What’s New?

As a freelance San Francisco copywriter, here’s what I’ve been doing since my June 2011 newsletter:

• Freelance healthcare copywriting: Radio scripts and production for a lap-band clinic; revised copy for an oral care candy website in Japan; blogs, magazine ads and an e-newsletter for a vein clinic, plus a flyer for a sleep center.
• :60 Radio scripts and production for the Universal Ballet of Korea performances of “Shim Chung – The Blind Man’s Daughter” at SF’s War Memorial Opera House in July.
• http://www.pivotal-llc.com – Wrote/edited this 30-page site for a technology consultant who is currently President of BNI Embarcadero.
• http://www.safeteproducts.com – Editing for a handful of key pages for this “Safety Alert for the Elderly” system and monitoring device.
• Editing the website copy for another writer.
• Creating a direct marketing campaign with 10 different test cells for online meeting company.
• Freelance radio scripts for a fantasy sports site.
• Blogs for http://blog.intuit.com/, http://blog.gopayment.com, GroupPrice.com/blog, and http://mdveinprofessionals.com/blog/
• My Media Department has been buying doing freelance media planning and buying for radio for an auto dealership and a storage company, as well as creating media plans with print and online media for a technology company and an author.

Read past issues of Zeimer’s NewZletter: June 2011 • May 2011 • March 2011 • Nov 2010 • July 2010 • April 2010 • December 2009 • October 2009 • August 2009 • July 2009 • March 2009

Recycled Creativity

As a Certified Green Bay Area Business, I took a pledge to reduce my carbon footprint by using recycled products and services wherever possible. To that end, I’m recycling some of my past successes as a freelance copywriter in each of these newsletters.

Here’s an example: “Dinner And A Thousand Stars: Canyonlands by Night & Day, Moab, UT”  from Vagablond.com.

In all, I wrote over 1,400 articles for this luxury travel blog that covers food, wine, travel and shopping. This one in particular is one of my favorite articles. It begins: ”We pulled into Moab about 5 pm a few nights ago. We were hungry and anxious to see Canyon Country. A well-placed brochure afforded us the opportunity to do both — at night — with a Cowboy Style Dutch Oven Dinner followed by a Sound and Light Show aboard a jet boat on the brackish waters of the Colorado River. It was so spectacular that we ran out of adjectives.”

Read the article on Vagablond.com.

A Recent Success Story

As mentioned above, I recently wrote radio scripts for the Universal Ballet of Korea and its once-in-a-decade visit to San Francisco to present “Shim Chung, The Blind Man’s Daughter” at the War Memorial Opera House in July.

I wrote :15, 30 and :60 commercials that were produced by two radio stations: KCBS and KDFC. Ellen Young, a freelance media buyer and planner, purchased the time and negotiated the rates.

Listen to the :60 KCBS Radio Commercial. Read more.

Humor Is A Funny Thing

As a long-time golfer, I enjoy hitting the links once in a while with my brother and some friends.

While I try to make the most of my humble abilities, I also try not to think too much about all the different things I’ve been told by golf pros, well-meaning friends, or those who are skilled at executing all types of shots, such as: Balance, focus, tempo, the grip, swing down, rotate and release hands, don’t get handsy, drive down and through, flat left wrist = straight shot, et. al.

This sketch says it all and is titled “1.5 seconds of thought”. 

Ads I Like

This 30-second TV European commercial was supposedly banned because it poked fun at the age-old assumption that blondes are dumb. But it is very, very funny. Watch it now.

Why I Love Referrals

Last year, over 70% of my revenue came from referrals through Business Network International chapters in North America. The majority of my income came from my colleagues at BNI Embarcadero , the largest word-of-mouth referral chapter on the West Coast. We meet every Wednesday from 715 – 9am at L’Olivier French Restaurant, 465 Davis Court (between Washington and Jackson Streets), San Francisco, CA 94111. If you’d like to join us for a meeting, please contact me.

Speaking of referrals, I received some recently for possible projects with some potential clients outside of and within my chapter.

About Zeimer’s Advertising Shoppe

Zeimer’s Advertising Shoppe is an award-winning writing consultancy and ad agency. As a freelance San Francisco direct response copywriter, email and newsletter copywriter, website copywriter, and healthcare copywriter, I create content for ads, brochures, direct response/email campaigns, radio and TV scripts, White Papers, newsletters, and more. My Media Department offers freelance media planning and buying capabilities For more information or to receive an estimate on your next project, contact me via email or call 415.491.1058.

