I started my career in marketing, but my heart has always been in writing texts with more of a punch. In-depth articles, engaging topics, and fascinating interviews – in Dutch or English. I wanted to make beautiful things and feel connected to my environment and my community. That’s exactly what I found at ZINNIG. The itch I’ve felt in my fingertips since day one is still there, and I hope it never leaves.

The month flew by – and not just because it was the shortest of the year.

On this last day of February, with a gentle sun peeking out from behind the clouds, I wrap up my first month with a sense of satisfaction and a thirst for more. Flipping through my agenda, I see lots of copywriting assignments: from informative blogs and health articles to light-hearted stories about the latest trends. I also see texts about my beloved hometown of Hasselt (I practically dotted the i’s with hearts in some of them). I got to dust off the translator in me, after a few years of putting her on the shelf. I missed her more than I thought. Today’s agenda included a new milestone: my first solo interview. When you start a new job, every day is filled with firsts. The ping of a new task in my inbox still gives me a little jolt of excitement.

New perspective

From the office, I have a bird’s-eye view of my hometown and the surrounding area. The city looks small and not-so-small at the same time. You can see the tops of the buildings, with the panorama stretching all the way to the spoil tips of Genk on clear days. A sea of beauty and opportunity that might otherwise go unnoticed. Working at ZINNIG feels a bit like that, too. There’s so much to do and to write and to share. Countless topics to learn about and communicate to your audience as clearly and as engagingly as you can. I’m grateful to be part of that. At ZINNIG, work feels more like a hobby.

I’m also thankful for the atmosphere in the office and the closeness of my colleagues. When they ask how you’re doing, they don’t just mean at work, but life in general. It feels good to work with four incredible women who give their all every day for their clients.  Though I’m still getting used to the monthly boxing sessions. I’ve since added wrist exercises into my regular fitness routine!

Het bericht One month in: writing with passion! verscheen eerst op ZINNIG.

Give them an honest peek behind the scenes

What’s it really like to work at your company? Applicants want you to paint them an honest picture. Not empty words but clear and straightforward language. So be honest. Tell them that celebrating wins with a team dinner is just as important as hitting your quarterly targets. Talk about the incredible coffee beans you get from the local roastery. About the flexible hours. About your meeting style and feedback culture. The more crumbs you sprinkle into your job posting, the more likely the right Hansel or Gretel will come knocking at your door. So don’t sugarcoat anything – honesty is always the best policy.

Use words that pop

Are you a flexible team player with a hands-on attitude who’s eager to work in a dynamic team for a competitive salary? Well, who isn’t? Generic words like these could describe any job and any candidate. Try swapping out these empty phrases for something more meaningful. ‘We offer a competitive salary based on your experience, skills, and situation.’ Or: ‘You’ll work closely every day with a trio of amazing marketeers.’ Does your entire vacancy have to be a creative attempt to avoid cliché’s? Absolutely not. You don’t want it to sound forced, but ditching tired buzzwords will definitely make you stand out in a sea of similar job posts.

Stretch your creativity

In case we haven’t made ourselves clear: you want to stand out when looking for the newest addition to your work family. Use photos, videos, a creative stop-motion movie, and … text. Consider sprinkling in some witty wordplay or clever metaphors when scouting a ‘spot-on project coordinator’ for an industrial laundry service. Or put out feelers for a ‘marcom position that will stop you mid-scroll’. These may seem like minor details, but they’re sure to catch your eye in a long list of boring job titles. Don’t be afraid to go against the current.

Use industry jargon to find the right fit

When it comes to impressing clients, battering them with industry lingo won’t work. But when you’re looking for a marketeer specialising in paid advertising, your candidate better know their pixel tracking from their PPCs. To separate the wheat from the chaff, feel free to use industry-specific terms that are relevant to the role you’re hiring for. Give them a little quiz and see how they do.

Call a spade a spade

Your vacancy text should paint a good picture of the average workday at your company. Be clear and set honest expectations about what they’ll be doing. Does the job involve making lots of phone calls to clients? Say that in your ad instead of ‘responsible for client contact’. This might drive away anxious callers. Do they get to decide when and how long they break for lunch? Are extra days off part of the package? Include this in your vacancy text. Details like these could seal the deal or break it.

