Susan Ghostwriter's Update

Does your website's sign-up page cut the mustard?

2008-05-03T04:59:00.000-07:00

Will your website's sign-up page attract readers into a relationship with you?

Read Guy Kawasaki's "The Art of the Signup Page" for a list of the essential elements. Then, click through to read Tim Bednar's blog post that inspired Kawasaki.

Top four email mistakes to avoid when you've got a referral

2008-04-08T06:38:00.000-07:00

You've probably used a referral to ask a stranger for an informational interview or a chance to talk about your business. If you make your initial contact by email, please avoid these common mistakes:

Burying the name of your mutual acquaintance in the body of your email
Not making it clear immediately what you're seeking
Not identifying yourself clearly and succinctly
Putting the burden on the other party to follow up

When I've got a referral, I often put the referrer's name into my subject line. For example, "Allan Loomis referred me" or "Allan Loomis suggested I talk with you." The familiarity of that person's name raises the odds that the recipient will open your message.

People are busy. They don't want to read a long email to figure out what you want from them. Back in my job hunting days, I would have led with "Allan Loomis suggested I contact you for a brief informational interview about how you manage your investment-related writing needs." Only then would I give a brief blurb about my combination of investment knowledge and journalism experience.

You can write "I look forward to hearing from you." But don't expect your recipient to follow up. The burden is on you because you're the person requesting the favor. I increasingly find myself writing "I will call you follow up."

Pay attention to these tips and you'll increase your odds of success.

Can you help a reporter and get quoted in an article?

2008-04-05T05:49:00.000-07:00

There's a free and easy way to learn about opportunities to be quoted in an article. It's Peter Shankman's "If I can help a reporter out" email list.

Sign up and you'll get several emails daily listing what reporters are looking for. The emails also give the reporter's contact information.

It's up to you to winnow out appropriate opportunities and contact the reporter. Please don't reply if you don't fit the reporter's needs. There's nothing more annoying to a reporter. Plus, you almost guarantee that reporter won't look to you as a source in the future.

"A 30 Second Commercial: How to Showcase Your Business in 30 Seconds or Less"

2008-03-14T09:56:00.000-07:00

Most people have heard that you need an elevator speech, also known as a 30 second commercial, to sell your business. But crafting an elevator speech is easier said than done.

Common mistakes

"A 30 Second Commercial: How to Showcase Your Business in 30 Seconds or Less" does a nice job highlighting people's biggest mistakes in creating their elevator speeches. It hits the target when it says that people focus too much on themselves and not enough on benefits to the client. That's a problem that runs throughout marketing communications that I hear and read.

How to

As I'd expect, the "how to" section of this article suggests highlighting your benefits to clients. It also suggests that you:

"Define Your Target Market -- Your 'Ideal' Client," which will make it easier for people to refer clients to you
"Understand and List the Problems or Frustrations Your Ideal Clients Face that You, Your Products or Services Solve" -- This is because you're more likely to make a sale when you can tap your prospects' emotions

Use a tip sheet to get PR for your business

2008-02-03T15:51:00.000-08:00

"Tip Sheets: One of the Most Effective Publicity Tools You’ve Never Heard Of" tells you how to use this PR tool to get exposure for your business.

I like that the author quotes PR maven Sandy Beckwith who taught me everything I know about tip sheets. You can go to Sandy's website to read more detailed instructions on how to write a tip sheet.

A tip that'll make your white paper more effective

2008-01-26T12:30:00.000-08:00

Your white paper should include a "carefully crafted list of requirements that the reader must consider when looking for a solution," suggests Michael Stelzner in "The ‘White Paper’ Secret Weapon (Don’t Share This!)."

In other words, he says, you're providing a "what to look for list" that readers may use as their buying guide. Of course, there's a hidden agenda: "The idea is to fabricate a list that ONLY one company can possibly meet–yours!"

I have qualms about creating a list that only your company can satisfy. That may undercut the apparent objectivity that's one of a white paper's strengths.

By the way, Michael came up with a nice title for his blog post. I like the use of "secret weapon" and "don't share this!"

Use "myself" more

2008-01-14T08:27:00.000-08:00

If you're a typical American, you sometimes say "myself" when you should say "me" or "I."

"Me, Myself and I," an opinion essay by Collin Levy in The Wall Street Journal (Jan. 14, 2008), hones in on how presidential candidates are over-using "myself." Misuse can change the meaning of a sentence.

The right way to use "myself"? "...the classically-approved usage of 'myself' is as an intensive ('I myself feel that way') or reflexive ('I hurt myself')."

Proper usage will enhance your credibility with members of your audience who care about grammar.

Copywriter's "Fifteen Fixes for a Failing Website"

2007-12-08T16:10:00.000-08:00

Don't wait until your website fails to read "Fifteen Fixes for a Failing Website."

Each of his fixes is a good way to make sure your website stays on track after you launch it. Especially his advice to keep your site aligned with your objectives.

Facebook vs. LinkedIn

2007-11-09T03:01:00.000-08:00

Should you use Facebook or LinkedIn for your business' social networking?

Matt Dickman's Techno//Marketer blog explains why some choose one over the other. I'm using LinkedIn for the reason that Dickman gives: it's defined as strictly business vs. Facebook's more personal orientation.

Do some research and plan a strategy before you delve too deeply into social networking. It can be a big time sink.

"10 Online Writing Concepts That Work Wonders Offline, Too"

2007-10-16T12:04:00.000-07:00

"10 Online Writing Concepts That Work Wonders Offline, Too" by Suzan St. Mazur is a great article on MarketingProfs. I agree with all of her points.

Her second point, " People often prefer to scan and go back to get detail later," is particularly important. Your writing must catch the eyes of scanners, or they'll never dig into the detailed information yourprovide.

Looking for magazines as PR targets?

2007-10-08T10:27:00.000-07:00

Looking for magazines to pitch stories to?

Wooden Horse Publishing provides information--including editorial calendars--on magazines. You must pay to access their database. But their weekly e-newsletter is free.