© 2011. Zeimer’s Advertising Shoppe. All Rights Reserved.

Each newsletter contains five stories over six pages, including “Residents Are Using More Technology, More Often”, a resident profile, a staff profile, a community feature, what’s new, and upcoming events:

– Download Spring/Summer 2011 Sequoias – San Francisco Newsletter;

– Download Spring/Summer 2011 Sequoias – Portola Valley Newsletter;

– Download Spring/Summer 2011 Tamalpais – Marin County Newsletter.

Welcome Message
Hi there,

One of my dogs squatted on a trail recently to pee and got stung by a bee. But isn’t that the type of year it’s been? Just when we think we’re getting some relief, someone bites you on the butt! Having said that, by the number of calls I’mve gotten recently to start new projects of all sizes, I’m bestowing the brightest of holiday wishes to all of my clients, colleagues and friends for a rousing end of an otherwise challenging year.

Cheers and happy holidays!
Gil Zeimer

What’s New?
Speaking of new, Zeimer’s Advertising Shoppe is proud to now offer the services of Ellen Young, a highly skilled media pro with 20 years of experience. Ellen specializes in freelance media planning and buying for Newspapers, Magazines, Radio, Network TV, Cable TV, and Online Media. So if you need to purchase or place media for an upcoming campaign, Ellen is the perfect consultant to contact. Read more about Ellen.

What I’mve been doing:

• Creating sales materials for a new oral care product
• Wrapping up a bilingual Website for Mexico 2010
• Writing more e-newsletter articles for an East Coast nurse recruitment group
• Completing the copy for a Bay Area IT company’s revised website
• Starting a Web revision for a local business consultant
• Blasting out more Webinar emails for a leading tech client
• Scripting pro bono projects for the Terra Linda Orca Swim Team

Read past issues of Zeimer’s NewZletter:

• October 2009
• August 2009
• July 2009
• March 2009

Recycled Creativity
As a Certified Green Bay Area Business, I took a pledge to reduce my carbon footprint by using recycled products and services wherever possible. To that end, I’m recycling some of my past successes as a freelance copywriter in each of these newsletters.

Here’s an example: Batter Blaster

This :60 Flash/Video that I wrote in 2007 highlights the product’s attributes with a fun demo that shows the “then” of how it used to be done in the 1950s in grainy black-and-white and “now” of how easy it is to “make a better breakfast faster with Batter Blaster.” My talented colleague, Brian Jacobson of Focus Design was the art director for this video; he also designed the retro packaging. Jim Kerns of Moving Monkey Productions directed it and provided the voiceove

Batter Blaster has really taken off. During 2009, it rolled out nationally to Costco, Whole Foods, and other stores. When it’s stocked by Wal-Mart Supercenters in January 2010,  the product will be available in 75% of all possible retail grocery locations across the US!

Humor Is A Very Funny Thing

If you want to laugh at the absurdity of promoting the latest, greatest technology gizmo, watch this “Sony Piece of Crap” video on YouTube. But be forewarned: this is not for anyone who dislikes swearing. Though it is sprinkled wih numerous “f-bombs” and other four-letter words, I think it’s very frigging funny and guarantee it will have you laughing out loud! Again, if you are offended by swearing, don’t watch it.

Why I Love Referrals

Projects come and projects go, but my BNI Embarcadero chapter has been a constant source of friendship, networking, and referrals over the past five years. I’m very active in this group and it’s created many new business opportunities for me and my colleagues, especially the Marketing Makeover Team of a web designer, art director, publicist, videographer, sign maker, event planner, promotional products pro, printer, and SEO expert. This chapter, the largest on the West Coast, now has over 62 members and is still growing. Plus, we’ve referred over $1,000,000 of closed business to each over for each of the past three years, despite the recession. To find out more about BNI Embarcadero, give me a call.

Holiday Greetings From Gil, Ellen & Sara

About Zeimer’s Advertising Shoppe

Zeimer’s Advertising Shoppe is an award-winning copywriting consultancy and ad agency. I write ads, brochures, direct response/email campaigns, radio and TV scripts, Websites, White Papers, newsletters, and more.

For information or to receive an estimate on your next project, contact gil [at] zeimer [dot] com or call me today at 415.491.1058.

© 2009. Zeimer’s Advertising Shoppe. All Rights Reserved.

Portola Valley Health Center Brochure Copywriting

As a freelance healthcare copywriter, I was asked to create a new brochure for The Sequoias — Portola Valley Health Center. People who use this Skilled Nursing Rehabilitation Center are usually recovering from a heart attack, strokes, broken hip, reconstructive knee surgery, or other injuries. Download Health Center Brochure PDF. Healthcare copywriting by Gil Zeimer, art direction/design by Andre Cohen.