The more realistic you are, the better candidates will understand what their day-to-day work and responsibilities will be. And you can both avoid unpleasant surprises during the job interview. Get ready for smooth sailing!

If these tips make sense, but you’re having trouble applying them to your own job ad, ZINNIG has loads of experience crafting clever vacancy texts for clients. Get in touch.

Het bericht Five hooks to make your vacancy stand out verscheen eerst op ZINNIG.

Grab their attention

Today’s web visitors have the attention span of a goldfish, so you’ve got to reel them in right away. How? With a catchy tagline, a clever question, or a targeted message. ‘Looking for green cleaning heroes for your home?’ Anyone on the hunt for eco-friendly cleaning products will feel instantly seen. It’s smart to identify your customers’ needs or tell them how your product or service can benefit them. This will make them more likely to click their way to your contact page.

Some great examples that hit the mark (some of them written by us):

• ‘Marketing in simple terms? You’re in the right place.’
• ‘Your admin is our action.’
• ‘Every drop counts. Your water expert, always nearby.’
• ‘If you can dream it, we can build it.’

Keep it logical and natural

A logical homepage structure is one that makes sense to you. There’s no one-size-fits-all. Do you want your visitors to see your case studies first? Put them at the top. Most homepages start with an ‘about us’ section, then unfold from there as you scroll. Whatever order you choose, make sure it fits your company. A formal homepage might look professional but can also come across as cold and distant. Keep it casual as much as you can, and those phone calls will come flooding in.

Give readers room to roam

A well-written homepage isn’t crammed with text. If readers don’t get a chance to breathe between lines, they’ll feel overwhelmed – and click away. Plenty of white space, clear subheadings, and short, concise paragraphs (2 to 4 lines max) is ideal. Bullet points are great for readability, too. Just don’t let the pendulum swing too far the other way. Stripping things down is fine, but too little information is frustrating.

Skip the jargon

Tempting as it may be to flaunt your knowledge, complex specialist terms don’t belong on your homepage. The average Joe looking to insulate his home isn’t going to know what a lambda value is. And legal jargon like ‘defendant’, ‘writ of summons’, and ‘arbitration panel’ sounds like gibberish to anyone looking for a lawyer. In short: these terms are fine when you’re chatting with colleagues, but have no place on a homepage. If you do have to use a special term, just be sure to explain it clearly.

Don’t drown visitors in CTAs

Your homepage is like an invitation to potential clients. And that’s just the where it starts. After the friendly handshake at the front door, you want to invite them in and get them to take the next step. That’s where your call to action comes in. Our advice? Be clear, not pushy. Don’t overwhelm your reader with a dozen different messages. Guide them to relevant pages on your website or to your contact info and make your call to action short, active, and appealing. ‘I want that e-book’ hits differently than ‘Request your e-book now.’ It’s the little things that make the biggest impact.

The bottom line? Your homepage should hit the mark. It should make people want to stick around and keep scrolling. Above all, it should make them want to reach out and get to know you and your services better.

Feeling stuck? ZINNIG is an expert in homepages and websites. We’d be happy to help!

Het bericht 5 tips for building a rock-solid homepage verscheen eerst op ZINNIG.

Describe your reader

You wouldn’t bother a financial advisor with questions about pocket money, and you wouldn’t bore a five-year-old with words like ‘inflation’ and ‘dividends’. A light-hearted pun is fine for an internal newsletter, but not so fitting in an official e-mail to your customers. I think you see where we’re going here: defining your target audience is crucial when creating your style guide. After all, your readers determine how and what you write. Should you use a formal tone of voice or a more casual one? Complex sentences filled with specialised jargon and bureaucratic language, or something shorter and snappier? Can you leave certain foreign words untranslated, or is that a no-go?

Describe your stereotypical reader in your guide and keep them in mind while you write. Picture them sitting next to you, reading over your shoulder. Are there any words or sentences they might stumble over? Any paragraphs that might bore them? Anything they’d like to learn more about?

