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Groupon’s famously high standard of writing helped me hone my craft early on. In my four years there, I wrote many hundreds of deals and product descriptions—each one scrutinized for voice and humor. In 2012, three writers (including myself) and two editors were chosen to help make the Groupon voice easier for new writers to learn and replicate. The effort resulted in a leaner, shorter overall writeup.
Here are a few of my favorite writeups. (They no longer have URLs. They live now only in my heart and on my hard drive.)
The only thing more fun than playing with a ball is climbing inside of one. That's the idea with this large 51-inch inflatable tumbler, which allows kids to run, jump and bounce to their hearts' content. Powered by momentum, the ball's thick, air-cushioned walls roll across lawns, around trees, and over police barricades while keeping riders safe and secure inside. 10 viewing windows let kids see where they're going and let guardians keep tabs on their little tumblers. The ball inflates by mouth or standard air pump (not included).
Eating ice cream on a hot summer day is tastier and less socially awkward than licking the face of an anthropomorphic snowman. Adhere to conventional cool-down protocols with today's Groupon: for $5, you get $10 worth of ice cream at Sub Zero Ice Cream in Murray.
The team at Sub Zero Ice Cream, winner of State's Best Ice Cream for the past four years, creates delectable desserts using a flash freeze process, which minimizes the formation of flavorless ice crystals and preserves the creams savory smoothness. Patrons may choose from a menu of more than 30 flavors or compose original tongue symphonies by blending any two flavors together. Create a sugary stroke of genius by first choosing the cream base, available in premium or low-fat ice cream, custard, and soy. Then you can add combinations, mix-ins, and specify the ice cream's texture. The skilled ice wizards then flash freeze the mixture with -321-degree liquid nitrogen, the same substance used by NASA to preserve precious moon pies.
Louisville Indoor Racquet Club
The instructors at Louisville Indoor Racquet Club believe that practice is just as important as technique. At any of their 14 indoor courts or outdoor clay courts, seasoned coaches delineate on the finer points of whipping effective forehands, smashing lobs, and using the geometry of the court to outfox opponents who didn’t bring a protractor. They also fast-feed to students endless practice balls so that players get the chance to refine their strokes and learn how to construct points. This training philosophy extends to each of the club's programs, which includes clinics for adults, juniors, and seniors.
Dr. Spencer Bramwell of B. Well Dentistry gets plenty of practice working with children, partly because he has five of his own. This role as father has translated to the chair, where he applies a nurturing disposition to both young and adult patients. Before administering any of his general or cosmetic treatments, he thoroughly explains procedures, which he can do in English or Spanish. This step ensures that patients aren't caught off guard by any unexpected sensations or the doctor’s talking wristwatch.