"How To Attract More Clients By Writing Articles For OPEs" by Steve Slaunwhite

2007-09-09T13:03:00.000-07:00

I enjoyed reading "How To Attract More Clients By Writing Articles For OPEs" by Steve Slaunwhite, so I got his permission to reprint it below. Enjoy!

There is at least a dozen, and probably a lot more, email newsletters that target the same prospects as you do.

For example, if you write copy for nutraceutical companies (a rapidly growing niche by the way) you'll find several marketing consultants, PR gurus, graphic designers, project managers, marcom strategists and more, all promoting themselves to the same market via an email newsletter.

Now keeping up with a regular ezine publishing schedule isn't easy. That's why most of these professionals welcome article contributions from colleagues.

That's a serious opportunity for you as a writer. You can contribute articles to other people's ezines - OPE's - and get your name in front of dozens, hundreds, or even thousands of new potential clients.

How do you get started? Here are the recommended steps to take:

Step 1:

Identify at least five OPE's that target the same types of clients that you're hoping to attract. (Of course, avoid other copywriter ezines!)

Step 2:

Contact the publishers of these ezines directly, preferably by phone.

Tell them that you have an article that would be of interest to their readers, and ask if they would like to use it in their newsletter.

Step 3:

When you submit an article, be sure to include a resource box. You've seen these before. A resource box is simply the text - usually a sentence or two -- at the end of an article that provides information about the author.

Here's an example:

"Jane Smith is an award-winning copywriter specializing in the nutraceutical industry. She helps marketers develop online copy that turns browsers into buyers. For more information, contact ____"

Step 4:

An ezine publisher might ask if she can submit an article for YOUR newsletter. This is a common arrangement. Say Yes. It's worth it.

Step 5:

Get a firm commitment regarding dates. Don't settle for a vague, "I'll run the article in the fall." At the very least, find out which month your article will be published.

Step 6:

Once the article is published, send the publisher a handwritten Thank You note or card.

Don't email one of those virtual postcards you can only view on the Internet. Mail a REAL note or card. A Thank You received in the post has a much greater impact.

Step 7:

After your article is published, ask the publisher if she will consider another article from you. It's not uncommon, over the course of the year, to get two or three articles into the same ezine.

I have attracted a lot of terrific clients using the above steps. So I can personally vouch to their effectiveness. In fact, I would rank "Writing for OPEs" among the top seven self-marketing strategies for freelance writers and copywriters.
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Steve Slaunwhite's free email newsletter, www.ForCopywritersOnly.com, helps freelance writers copywriters attract more clients and better paying projects. He is the author of Start & Run A Copywriting Business and The Everything Guide To Writing Copy.

"How to Design a Bad Presentation: Ways to Misuse Visuals, Text, and Animation in a PowerPoint Presentation"

2007-09-09T10:53:00.000-07:00

"How to Design a Bad Presentation" from TechSoup gives you good advice on mistakes to avoid.

I agree that each slide should "focus on one primary idea."

Improve your home page's performance

2007-09-04T13:01:00.000-07:00

"8-Point Checklist & Useful Hotlinks -- How to Improve Your Homepage Performance Significantly" from MarketingSherpa gives useful tips.

I like the idea that you should focus your home page on your most important target audience.

As author Anne Holland says, "Although your home has to serve everyone -- prospects, press, investors, customers, HR recruiting, partners/distributors, etc. -- dividing the real estate into even sections for each one will create a mishmash so no one can find anything."

"Top 10 Website Mistakes: Are YOU Making Them?"

2007-08-08T07:45:00.000-07:00

"Top 10 Website Mistakes: Are YOU Making Them?" by Karyn Greenstreet lists common website mistakes.

I'd like to emphasize mistake number 7: "Not identifying the benefits of your products or services." I see this way too often.

8 quick tips on making your website irresistible to radio producers

2007-07-27T06:03:00.001-07:00

Here's some useful website/PR advice from Eric Carroll of Radio Publicity.

Hi As I promised in my last tip, here's 8 quick tips on making your website irresistible to producers ... (Please forward this e-mail to anyone it might help)

1. Be sure you have a clearly labeled media page on your website.

2. Your media page should have all of your direct contact info (cell phone, home phone, office phone and e-mail) at the top ... as well as a nice picture of you.

3. Your picture should have a caption under it with your name and credentials. I'll talk more about credentials in a future tip, but for now just know that there are two kinds of credentials: * Letters behind your name ... MD, Phd, CEO, Professor, etc. * Personal experience ... "Ex-Airport Security Screener" (reveals how get through security with your clothes on) Both are qualified to speak on their topics, however the media often prefer the guest with the real first hand experience.

4. If you have been on any major shows or networks, feature their little logos or icons prominently on your media page. They give you enormous credibility instantly.

5. Same goes for mastheads of major newspapers and magazines that you've been featured in.

6. If you've worked for or with any major companies ... make a "Clients include" list and use their little logos too.

7. Feature celebrity quotes prominently if you have them.

8. Most importantly, you need to have short audio or video clips of you talking (preferably being interviewed) so they can hear you and/or see you in action. I use a service called Audio Video Acrobat to host and play the audios and videos on my site: http://www.AudioVideoAcrobat.comYou can use YouTube or Google Video, but just know that when you do, you surrender all rights to your recording to them, and later on they may decide to sell ads to your competitors and attach them to your video. (You can pretty much count on it actually)

In my next tip I'll share yet another great fill-in-the-blank formula you can use to create a show pitch guaranteed to grab a producer's attention virtually every time. To get my entire database of the Biggest 1,364 radio shows in America (all have at least 100,000 listeners), complete with show descriptions and number of listeners for each show, visit my website: http://www.RadioPublicity.com. Mine is the only database available of just the big shows ... all others are loaded with little podunk shows. Until next time ... take care, AlexAlex@RadioPublicity.comAceCo Publishers924 Chapala St., Suite DSanta Barbara, CA93101US If you no longer wish to receive communication from us:http://autocontactor.com/app/r.asp?ID=1007549914&ARID=249172To update your contact information:http://autocontactor.com/app/r.asp?c=1&ID=1007549914. Also, you can get a f.r.e.e list of the Top 20 Nationally Syndicated Radio shows when you visit my site.