Set your goal

Target audience? Check. The next step is to decide what you want to do. Is your goal to inform? Then keep your words clear and to the point. Get to the heart of the matter, as we like to say. Keep it simple and straightforward with no unnecessary fluff. If you want to convince your reader to do something, feel free to add some persuasive adjectives. Superlatives and witty remarks can help your message stick. Decide on a specific goal you want to achieve with your text, then tailor your words, sentences, and structure accordingly.

Be consistent

Nothing is more frustrating than inconsistent time formats. ‘The expo is open from 08.30 to 16:30 and the artist will drop by at 9AM for a brief explanation.’ It’s enough to make our toes curl. Another classic: ‘Emperor Augustus lived from 63 bce to 14 AD.’

Mistakes like these are easy to avoid. Set concrete rules for these formats in your style guide and apply them consistently. It looks more professional and prevents confusion down the line. The same goes for job titles (general director or General Director), ordinal numbers (third, 3rd or 3^rd), dates, and price formats.

Set language rules

Online dictionaries like Van Dale and woordenlijst.org are your best friends when it comes to (Dutch) spelling and grammar. That said, feel free to make your own language choices – as long as they fit within the generally accepted rules of the language you’re using. Do you prefer single or double quotation marks? Is there a specific word you want to ban from all corporate communication in lieu of something else? Are certain foreign words so commonly used in your company you don’t need italics? Go for it. Do whatever you think is best for your business. Just remember: whatever you do, be consistent. Make sure everyone knows the rules and uses them in all forms of communication.

Set rules for your logo and tagline

If you’ve ever received an e-mail from one of our team members, you’ve probably noticed the ‘zinnige groeten’ at the end. Not to mention our logo on full display: black letters on a white or transparent background.  That’s our house style. Our corporate calling card. Our ‘hello, this is us.’ Our ‘hi, how do you do?’ Recognisable, familiar, and original. Setting rules for using your logo, tagline, and company name – including all variations thereof – is a must in any style guide. It helps streamline all corporate communication, without exception. Consistent use of your logo in your e-mails and on your website will also help potential customers recognise you. They’ll know straight away they’ve come to the right place.

Speaking of being in the right place: if you have any questions about creating your own style guide, head to Leopoldplein for some expert guidance (coffee and a tasty treat included)! Our wordsmiths would be happy to brainstorm about your textual identity. We’re just an e-mail, a phone call, or an office visit away.

Het bericht Five must-haves in your editorial style guide verscheen eerst op ZINNIG.

Who’s your audience?

Writing a speech may seem like a creative challenge, but the first step is to gather some concrete facts. Ask yourself: who will be in the room? In other words, who is your target audience? This is the key to setting the right tone. If you’re addressing a room full of experts at a business conference, your message and story should fit the context. If those same experts are there to celebrate a successful year together, your style can be a little more relaxed. Tip: think of a few keywords and organise them in a mind map. What key principles or ideas do you want to get across?

Surprise them

A great speech always has an element of surprise. Whether you’re speaking at a charity gala or an internal company meeting, most audiences expect something dull and dry. A personal anecdote works great as an opener. It grabs your listeners’ attention and shows them you have something unique to share. Alternatives are a good joke (be sure to test it on friends and family first!), a clever observation, a movie quote, or a fun fact you touch on again later. Whatever you do, be sure to keep it light. Depending on your audience, a little humour can’t hurt.

Learn from the best

Think back to some of the world’s most powerful speeches. Famous examples include Winston Churchill’s ‘We Shall Fight on the Beaches’, Martin Luther King’s ‘I Have a Dream’, and various speeches delivered by presidents and Nobel Prize winners. Watch some of them again and think about what these orators can teach you about charisma, wording, intonation and rhythm. Then think about how you can apply these elements to your own speech. It may not be as emotional or epic, but it should make an impact, nonetheless.