Newsletter Copywriting for NCPHS

Northern California Presbyterian Homes & Services Newsletters, San Francisco Bay Area: I wrote these bi-annual newsletters for three upscale Life Care communities through this non-profit that serves older adults: The Sequoias – San Francisco, The Sequoias – Portola Valley, and The Tamalpais – Marin County.

– Download Spring/Summer 2011 Sequoias – San Francisco Newsletter;

– Download Spring/Summer 2011 Sequoias – Portola Valley Newsletter;

– Download Spring/Summer 2011 Tamalpais – Marin County Newsletter;

– Download Fall/Winter 2010 Sequoias – Portola Valley Newsletter;

– Download Spring/Summer 2010 Sequoias – San Francisco Newsletter;

– Download Fall/Winter 2009 Sequoias – Portola Valley Newsletter;

– Download Spring/Summer 2009 Tamalpais – Marin County Newsletter.

Newsletter Copywriting for Maxim Healthcare Services

– MAXIM HEALTHCARE SERVICES – This national healthcare, home care and nurse recruitment company based in Maryland contracted with me as a freelance healthcare copywriter. Here are some recent monthly articles I wrote for their two newsletters.

Caregiving Now – Offers advice on professional homecare, health and lifestyle tips, plus frequently asked questions.

– The Importance of Getting A Flu Shot, November 2009

– November is Home Care & Hospice Month, November 2009;

– Breast Cancer Awareness Month, October 2009;

– Travel Tips for Seniors, August 2009;

– Utilizing Long Distance Homecare for a Family Member, August 2009 ;

– Nursing Now – Provides industry news, job search tips and lifestyle tips:

– Lifestyle Tips: What Are Your New Year’s Resolutions?, December 28, 2009;

– Career Advice: Using Social Media to Find A New Job, December 28, 2009

– How Technology Helps Nurses Respond to Patients Faster, December 27, 2009;

– Picking Up Extra Shifts During The Holidays, November 16;

— A Month To Honor Our Homecare & Hospice Heroes, November 13;

— Hassle-Free Recipes For Busy Nurses, November 13;

— The Current Status of H1N1 (Swine Flu), August;

– How To Boost A Nurse’s Immune System for Flu Season, August 24;

– Valuable Interviewing Tips for Nursing Careers, August 24;

– Recognizing National Adult Immunization Awareness Week, September;

– September is Healthy Aging Month, September 30;

– Post-Interview Tips for Nurses, September 30

Newsletter Copywriting for St. Joseph’s Medical Center

– St. Joseph’s Medical Center for Health Excellence -- I created the freelance healthcare copywriting for this two-sided, eight-panel Centerings Newsletter about News, Events and Education for Holistic Health. Download Health Newsletter PDF

This was just one of a number of direct response projects that I’ve written for Baltimore and Philadelphia area hospitals (St. Francis Hospital, St. Joseph’s Medical Center, Anne Arudel Medical Center, St. Mary Medical Center, Towson Health Express), including nurse recruitment direct response projects, emails for Web landing pages, and more.

Website Writing for Online Drugstore

– drugstore.com – I wrote content for 18 Buying Guides which included these product areas: Breath Sprays, Toothbrushes, Sunscreens and Self Tanning Products, After Shaves, Hair Removal Products, Shaving Creams, Deodorants, Bar Soaps, Tissues/Cotton Swabs, Razors/Blades, and Children’s Sun Care Products.

Script Writing & Audio Production For Enclara Care Companion

— Enclara Care Companion – I wrote, directed and produced the script and audio track for this healthcare portal that helps families create online communities to help them through end-of-life issues for a loved one. This PPT script was turned into an online Flash-style presentation utilizing Adobe Presenter software by the very talented Sharon Schanzer at Red Letter Day Graphic Design and voiceover by the equally talented Johanna Parker. Listen to a portion of the audio track.

Website Copywriting for PlanetRx.com

— planetrx.com - For this site’s launch, I was one of six Associate Creative Directors. My team of four experienced healthcare copywriters and me created over 210 pages of content for vitamins, minerals and dietary supplement products, while the overall the team of 22 writers cranked out over 1,500 pages in two months to meet the rapidly approaching launch date.