Tips for helping you write marketing materials

2007-07-03T10:04:00.000-07:00

I liked the following tips from Robert Middleton's blog post on "Ending the Writing Struggle."
----------------------------------------------

Make a list of ten or more problems your clients have. It could be anything they struggle with or don't know how to do. If you've worked with a few clients you should know what those things are.

Just finish these sentences:

My clients struggle with...
A common mistake my clients make is...

I wish my clients would learn how to...

If only my clients had this resource...

Doing this costs my clients money...

I bet you could fill in five or more sentences for each of these problems, right? OK, guess what? Those exact issues become the topics of your marketing writing.

How to create your video message for YouTube

2007-06-10T08:48:00.000-07:00

Technology/journalism guru Sree Sreenivasan guides you through the mechanics of how to create a video for YouTube in "MyYouTube: Making Simple Online Videos."

Wait! Isn't YouTube mainly for teenagers recording goofy stunts?

No. It can also be used to convey serious messages. Sreenivasan used a YouTube video to record one of his heroes from the world of journalism.

Sreenivasan publishes a monthly e-newsletter. There's information about signing up at the bottom of "MyYouTube: Making Simple Online Videos"

"10 Sure-Fire Headline Formulas That Work" by Copyblogger

2007-05-15T16:38:00.000-07:00

If you're struggling to create a headline for your article, check out "10 Sure-Fire Headline Formulas That Work."

________________________
http://www.investmentwriting.com

The New York Times is writing shorter...

2007-04-24T16:29:00.000-07:00

... and so should you.

Ask yourself :

Can you existing written communications be shortened?
Can you design and write your communications so they'll capture the attention of busy people who skim before they commit to reading?

I thought about this when I attended the annual conference of the American Society of Journalists and Authors this past weekend. A correspondent for the New York Times said that the newspaper has halved the typical length of the articles it has her write. That's because people's attention spans have shrunk.

How to pitch the Wall Street Journal's op-ed page

2007-04-16T11:33:00.000-07:00

"Robert Pollock - Editorial Features Editor for The Wall Street Journal" gives you tips on how to pitch op-ed essays to that newspaper.

Pollock is open to a wide variety of topics, but says he takes a special interest in the war and the crisis in healthcare in entitlements.

Essays typically run 900-1,200 words, but occasionally run much longer.

I learned about the article from Erica Dreifus' Practicing Writing blog of April 16.

"Creating Spam-Filter -Friendly E-mails"

2007-04-06T13:19:00.000-07:00

"Creating Spam-Filter -Friendly E-mails" includes a handy checklist of words, images and other e-mail characteristics to avoid in your e-mails so they'll reach your targets.

It also includes a list of links to articles with additional advice.

When I send my e-newsletter through Constant Contact, I use Constant Contact's Anti-Spam Check, which is built into its Preview pane.

Happy e-mailing!

________________________
http://www.investmentwriting.com

"Twelve Tips for Conducting Effective Surveys"

2007-03-20T11:50:00.000-07:00

A good client survey can help you focus your marketing on your prospects' "hot buttons."

A marketing professional surveyed my clients before I wrote my website. What if you think you can't afford that? I believe it's a false economy to do it yourself because your clients will open up more with with third party.

However, if you must do it yourself, first read "Twelve Tips for Conducting Effective Surveys" by Brian Henderson. His tips, such as "Define the survey's purpose" and "keep it short and sweet," may seem obvious. But I've seen many surveys that ignore this sound advice.

"How to Appear in Harvard Business Review"

2007-03-19T17:03:00.000-07:00

"How to Appear in Harvard Business Review" is the topic of a MarketingSherpa article, accessible only until March 23. Check it out soon!

If you wait too long, then check out HBR's "Guidelines for Authors."

"How to Get a Standing Ovation" by Guy Kawasaki

2007-03-18T17:24:00.000-07:00

"How to Get a Standing Ovation" by Guy Kawasaki has some good tips for speakers.

One of the best is to "cut the sales pitch." So many times I've been turned off at the very beginning of a speech by a lengthy pitch about the presenter and her/his company.

Pros and cons of different company name types

2007-02-27T08:35:00.000-08:00

If you're in the process of naming (or re-naming) your company, then check out "10 company name types on TechCrunch: Pros and cons" on The Name Inspector blog.

The Name Inspector seems most negative on names that are composed of initials or acronyms or people's names.

I discovered The Name Inspector's post on Guy Kawasaki's blog, where he listed the Inspector's 10 name types:

Real words
Compounds
Phrases
Blends
Tweaked words
Affixed words
Made up or obscure origin
Puns
People’s names (real or fictitious)
Initials and Acronyms

Edit Yourself by Bruce Ross-Larson

2007-02-18T16:33:00.000-08:00

I love Bruce Ross-Larson's Edit Yourself. It's the first book I recommend to the students when I coach them on writing.

It's a wonderful reference book for how to strengthen your writing. You can look up specific usage questions or read and digest a chapter at your leisure. At less than $11 for the paperback, it's a great deal.

I've posted an Amazon link to the book on my blog. You'll find it in the right-hand column.

I'll add new Amazon links from time to time. They'll always be books I've read.

"How to write exquisite subheads"

2007-02-18T16:26:00.000-08:00

Copyblogger accurately notes in "How to write exquisite subheads" that subheads can turn scanners into readers.

I especially like his advice that a subhead should "express a clear and complete benefit."

The two most important words are...

2007-02-04T09:08:00.001-08:00

Copyblogger's lessons in "The two most important words in blogging" apply equally to any form of marketing communication. Pay attention because using these words will make your communications more persuasive.

See if you can guess the two words before you surf to Copyblogger's site. If you have attended my presentations on writing investment commentary, you should know one of the two answers.

I must again credit Michael Stelzner's Writing White Papers blog with pointing me to an interesting post.

________________________
http://www.investmentwriting.com

Bad vs. badly, according to Grammar Girl

2007-01-27T07:32:00.000-08:00

When should you say "I feel badly" instead of "I feel bad"?

Learn the answer at the Grammar Girl blog.

Too busy to read her post? You can listen to her podcast.