The goal justifies the (rhetorical) means

An easy way to add flair to your speech is through rhetorical devices – little tricks that play with language and rhythm. Take alliteration, for example, where several words start with the same letter:

Bold, brilliant and boundary-breaking: that was last year in a nutshell.

Or an anaphora, which involves starting several sentences with the same phrase:

A year has passed. A year has begun. A year is just a year until you do something with it. Then it becomes a milestone.

Or the opposite – an epiphora:

The team rests on your shoulders. The entire company rests on your shoulders. The world rests on your shoulders.

Our famous friend Aristotle explained devices like these in his Ars Rhetorica, a book devoted to persuasive oratory techniques. Drawing on personal credibility (ethos), stirring emotion (pathos), and presenting strong arguments (logos) helps speakers engage with their audience. It’s definitely worth exploring!

Keep your speech short and simple

As inspiring as your message might be, no one wants to sit through an hour-long speech. Yes, we mean it. No one. Our aversion for long speeches makes sense when we consider the average human attention span is only a few minutes! A good speech gets straight to the point. Write your story out in full, then start trimming. We call it ‘killing your darlings’. It’s tough, cutting out bits you think are great, but you’ll end up with a sharp, engaging text that gets right to the heart of it. Always leave them wanting more!

Still feeling jittery about getting started, or stuck in a style rut? At ZINNIG, we’re pros at penning speeches. Send us your speech details by e-mail or give us a call!

Het bericht How to write a killer speech verscheen eerst op ZINNIG.

ZINNIG is a boutique text agency. Our team of dedicated copywriters explore the far reaches of their vocabulary every day in search of the perfect turn of phrase for your company story. We fill your blank page with titillating texts from scratch. Or we rewrite existing ones. In that case, we toss everything into a blender and rework the ingredients to create easy-to-digest copy packed with smooth sentences.  The result gets checked and double-checked, always. All of the copy we create passes through at least two pairs of writing hands: from copywriter to final editor. Most also finds its way to a third quality control expert (or kwaller, as we like to call them), who checks them for structure and content. In short: we write, cut, rewrite, edit and proofread. Every word, every sentence, every section.

Typos, slip-ups, and the urge to over-edit

Typos are sneaky little rascals that sometimes slip through the cracks. These cheeky mischief-makers can evade even the most critical of eyes. Spelling mistakes and typos (‘little devils’, as we like to call them) can be a real pain in the ass. Sometimes they’re so subtle, you don’t even notice them. Especially in your own writing. And that can lead to some seriously embarrassing situations. Like a butcher selling bonerless chicken. Some spelling mistakes and typos aren’t just embarrassing – they can really confuse your reader. For example, a ‘man eating shark’ is very different from a ‘man-eating shark’. And when you ‘book a flight’, you’ve reserved a trip, but a ‘booked flight’ means the plane’s already full. Mistakes come in many shapes and sizes, and often lie in the details, but avoiding them is always best.

Editors have a sixth sense for sneaky spelling errors and know every rule in the book – the dictionary, that is. They tidy up misspelled verbs and inaccuracies, and keep an eye out for stiff archaisms and regional quirks. The end result: a text free from cringe-worthy spelling errors and messy typos. A text in which every letter of every word has been checked and rechecked.

Muddled phrases, grammar gaffes, and clunky word order

Editors also dive in at the sentence level. Misused expressions (like ‘for all intensive purposes’ and ‘I could care less’) are expertly removed. Is the proverbial ‘penny’ starting to ‘ring a bell’? We’re talking about contaminants: mashups of similar expressions that result in something … well, wrong. The bad news? Many of these are so common, they’re hard to spot. Think: ‘nip it in the butt’ instead of ‘nip it in the bud’. The good news? As language freaks, we’re more than happy to clean up your copy! We untangle sentences, fix grammar fails, rearrange clunky syntax, and free your writing from passive traps. Then we sprinkle in commas, ellipses and em-dashes where they belong and voilà: your sentences are clean and easy to read!

