should count each variant of the same word or not. If you don't, Willy comes down to normal human numbers. Myth busted folks. See more here: http://www.dispositio.net/archives/501