________________________________
http://www.investmentwriting.com

What to do if your website content is stolen

2007-01-25T12:07:00.000-08:00

Stephan Spencer has some practical suggestions for responding to website copycats in his article, "Stop, Thief! How to Protect Your Site from Copyright Infringement."

His practical suggestions include using Copyscape to locate website content copiers and using WayBack Machine to prove who put the content online first.

In addition, he suggests steps to follow in contacting copyright infringers or responding less directly.

I hope I never have to use Spencer's info. But I'm glad I know about his article.

________________________________
http://www.investmentwriting.com

Cut adverbs for stronger writing

2007-01-23T17:05:00.000-08:00

Looking for a way to strengthen your writing?

Reducing your use of adverbs can help. That's the point of "Am I afraid of adverbs?" a blog post by Roy Peter Clark at Poynteronline.

Clark's analysis of the adverbs in two paragraphs convinced me they were superfluous.

How to create a powerful home page

2007-01-03T12:00:00.000-08:00

Nick Usborne stresses four assets your website home page needs:

Use your principal homepage headline to communicate your site's underlying value proposition
Use some short introductory text to clarify and expand on your headline
Help visitors find what they are looking for
Make your first-time visitors feel comfortable and confident

I think I do a decent job with these four points on my the ghostwriting home page of my Investment Writing website. What do you think of my text?

Do you want to publish your own bylined article, but don't know where to start?
Hire a ghostwriter like me.
Achieve your goal quickly and without pain by exploiting the skills of a seasoned reporter for business and financial publications
I can ghostwrite your article so it'll show off your knowledge without eating up your time and energy.

Jeff Lerman of Coldspring Design did a great job designing my right-hand navbar for easy navigation.

________________________________
http://www.investmentwriting.com

Free e-book of publicity tips

2006-12-30T15:23:00.000-08:00

Looking for some no-cost, yet high-quality publicity tips?

Check out The Best of the Publicity Hound's Tips of the Week 2006, a free e-book. The author writes one of the few blogs that I check regularly.

If any of her tips bring you publicity, please let me know.

________________________________
http://www.investmentwriting.com

"No-Frills Freelance Marketing" by Kristen King

2006-12-29T12:19:00.000-08:00

Kristen King offers some great, no-hassle marketing tips in "No-Frills Freelance Marketing."

If you don't use a signature line in your emails, do it today!

Once again I must thank Michael Stelzner for a great post directing me to Kristen's advice.

________________________________
http://www.investmentwriting.com

Make your article headings work harder

2006-12-20T06:08:00.000-08:00

"Make sure that your headings reveal the structure and content of your argument. Make them communicate, just as your title does."

I thoroughly agree with this advice from Bruce Ross-Larson in Writing for the Information Age.

Let's look at an example of how you can make your headings more communicative. I frequently work with investment professionals on their quarterly economic and market commentary. "Economy" is a typical heading. When I look at that I have no idea about the focus of this quarter's economic commentary. But that changes if the heading reads "Economic 'soft landing' more likely than recession."

Do you get the idea?

Useful blogs about writing

2006-11-21T17:33:00.000-08:00

Michael Stelzner has called for nominations for the best blogs about writing.

Of the nominees so far, I think the following provide the best tips for marketing writers:

2006-11-09T08:54:00.000-08:00

I enjoyed the following post by Alan Sharpe.

Offer Self-Assessments, Not White Papers

Are you a business-to-business direct mail marketer looking for something better to offer than white papers? Consider self-assessment surveys.

But first, let’s clarify a few things. I’m assuming you’re a B2B direct marketer who uses direct mail to generate sales leads rather than make a sale. You are mailing to prospects that you hope are in the early stage of their buying cycle, the time when they are identifying their need, gathering information on solutions and establishing specifications for any vendors they choose to interview.

This is the stage of the buying cycle where white papers are so effective, because they help prospective customers discover their needs and learn about solutions. But if your offers of white papers are not generating the response rates they once did, try offering a self-assessment survey instead.

A self-assessment survey, as the name implies, is a survey that your prospects take on their own, usually online. It’s not administered by a sales person. And it doesn’t try to sell anything.

Your prospect simply visits a special page on your website, or your page on a hosted survey vendor, such as www.surveymonkey.com, and answers questions. The system then processes the prospect’s answers, assigns a score, and, typically, compares the prospect’s results with industry standards or benchmarks, and recommends steps for improvement.

Prospects like online self-assessments because:

1. Self-assessments don’t involve a phone call with or visit from a salesperson
2. They help business people discover their needs or challenges in a way that seems free of bias, since the assessment is a test more than a series of qualifying questions coming from a salesperson
3. Prospects can take the assessment any time, day or night, which is convenient
4. Self-assessments appear more objective than white papers, since they ask industry questions rather than deliver answers written by a particular vendor
5. Prospects usually learn something about their needs and possible solutions, for free

Businesses like offering online self-assessments because:

1. Self-assessments don’t involve a time-consuming phone call or visit with an unqualified prospect
2. They help a business uncover a prospect’s needs or challenges in a way that is free of pressure and manipulation
3. Self-assessments appear more objective than white papers, since they ask industry questions rather than deliver answers written by a particular vendor. This makes them a more attractive offer, since self-assessments appear less self-serving
4. Online self-assessments are a cost-effective way to fill the sales funnel because no printing and mailing costs are involved

If you decide to offer your B2B prospects an online self-assessment, make sure your questions give your prospects value for their time investment while helping you identify and qualify your prospects.

You can even take a self-assessment right now, and evaluate your effectiveness at, you guessed it, lead generation. Visit http ://www.kmaone.com/SA1leadgen.htm

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Alan Sharpe is a direct mail copywriter who helps businesses attract new clients using direct mail and email marketing. Sign up for free weekly tips like this at http://www.sharpecopy.com

No need to capitalize "the" in the Wall Street Journal

2006-10-31T11:57:00.000-08:00

I just discovered that we don't need to capitalize "the" in newspaper names, even when it's part of the formal title. So it's the Wall Street Journal and the Boston Globe. This is the kind of discovery I get excited about.