Direct Response Writing for CancerTrust

– cancertrust.com – I wrote the Web site and self-mailer to oncologists for CancerTrust.com. Though the company failed during the dot.com bust in 2000, this was an invaluable experience in working with a medical start-up by offering them healthcare copywriting. Download Front of Self-Mailer PDF. Download Back of Self-Mailer PDF.

To contact me as a freelance healthcare copywriter for your medical —- or even a non-medical — Website or other freelance healthcare copywriting projects, visit www.zeimer.com/contact and fill in the required fields.

We had them at “Wilkommen.”

From the moment Herr Richard Reinholdt started singing “Wilkommen”, the audience of 90 members, visitors, and guests on October 28th was enraptured. One visitor said, “I’m ready to drink the Kool-Aid now!”

Our Visitor’s Day to celebrate BNI Embarcadero’s 13th anniversary was an overwhelming success. Ed Craine, SF Regional Director, praised our efforts. I want to put the spotlight on President Seth Tajbakhsh who did a great job as Master of Ceremonies and recognized our marketing team for a job well done. Multiple BNI members of other chapters were amazed at how entertaining our presentation was.

Only time will tell how many new members we’ll get out of this Visitor Day. But I’m so proud to be part of an organization where each member so freely shared his and her successes over the years during the Testimonials and Referrals part of our meeting. Those word-of-mouth advertising messages were so heartfelt that I couldn’t have written them better myself.

Again, here’s a recap of Seth’s email thanking everyone:

Wow! What a meeting. I want to thank everyone who was involved in organizing the meeting today. Both Gil and I received many compliments from members and visitors today. Special thanks goes to (in no particular order):

* Gil Zeimer who was the mastermind behind this meeting with his lyrics for the songs
* Richard Reinholdt, Dan Joraanstad, and Kathy Olberts for singing and keeping us entertained
* Ezra Palmer-Persen for doing a great job spinning and keeping the energy consistent with background music, even as visitors entered the room at 6:30am!
* Gabriel Gasca for producing a great marketing video
* The Visitor Host team for getting people in, paid and situated smoothly
* Bradley Charbonneau for helping with the Evite, website, and posting the new video to our site on 10/29
* Jenny Appel for coordinating with the restaurant
* Mischa Purcell for providing us with his A/V equipment
* Additional helpers (lots of you guys) for showing up early to help with setup
* Marty Wall for his cartoon on the Evite
* Andy Foster for printing the T-shirts with our new logo on them
* Lauren Deane for designing the signage and handouts
* Kevin Casey – BNI Embarcadero history
* Ed Craine – BNI presentation

I want to salute each of you members for becoming BNI Ambassadors for our chapter’s continued growth and success by giving such great testimonials to entice visitors to join. Gil said he gave out at least eight applications today, so we’ll see who joins in the coming weeks and months.

We are, as advertised, The Best Damn Chapter. Anywhere!

PS: Two applications went to BNI members of a chapter in Marin who now want to transfer to BNI Embarcadero. Others went to guests who had been invited by members of our chapter.

PPS: Ezra Palmer-Persen emailed this: Thanks to you guys for letting me participate. Your chapter is totally great. It was a fabulous event! I can only imagine that all the visitors wanted to join.

This article first appeared in the BNI Embarcadero November Newsletter.

Below are some my favorite email copywriting and e-newsletter examples. To receive an estimate for your next email or newsletter copywriting project, please contact me today.

1) Hooked on Phonics: Besides the radio spot for Hooked on Phonics that you can hear here, I also wrote a few very successful HTML email blasts for them to test with very targeted messages through QuestUs, a San Francisco interactive ad agency.

The first was to save $50 with an exclusive online offer. Read the HTML email copy. The second was to make their child a better reader over the next four weeks. Read the HTML email copy.

As with most direct marketing copy, we used similar elements in both of these emails, but the priorities were shifted in one headline and subhead vs. the other to test which of these would gain the higher response rate. The winner? The $50 offer direct marketing copy and headline, but both had high click-throughs and response rates for a massive HTML email blast.

2) PricewaterhouseCoopers Security & Technology, Internal Audit and Sustainability Practices Newsletters:

As a San Francisco copywriter for The Tech Spotlight, I wrote and managed the content of 32 monthly issues over a span of 36 months. Each issue contained a lead story, a vendor spotlight, a case study, summaries of White Papers and PwC Publications, plus upcoming events and Webinars. Some issues even featured original thought leadership content written by me.

– Download The Tech Spotlight Newsletter August 2004 PDF

– Download The Tech Spotlight Newsletter Nov/Dec 2004 PDF

– Download The Secure Solution October 2003 PDF (this was the original title of “The Tech Spotlight”).