Murky messages, inconsistencies, and style slips

A good editor takes a step back to see the full picture. A bird’s eye view. Top-down, the whole thing. Because a strong text is more than just a string of error-free sentences. It works, headline to footnote.  It has personality and leaves an impression. The message is clear, the style suits the audience, and the structure guides the reader smoothly to the final punctuation mark. More importantly: it flows. There are no distracting repetitions or clunky turns of phrase.

Want your newsletter, blog post, testimonial, or social media caption to pack a punch? Get in touch, and we’ll fine-tune your text until it fits. From tone of voice and structure to consistency and cohesion. With a deep understanding of language and writing, we fully immerse ourselves in the topic to get to the essence. We then do one final check (or kwalletje, remember?) to dot the i’s and cross the t’s for a flawless finish. On every level.

Need a sharp-eyed editor to polish your text and perfect your style? You know where to find us.

Het bericht Why editing matters verscheen eerst op ZINNIG.

A blank sheet of paper. A blinking cursor on a white screen. The dreaded creep of writer’s block, to put it in technical terms. Fear of the blank page. It’s the title of a poem by Belgian author Tom Lanoye, and it can happen to the best of us. It’s a feeling that’s hard to explain. A kind of mental fog that settles in your brain and keeps you from putting words to paper. But don’t worry, the blank-page-blues can be beaten. Here’s how.

1. Don’t start at the beginning

You write, delete, rewrite, delete again, and sometimes chuck the whole thing in the bin. Don’t worry, trust the process. One thing you don’t have to do by the book is to start at the beginning. Sure, most texts follow a set structure. An e-mail starts with a greeting, a blog starts with a title and an intro, and most websites have a predictable flow. But that doesn’t mean you have to start there. Begin with writing the part you know the most about. The part you’re most excited about. You can always circle back to the opening paragraph later. It doesn’t matter where you find your flow. Think of it like getting in the car and seeing where the road takes you. You’ll get where you’re going in the end, detours and all.

2. Reverse brainstorm

Have you ever tried flipping your thinking? It’s a surprisingly good way to get out of a rut. Let’s say you’re writing an invite for an event. Ask yourself: why would someone NOT want to come?  Maybe there’s no parking nearby. Maybe there’s no food or drinks. People definitely won’t come if there’s no personal incentive. And voilà: there’s your angle. The same trick works when trying to think of a company name or slogan – list all the terrible ideas first. Bad ideas make great stepping stones. This reverse brainstorm can lead to surprisingly fresh perspectives.

3. Get up and go

Literally. Take a walk. Go for a jog. Wander through the woods. Just step away from that white page for a while. There’s inspiration to be found everywhere. Moving your body is a great way to help unstick your thoughts. Of course, if you’re more of a sit-and-stare-out-the-window type, that’s fine too. But studies have shown that physical activity – as in actual movement – is extremely effective. So head out and get some fresh air!

4. Ease the pressure

Got a nagging voice in your head screaming about deadlines? Welcome to the club. Pressure, deadlines, and stress have a sneaky way of creeping into your day. When writer’s block hits, do something to ease the pressure. Find a quiet spot to think. Maybe you can push the deadline? Or save the nitpicking and polishing for the second draft? Don’t get stuck in the details, just focus on getting your message across. No one’s reading over your shoulder. Take a break and come back with fresh eyes. Sometimes your creativity just needs some room to breathe.

5. Check what others are doing

You don’t have to reinvent the wheel. There are hundreds of texts with tips and tricks on tackling writer’s block – like this one. What have others done to break out of their rut? Maybe there’s a snappy e-mail in your inbox that you can borrow from. Or an invitation you liked. Read it through and think about what makes it fun or interesting. Someone else might do it better, but that doesn’t mean you can’t learn from the best. We’re not saying you should steal someone else’s work, of course. Plagiarism is a serious offence. But feel free to use what inspires you. Think of it as a breath of fresh air. We copywriters are always learning from others; from their language and turns of phrase. Sometimes all it takes is one good word to open the proverbial floodgates.

Still need help mastering the blank page? ZINNIG is happy to help you get started!

Het bericht Fear of the blank page verscheen eerst op ZINNIG.