According to the Chicago Manual of Style website's Q&A column:

Q. I am editor for a group of academic writers, who recently squawked when I mentioned the following guideline in the CMOS, 15th edition (8.180): use lowercase and no italics for “the” in a newspaper title, even if it is part of the official title. Their concerns: (1) it seems unscholarly to treat “the” as a generic term when it is part of the official title; (2) doesn’t this flout copyright protocol? (3) why does the rule apply only to American newspapers? I found myself unable to offer concrete reasons for the rule, so I said I would ask the CMOS editors directly.

A. The reasoning is that it’s not practical to make a rule that requires checking every newspaper to see whether its official title has The in it or not. (Keep in mind that the convention was established in pre-Internet days.) And it doesn’t help to use The only in the cases where you can easily confirm it, since that would imply that titles without The were also definitive, when in fact they simply hadn’t been checked. As for copyright, titles are shortened all the time in scholarly writing. Foreign titles are exempt because it’s also impractical to research whether the first word in a foreign title means “the” or not. Most of us can recognize an article in Spanish or French, but even then, are we sure about words like de and da? What about Polish or Portuguese or Russian?

I hope this helps squelch the squawking.

The Write Stuff: "Jettison the jargon"

2006-10-20T07:16:00.000-07:00

I enjoyed the article below from The Write Stuff website. It preaches an important message: Jettison the jargon!

It's a U.K. website, so their spelling and punctuation differs from that in the U.S.
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Jettison the jargon

What is jargon?

The dictionary definition says it is:

1. "Specialised language concerned with a particular subject, culture or profession;
2. language characterised by pretentious syntax, vocabulary or meaning; and
3. gibberish.

The word comes from Old French, possibly from the Old French gargouiller meaning to gargle or make a gurgling sound with the throat.

Jargon invades much of our lives, both in written and verbal communication. For those of us running businesses and competing for customers, the ability to write clearly and simply in everyday language is vitally important. Read on if you want to know how to appeal to more of your customers, more of the time. The only thing you have to lose is your jargon! Email us with any 'good' examples: enquiries@the-writestuff.co.uk and we will publish them here.

Specialised language

We all speak in code. Each of the world's 6,000 languages is a separate code. However, within each language we have also developed specialist words and phrases to describe and explain particular activities and functions. These words may also describe particular objects or abstract concepts. Whether you are in education, engineering, IT, finance, sales, marketing or human relations we all use our own code.

So what's the problem?

The problem is that your customers may not understand your code. Not only that, potential customers may not understand it either. They may decide not to do business with you simply on the basis that you 'don't talk their language.'

So what can I do?

Recognise where you need to use specialist language in your business and then make sure that this is kept to a minimum. Where you do need to use such words, make sure their meaning is made clear in all your communications so that whoever reads them will understand them first time.

Three Letter Acronyms (TLAs)

An acronym is a pronounceable name made up of a series of initial letters or parts of words: e.g. UNESCO. The most common acronyms are made up of three letters and are used as short hand in both writing and speech. In writing, it is always good practice to spell out the full name or phrase when it first appears and then put the acronym in brackets straight afterwards. So, " The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) ..." If there are a lot of TLAs in your document, you should consider including their full versions in a glossary.

Pretentious language

"Numerous persons entertain the sentiment that the succinct terminology we habitually employ when we converse is not sufficiently grandiose to be committed to writing. In my opinion, they are under a misapprehension. A succinct and unextraordinary vocabulary will well-nigh invariably create a superior impression on the peruser in comparison with with flatulent periphrastic phraseology and meretricious sequipidalian verbiage."

Hmmmm! What language is this? Can you understand it? Have you given up on it? The answers are: yes, it's English and no, you probably didn't understand it without difficulty and you may well have given up on it!

Make sure your business writing doesn't fall into this trap. You can be professional without being pretentious and your customers will be forever grateful.

Gibberish

" In relation to specific goals, a primary interrelationship between system and/or subsystem technologies adds overriding performance constraints to the total system rationale. " It does? Well, what do you know? I never would have thought it!

Or how about this from British Airways' Terms and Conditions:

CHARGES FOR CHANGES AND CANCELLATION

NOTE-CANCELLATIONS-BEFORE DEPARTURE FARE REFUNDABLE. IF COMBINING A NON-REFUNDABLE FARE WITH A REFUNDABLE FARE ONLY THE Y/C/J-CLASSHALF RETURN AMOUNT CAN BE REFUNDED. AFTER DEPARTURE FARE IS REFUNDABLE. IF COMBINING A NON-REFUNDABLE FARE WITH A REFUNDABLE FARE REFUND THE DIFFERNCE /IF ANY/ BETWEEN THE FARE PAID AND THE APPLICABLE NORMAL BA ONEWAY FARE.

CHANGES/UPGRADES PERMITTED ANY TIME.
(Just as well, as I wouldn't want to cancel after all that!)

Banks, government departments, the European Commission, and private companies are all guilty of these crimes against clear language and understanding.

So what should I do?

1. Use simple, clear everyday words and phrases.
2. Use short words, short sentences and short paragraphs.
3. Use Word to check for readability
4. Go to www.fightthebull.com to find out more about jettisoning the jargon.

Pam Taylor

©2005 The Write Stuff. All Rights Reserved

If you like this article, please feel free to share it with your friends and contacts and post it on your own site but please leave it intact and unchanged. All links must remain in the article and include this at the end of the article: www.the-writestuff.co.uk

M Metzger: "Wanna Be Quoted? Try Speaking English"

2006-09-29T10:44:00.000-07:00

Are you speaking to reporters using the same language you speak with corporate co-workers?

If so, you're lowering the odds that the reporter will quote you.

Why?

First, the reporter may not understand what you're trying to say.

Second, if the reporter uses your information, she or he will probably need to restate your comment in words that readers will understand.

If you speak in plain, yet colorful language, you're more likely to attract a reporter

In "Wanna Be Quoted? Try Speaking English," which appeared in Bacon's The Navigator, Michelle Metzger of Entrust, Inc. gives some bad and good examples of how to speak with reporters. You can learn from her advice.

"Why Some People Almost Always Write Great Post Titles"

2006-09-22T08:37:00.000-07:00

"Why Some People Almost Always Write Great Post Titles" gives you useful hints for titling anything you may write.

