The Publishing Life Spotlight: Episode 13

Welcome to the Publishing Life Spotlight, where we shine a light on the stars of Publishing.com. Each episode gives you a peek at the awesome personalities and talents that keep us going strong. Today’s star is Mark!

Mark’s been crafting killer content for the team for over three years. He calls Publishing.com “supercalifragilisticexpialidocious”—and trust us, his stories are just as epic. From unexpected team surprises to wise words for our students, Mark’s got a unique take on everything. 

Dive in and get to know the guy who brings oodles of humor and creativity to our team! 

Meet the Publishing.Com Team! Introducing Mark 

Name: Mark T.  

Role: Senior Copywriter 

Location: Canada 

How long have you been with Publishing.com? >3 years!

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If you could sum up Publishing.com with one word, what would it be? And why?

Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious (long word)

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Best client I've ever worked for. Best product I've ever marketed, out of thousands. Best fulfillment, customer-first approach, and an amazing group of positive humans showing up everyday.

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What has been the most unexpected surprise about being part of this team?

The best surprise for me is that the people on this team consistently and persistently put our customers first. Most employees in most businesses don't really care about the customer.

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This team is different: weird, yes, but passionate about the customer.

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What’s one thing you wish you could tell our students? 

Just follow the course. It works. If you absolutely have to reinvent the wheel, find another program or give up your desire for money.

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Who are your greatest mentors (in the world)? Why?

• Mark Manson. His no-BS approach to happiness and self-improvement comes from a real place of authenticity. 
• J.A. (former client). He taught me the power of treating those you work with exceptionally well.
• Jake Howe (nephew). This almost 30-year-old is one of the 1% of the 1%ers. Truly extraordinary achievements, but I consider him a mentor because he's able to genuinely care about virtually anyone in his world without judgment or a negative thought. Dude's got the patience of a saint, and patience is one of my greatest weaknesses. That, and mint chocolate chip ice cream.

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What are your publishing goals? 

I intend to publish after my career with this company, but not during. I've been told by former clients that my marketing superpower is being able to look at any offer through the lens of a prospect, without bias. 

Once anyone publishes, they become a cheerleader. Great for most roles, lousy for mine. 

I don't need to be a cheerleader. I need to be a cynic.

To do my best and help get our product to more people who really need it, I have to remain objective and constantly look for ways to improve our offers and messaging.

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What personal goals has this job allowed you to go after? 

More travel, because you really can do the work from anywhere with Wi-Fi.

Flexible scheduling allows for quality time outside on the bike (essential because of the ridiculously short Canadian summers) 

And I'm picking up some great tips from the company productivity enthusiasts...who says old dogs can't learn new tricks?

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What has being part of this team meant for your family? 

My nieces and nephew seem pretty chuffed that the quality of their presents has steadily improved. And I get a real laugh watching my Dad try to get his head around what I do...he's proud but doesn't quite "get" the whole internet business thing.

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Copywriting 101 

In case you’re like Mark’s dad and not totally sure what the whole copywriting thing is about, this should help. 

What is Copywriting?

Think of copywriting like chatting with a friend but with a purpose. It’s all about writing stuff that gets people to take action—buying something, signing up, clicking a link, you name it.

Bad copywriting comes off as disingenuous or even annoying, while good copywriting makes you focus less on the words and more on the feelings those words spark in you. 

Basic Copywriting Tips for Beginners

This is a list of copywriting basics that apply to pretty much every business in the world, including publishing. 

1. Know Your Audience: Who are you talking to? What makes them tick? Imagine you’re having a coffee chat with them and write like that.
2. Keep It Simple: Don’t use fancy words when simple ones do the trick. Write like you’re explaining it to a colleague, not like you’re giving a lecture.
3. Killer Headlines: Your headline is the hook. Make it catchy! It should make people think, “Ooh, I need to read this!”
4. Benefits Over Features: Don’t just list features—tell them why it matters. How will it make their life better? Example: Sell the super comfy couch, not the purple velvet fabric.
5. Call to Action (CTA): Be clear about what you want your reader to do next. “Click here,” “Buy now,” “Sign up”—spell it out for them. 
6. Use Persuasive Words: Words like “you,” “free,” “new,” “save,” and “easy” are basic but tried and true. They make your copy pop and prompt action.
7. Edit, Edit, Edit: Writing is rewriting. Don’t be afraid to tweak your work. Trim the fat and keep it punchy!
8. Tell a Story: Everyone loves a good story. If you can weave a little narrative into your copy, it’s automatically going to be more engaging and relatable.

Come Write with Mark! 

Think you’ve got what it takes to craft killer content and have a blast doing it?  Apply to work at Publishing.com.

Just make sure you’re ready for: 

• Dan’s weekly Friday song in the workspace-wide Slack channel
• Elizette’s weekly dad jokes and the worst (best) puns you’ve ever heard 
• Hayley’s exuberance and love of our brand emoji 

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Check out our job openings here!