3) Email Newsletters for three other divisions of PwC:

– Download the Internal Audit Newsletter, April 2005 PDF

– Download The Corporate Responsibility Report, Summer 2004 PDF

– Download The Project Advisor Newsletter, First Quarter, 2004 PDF.

Each of these email copywriting newsletters were delivered electronically as an HTML email to an opt-in list of thousands of subscribers that contained a linked downloadable PDF and pointed to a Website landing page for each issue with individual Web pages for each linked article.

4) Northern California Presbyterian Homes & Services (NCPHS) Newsletters, San Francisco Bay Area: I wrote these bi-annual newsletters for three upscale Life Care communities through this non-profit that exists to serve older adults: The Sequoias – San Francisco, The Sequoias – Portola Valley, and The Tamalpais – Marin County.

– Download Spring/Summer 2011 Sequoias – San Francisco Newsletter;

– Download Spring/Summer 2011 Sequoias – Portola Valley Newsletter;

– Download Spring/Summer 2011 Tamalpais – Marin County Newsletter;

– Download Fall/Winter 2010 Tamalpais — Marin County Newsletter;

– Download Spring/Summer 2010 Sequoias — San Francisco Newsletter;

– Download Fall/Winter 2009 Sequoias – Portola Valley Newsletter;

– Download Spring/Summer 2009 Tamalpais – Marin County Newsletter.

5) Maxim Healthcare Services, 2009 — This national healthcare, home care and nurse recruitment company based in Maryland contracted with me as a freelance healthcare copywriter. Here are some recent monthly articles I wrote for their two newsletters.

Caregiving Now — Advice on professional homecare, health and lifestyle tips, plus frequently asked questions.

– Breast Cancer Awareness Month, October;

– Travel Tips for Seniors, August;

– Utilizing Long Distance Homecare for a Family Member, August

Nursing Now —-Provides industry news, job search tips and lifestyle tips:

– The Current Status of H1N1 (Swine Flu), August;

– How To Boost A Nurse’s Immune System for Flu Season, August 24;

– Valuable Interviewing Tips for Nursing Careers, August 24;

– Recognizing National Adult Immunization Awareness Week, September;

– September is Healthy Aging Month, September 30;

– Post-Interview Tips for Nurses, September 30

6) Software University Email Newsletter: See examples of this monthly HTML email/enewsletter copy that was blasted to about 10,000 names every month at these links below:

– Software University 12/9/04 Web Seminar

– Software University 1/13/05 Web Seminar

— Software University 2/10/05 Web Seminar

– Software University 3/10/05 Web Seminar

— Software University 4/14/05 Web Seminar

– Software University 2/16/05 Membership Drive.

7) Red Sail Sports Email Newsletter: I write or edit this quarterly email newsletter for my favorite client — because they operate watersports centers for sailing, scuba diving and snorkeling in Aruba and Grand Cayman all in the Caribbean, as well as the Big Island of Hawaii’s Kona Coast.

– The last issue I wrote was Volume 18, November 2008.

– In the archives, I’ve written each quarterly RSS Newsletter over the past four years, going back to Volume 5, August 2003.

Email copywriting for St. Joseph Hospital, Baltimore, MD

– St. Joseph Heart Institute Open House 2/27/05

9) St. Francis Hospital, Baltimore, MD

– St. Francis Hospital Holiday 2004 Sign-On Bonus Email

10) Mental Floss Newsletters, 2009–2010

Mental Floss is a series of monthly newsletters for Financial District Dental in San Francisco that I wrote as a healthcare copywriter; designed by Bradley Charbonneau, Likoma.com; sent via Mail Chimp.

– Premier Issue of Mental Floss, January 2009;

– February 2009 issue;

– March/April 2009 issue;

– May/June 2009 issue;

– July 2009 issue;

— Fall 2009 issue;

– February 2010 issue;

– Summer 2010 issue.

To see other examples of email copywriting, newsletter copywriting, healthcare copywriting, or to receive an estimate for your newsletter copywriting project, please contact me today.

The first was to save $50 with an exclusive online offer. Read the HTML email copy.

The second was to make their child a better reader over the next four weeks.
Read the HTML email copy.

As with most direct marketing copy, we used similar elements in both of these emails, but the priorities were shifted in one headline and subhead vs. the other to test which of these would gain the higher response rate.

The winner? The $50 offer direct marketing copy and headline, but both had high click-throughs and response rates for a massive HTML email blast.