Blogger Brian Clark says, "Starting off your post title with 'why' at the beginning of a declarative statement (instead of a question) is one easy way to focus in on the benefit of reading your article."

Hmm. I'm prone to titling blog posts and articles with questions. Maybe I should try things his way.

Thanks to Michael Stelzner of the Writing White Papers blog for pointing me to Clark's blog, CopyBlogger. Michael's blog is also worth reading.

Could your writing benefit from a Bullfighter?

2006-09-15T11:59:00.000-07:00

Jargon, multisyllabic words, and long sentences can be deadly. They turn off readers faster than the stock market can crash.

Here’s an easy way to detect verbose writing. Install Bullfighter software. Personally I find the Bull Index feature most helpful.

This software, originally developed by Deloitte Consulting, will scold you if you’re using long sentences or what it has identified as buzzwords. Unfortunately, it doesn’t show you how to fix your problems. You’ll have to do the dirty work yourself.

By the way, you would have learned about this tool back in May 2006, if you subscribed to my free e-newsletter. Subscribe now to Susan Weiner's Investment Writing Update!

Catastrophic editing can save your sanity

2006-09-08T09:08:00.000-07:00

Have you ever reached the point where you can't bear to proofread an article another time? Plus, you need to declare the article finished, or you'll miss your deadline?

That's when it's time to ask your colleague or friend to do a "catastrophic edit."

Tell her or him that it's too late for edits that are merely "nice to have." You can only make changes to outright mistakes or embarrassing flaws.

My team and I at Columbia Management Group came up with this term when we had to crank out nicely formatted investment commentary as quickly as possible.

We were all perfectionists. We could debate the location of a comma with the verve of Bostonians discussing the Red Sox. But if I said "catastrophic edits only," my team would grit their teeth and comply. That's how we consistently made our deadlines.

"The Trouble with Elevator Speeches" by M. McLaughlin

2006-08-01T11:12:00.000-07:00

Most elevator speeches are too self-centered, according to "The Trouble with Elevator Speeches," which appeared in the MarketingProfs e-newsletter.

I like this suggestion: "Instead of tooting your own horn, encourage clients to talk about the issues as quickly as possible. Remember, most clients don't really care about your business. They care about their own problems."

Michael W. McLaughlin of Management Consulting News wrote the article.

What do Word's Readability Statistics mean?

2006-07-27T17:43:00.000-07:00

Have you ever looked at Microsoft Word's Readability Statistics? That's the final screen that pops up after you do a Spelling and Grammar check.

That screen gives a Flesch Reading Ease score and a Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level. This website explains those terms and how they're calculated. Basically, the longer your words and your sentences, the harder they are to understand.

The higher the Flesch Reading Ease score, the easier the text is to understand.

That's the opposite of the Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level, which is exactly what it sounds like. The number 12 refers to twelfth grade.

The site also offers a Writing Sample Analyzer into which you can copy a block of text. Try it and see how you score!

"How to write a sexy article teaser," by Debbie Weil

2006-07-25T16:48:00.000-07:00

"How to write a sexy article teaser," by Debbie Weil is worth reading.

She's on target when she says, "Your article has to address a pressing business problem and offer a solution. Back out of that and into your teaser. Now you're dangling a tidbit that leads to something the reader has just gotta know."

Debbie is the author of The Corporate Blogging Book.

Joan Stewart, the Publicity Hound: "How to Create an Online Presskit the Media will Love"

2006-07-23T18:04:00.000-07:00

Joan Stewart, the Publicity Hound, has made available a recording of "How to Create an Online Presskit the Media will Love." It's a recording of her interview of Drew Gerber on this topic.

Joan is also offering a free, 89-part email course on "89 Ways to Write Powerful Press Releases." You can sign up at http://www.PublicityHound.com/pressreleasetips/art.htm

Alan Sharpe: "How to write a direct mail sales letter"

2006-07-07T15:17:00.000-07:00

Alan Sharpe gets your priorities straight in "How to write a direct mail sales letter."

Your first goal must be to grab your reader's attention. All of your work will be for naught if you can't do this.

I also agree with his suggestion to identify your prospect's problem. If you can tap your prospect's pain -- and offer a solution -- you've got a good shot at winning a client.

Thanks to Constant Contact's "Writing Compelling Promotional Copy" for directing me to Sharpe's website!

H Stimpson: PR pinball—how one placement can lead to another

2006-07-01T10:02:00.000-07:00

An article by PR expert Henry Stimpson follows below.

Obtaining media coverage is like planting seeds. Seed the media with ideas and cultivate relationships, and some of the seeds will sprout. And a blossom in one medium can lead to powerful propagation in another.

For financial advisor Frank Congemi, we wrote and pitched a story idea on financial gerontology and what Registered Financial Gerontologists like Frank do to help their clients. It resulted in a feature article in the New York Post.

Where do TV reporters get most of their story ideas from? They read newspapers. The Post article attracted the attention of a reporter at the NBC TV affiliate in New York City. The resulting feature-length story on Channel 4 featured both Frank and two of his clients—an even better placement. Frank posted the video on his Web site, and you can view it at http://www.stimpsoncommunications.com/prplacements.html

Here’s another example. We placed a bylined article on equity-indexed annuities in InvestmentNews, a top trade magazine, for Mitchell Maynard, owner of MCP Premium, a software company. A reporter at Dow Jones News Service read the article, interviewed Mitch and put out a national wire story prominently quoting him as an expert.

Cross-fertilization works, and the beauty of it is that is usually happens on its own.

www.stimpsoncommunications.com
508-647-0705

"How to Handle Tough Questions from an Audience," according to Mother Tongue Annoyances

2006-07-01T08:37:00.000-07:00

Stumped by a tough question from your audience? Try redirecting it back to the audience.

That's the suggestion from "How to Handle Tough Questions from an Audience" that resonated with me.

I think this is particularly appropriate when the question seeks an opinion rather than a purely factual answer. Getting the audience involved can spark a productive conversation.

This is another tip I was directed to by LifeHacker.com.