English is cool. Right? That’s the impression you get when you switch on the TV, flip through a magazine, or scroll on Instagram. English catchphrases are everywhere. This trend has been popular for a few years now, and plenty of business owners have jumped on the bandwagon, giving their company an English name and ditto tagline. After all, the trendier you are, the more customers you reel in. But before you commit to one language or the other, stop to consider the following.

Define your target group

Before choosing a business name and tagline, think about who you want to attract. Are you selling books to people over 50? Are you opening a hair salon in a small-town shopping street? Then an English name might not be the best fit. In fact, a hard-to-pronounce foreign name may even cause confusion. While most people will know the word ‘cake’, calling your cupcake shop ‘Cutiepie’* could lead to some funny or potentially frustrating conversations. Instead, choose a Dutch word that evokes a feeling of sweetness, cosiness, deliciousness, or luxury. Rediscover the Dutch language and get playful with it! How about calling that same cupcake shop ‘Kruimeltjes’?

Get creative

A creative approach gives you the opportunity to go further and dig deeper than your competition. There are plenty of companies out there with boring, descriptive names like C&R Boekhouding or Dakwerken Emiel. While certainly informative, they’re not exactly exciting. If you were to translate names like these into English, you’d end up with something clunky and easy to misunderstand. For example: a concrete drilling company called Topboring (yep, boring!) or a bakery called Cake House (is the building itself made of cake?). Think carefully about what you do, what you love about it, and what parts you want to highlight. Next, think about what your target audience might want to hear. Then use this information to come up with a shortlist of possible names.

Use meaningful language

This one’s tricky. A name should be creative, but not too out there. As language virtuosos, we love words with weight. Words that are both meaningful and concrete. Still with us? It’s not easy, we know. So let’s walk you through the process.

Felien wants to open a shop. In this shop, customers can order custom name plaques, have wooden figures laser-cut, and buy a selection of pre-made objects made from metal and wood. While her main focus is gifts, she wants to keep her shop identity fairly broad. Felien brainstorms and comes up with the terms cutout, laser, figurine, gift, present, wood, metal, trinket, keepsake, and souvenir. She decides to call her shop Gifts… and More.

What does this tell you about it? You can buy gifts there, which is great. But what does ‘more’ mean? And what kind of gifts does she sell? Plus, the name doesn’t reflect Felien’s true talent: transforming wood and metal into one-of-a-kind treasures. If we dig a little deeper into what her products really mean, we can come up with some more specific words. You give someone a gift to wish them luck, to express love and affection, etc. You’re essentially giving them a piece of yourself, something personal. We can use this to come up with a Dutch and an English name and tagline:

‘Stukje geluk’
Originele cadeaus van hout en metaal

‘Treasure trinket’
Metal & timber, crafted with care

Which do you prefer? And which would resonate most with Felien’s target group?

Watch out for false friends

Most Belgians from Gen X, Gen Y and Gen Z have a decent command of English. But you really need to know a language inside and out to spot the potential pitfalls in a business name. All language combos – in this case Dutch-English – have so-called ‘false friends’: words that seem like a direct translation but actually mean something entirely different. A good example is ‘oldtimer’. In Dutch, it means a classic car. In English, it’s slang for an old person. A ‘chef’ is a team leader in Dutch but a professional cook in English. You can imagine the number of unfortunate names and taglines out there. Some words also have double meanings. What do you think ‘Chops by Charlie’ does? Is it a butcher or a barber shop? And does ‘The Nail Shop’ do manicures or sell power tools?

Check, check, and check again

Stick with clear, easy-to-understand words and do your homework. You could also run it past a professional – a native speaker, a copywriter, or a translation agency. Whatever you do, always give your name and tagline a few review rounds before making any decisions. Get to know your target group, check whether the name is already in use (this can affect your SEO), and look at every English word or phrase from different angles.

Need someone to double-check your brand name and tagline? Or are you starting from scratch? Piece of cake! Feel free to get in touch with us.

*Disclaimer: Did we accidentally mention a real business name? Oops! Total coincidence!

Het bericht An English company name: yay or nay? verscheen eerst op ZINNIG.