Tetsou: "7 Deadly Sins of Email"

2006-06-28T17:58:00.000-07:00

Tetsou's "7 Deadly Sins of Email" is on target with this list of email sins:

Inappropriate subject line
Content that is too long or just rambles on
Attaching huge files
Unnecessary reply
No signature file
Poor use of language
Failure to respond promptly or not at all

Tetsou explains each of these sins in more detail.

I suggest you pay particular attention to your subject line. Write clearly, indicating what action the recipient should take. For example, when I'm researching an article on deadline, I often write something like "Please reply by JULY 4 re: Reporter questions for Wealth Manager magazine."

By the way, I discovered Tetsou's post through a reference on the LifeHacker.com blog.

"How to take the zzz out of presentations"

2006-06-22T12:26:00.000-07:00

In "How to take the zzz out of presentations," Meryl K. Evans advocates some simple steps for keeping your audience's attention.

Her main points:

"10 slides in 20 minutes with 30-point font. Yes, that's 30 points, not 10 or 12."
KISS - keep it short and sweet
Show what's in it for them

Reading her article made me wonder how well my Boston Security Analysts Society presentation on "The Six Deadly Sins of Investment Commentary, or How to Write What People Will Read," complied with these suggestions.

My presentation:

16 slides for a one-hour presentation -- This may not seem like enough, but my presentation was interactive.
Font size was generally 28-32 point -- To make up for small typeface on some pages, each audience member received a hard copy handout. But perhaps I should have broken up some content into two pages instead of one.
I showed the audience specific ways to make their investment commentary more interesting to their readers.

Handy list of marketing blogs by category

2006-06-20T18:42:00.000-07:00

Marketing Sherpa is collecting votes for the best marketing blog of 2006.

Their ballot includes links to marketing blogs organized into marketing categories such as business-to-business, email marketing, search marketing, marketing to specific demographics, advertising, public relations and more.

Two marketing newsletters I like

2006-06-06T13:45:00.000-07:00

I subscribe to e-newsletters from both MarketingProfs and MarketingSherpa. Both provide practical articles on a variety of marketing topics by a mix of experts.

In the most recent issue of Marketing Profs, I particularly enjoyed Nick Usborne's "The 'Tail' of the Headline: Rethinking the Call to Action."

If I had to pick between the two newsletters, I'd go for Marketing Profs, probably because their articles are more relevant for writers than Marketing Sherpa's.

Marketing Profs also offers a daily blog with multiple contributors.

Check out these newsletters and tell me what you think!

Humorous comment by speaker

2006-05-13T11:00:00.000-07:00

Looking for humor you can borrow for your next presentation?

During the opening of a 50-minute presentation, a speaker said, "As we're going to discuss over the next 7-8 hours...."

He got a laugh and confirmed that the audience was listening to him.

Thanks go to Kurt Czarnowski of the Social Security Administration speaking yesterday at the annual conference of the Financial Planning Association of Massachusetts.

"Notes from the E-Mail Field" by Karen Gedney

2006-05-10T06:56:00.000-07:00

"Notes from the E-Mail Field" by Karen Gedney has some practical suggestions for e-mail writers, including:

Make your first 15 characters count when you're e-mailing BlackBerry users because that's all they'll see of your subject line
"If you're writing one- or two-word bullet points, rather than listing them vertically, string them horizontally like this:

"Services: •Copywriting •Concepts •Coaching •Training" -- This way you'll fit more text onto the first screen

Get online publicity for your book

2006-05-08T06:40:00.000-07:00

Thinking about writing a book to help promote your business?

Sandy Beckwith, whom I mentioned below, recommends Steven Van Yoder's Get Slightly Famous website as a resource.

I enjoyed his article on "Should You Write a Book?"

Want to get your book published?

2006-05-01T13:17:00.000-07:00

Are you looking for a company to publish your book or an agent to help you sell it? You'll be more successful if you've got a good platform.

No, a platform isn't a stage or a soapbox to stand on. It consists of:

Who you are -- your credentials, affilations and expertise
Who you know -- the people who'll endorse, vet and buy your book
How you reach your market -- your website, blog and public speaking

This explanation came from Joelle Delbourgo, a literary agent. She was a panelist on "Build a Platform, Bank the Results: Branding Yourself with Website, Newsletter and More" at the annual conference of the American Society of Journalists and Authors (ASJA).

Fellow panelist Sandra Beckwith, a writer, speaker and coach, suggested some ways to build your platform:

Start a blog and/or e-newsletter on your topic
Offer something free and special, such as a booklet in .pdf format, when people sign up for your e-newsletter
Send a press release about your booklet
Use your booklet to create a tip sheet

Marketing Sherpa: Retail 2.0: Behind-the-Scenes at the Best Marketed Bank in America

2006-04-24T17:03:00.000-07:00

Could your marketing benefit from the example set by a competitor, or even someone from outside your industry?

Click to read "Retail 2.0: Behind-the-Scenes at the Best Marketed Bank in America," available on the Marketing Sherpa website until April 27. It's an interesting story about how a bank attracts young customers into its branches.

The Marketing Sherpa e-newsletter is an interesting source of ideas. You can subscribe at their home page at no charge.

Randy Cronk's blog for information technology (IT) folks

2006-04-16T15:50:00.000-07:00

Are you involved in marketing information technology?

Then you may enjoy Randy Cronk's blog.

Randy is a writer who focuses on technology. I've enjoyed talking with him at a couple of IABC meetings in the greater Boston area.

New York Times: "This Boring Headline is Written for Google"

2006-04-12T14:44:00.000-07:00

Newspapers are beginning to tailor their article titles to the search methods used by search engines, according to "This Boring Headline is Written for Google" in The New York Times.

That means they're inserting into their titles some of the popular key words for their category. The article will give you specific examples.

What are the implications for you? If you're writing an article that will be available on line, think about the key words you use in your titles!

Guide to Writing Press Releases

2006-04-12T06:28:00.000-07:00

Thinking of drafting a press release for your business?

Check out this website for links to some resources.

Is your writing -- or mine -- too long-winded?

2006-04-10T14:45:00.000-07:00

There's nothing like a dense block of type larded with multisyllabic obscure words to discourage your reader.

I recently learned some guidelines that may help you streamline your writing.

To ensure reading comprehension, use no more than:

42 words per paragraph
14 words per sentence
2 syllables per word

Obviously, you can break these guidelines sometimes as long as you keep your averages low. You stuck with me through my first sentence, even though it hit 17 words.

These guidelines were part of a very practical and energetic presentation by Ann Wylie. Ann spoke on "Writing That Sells" at the Yankee IABC Annual Conference last week.

I highly recommend Ann's free e-newsletter, "Revving Up Readership." It's one of the few newsletters I always read.

D. Huff on "Five Reasons Your Site Isn't Showing up in Google"

2006-04-08T10:56:00.000-07:00

If you act now, you can read about "Five Reasons Your Site Isn't Showing up in Google" in the current (April) edition of Dianna Huff's Marcom Writer e-newsletter.

She lists five items your website person ought to be taking care of for you. Things like making sure that your home page is not a form nor a splash page. These technical things would never in a million years occur to me on my own.

"Can not" vs. "cannot"

2006-04-07T12:10:00.000-07:00

Which is right? "Can not" or "cannot"?

Habit tells me "cannot," but I can't find this peculiar spelling in the index of any of my style guides.

However, Wikipedia gives me this quote, in which I've added the bolding to "cannot":
In this regard, the following quotation from The Chicago Manual of Style deserves notice:

Rules and regulations such as these, in the nature of the case, cannot be endowed with the fixity of rock-ribbed law. They are meant for the average case, and must be applied with a certain degree of elasticity.

I haven't thought about this issue in years. I usually work around it by using "can't."

What's your practice?

"Four Essential Tasks to Creating a Newsletter" by Marilynne Rudick and Leslie O'Flahavan

2006-03-30T16:22:00.000-08:00

"Four Essential Tasks to Creating a Newsletter" offers practical advice on its topic from Marilynne Rudick and Leslie O'Flahavan of E–WRITE.

It's a good checklist to review as you consider starting an e-newsletter.

Thanks to the e-Newsletter Journal for bringing the article to my attention.

Too many emails jamming your inbox?

2006-03-21T11:56:00.000-08:00

You've probably got more emails than you'd like awaiting your attention.

A blog post from BL Ochman will link you to a site with a strategy for keeping email under control.

One of the basic rules: delete as many emails as possible.

I laughed when I read this comment about email, "Don’t assume it’s important. Don’t be obliged to reply just because someone sent it to you. Don’t do the Pavlov Dog thing."

Article PR

2006-03-12T15:44:00.000-08:00

I first learned about "article PR" from copywriter Jonathan Kranz's blog.

His latest post, "New rules of articles, too" talks about the value of posting articles to sites such as Ezinearticles or Goarticles. The reader comments on his post talk about the experiences that some of them have had with this technique.

Steve's article prompted me to sign up for a subscription to Article PR eNews, where there's an interesting article on article PR.

This is something you'll probably hear more about.

"Move Over, Strunk & White: There's a New Kid in Town"

2006-03-06T12:51:00.000-08:00

Chip Scanlan's latest article in his "Chip on Your Shoulder" e-newsletter talks about a new book on writing, Spunk & Bite: A Writer's Guide to Punchier, More Engaging Language & Style by Arthur Plotnik.

Here's a good quote from his Q&A with Plotnik:
"Have faith in the power of language to compete with anything. Does language still matter in this supposedly dumbed-down world? You bet it does -- and will, until people stop using words to symbolize everything that stimulates them. Nothing has ever stirred juices and roused souls more than well-chosen words. Almost always you will soar above the crowd or be lost in it depending on how you use language."

Here's an excerpt from Plotnik's book.

Publicity Hound says, insert branding into your blog postings

2006-03-05T13:44:00.000-08:00

Joan Stewart, the Publicity Hound, summarizes a good tip for blogging publicity seekers on her blog.

She suggests that you brand yourself in the title of your blog postings. She does it by using "Publicity tips" in each title. This helps her blog to rank higher in searches for publicity tips.

I get the point. But I can't see myself following her advice. There's just no two-word phrase that sums up what I'm trying to do. Am I staring something obvious in the face? If you can think of a great two-word phrase for me, please let me know!

BankStocks.com on how public companies attract the right kind of shareholders

2006-02-23T09:30:00.000-08:00

How can public companies attract the right kind of shareholders?

Check out this article by Tom Brown of BankStocks.com.

He suggests you stop holding quarterly earnings calls because that encourages "short-termism."

His five additional suggestions include one that should be music to the ears of communications professionals: "install a strong manager of investor relations."

Top three characteristics of most popular blogs

2006-02-23T07:50:00.000-08:00

The most popular blogs are:

Honest
Fast
Have at least one of the three C's -- They are conversational or confrontational or critical

This according to Todd Van Hoosear of Topaz Partners. He was one of four participants in a Yankee IABC panel on "Navigating the Blogosphere." The other participants were:

Dan York, a contributor to the For Immediate Release podcast.
John Cass of Backbone Media
Pat Fennessey of Cymphony

T. Ahern on the four flaws of your newsletter

2006-02-19T05:33:00.000-08:00

What are the four reasons people don't read your newsletter?

They're explained in "Newsletters Part 1: Why People Ignore Your Newsletter," an article in "LOVE THY READER: The Science & Secrets of Effective Nonprofit Communications by Tom Ahern," an e-newsletter.

In the same issue, Ahern explains how to fix "Flaw #1: They don't use 'news-like language.' " He covers the remaining flaws in subsequent issues of his e-newsletter.

Ahern is an expert on non-profit communications. I discovered him when I took his workshop on that topic.

I've been blogged

2006-01-31T18:45:00.000-08:00

I've been blogged!

See "5. How to Market a Book for Writers" in Publicity Hound's Tips of the Week for January 31. It quotes my suggestions for the book author.

Also, I was quoted in "When It's Best NOT to Blog," by Meryl K. Evans and Hank Stroll on January 17.

How did I pull this off?

In the first case, I responded to the Publicity Hound's request for marketing suggestions.

In the second case, I responded to an online survey. I had material handy from my original posting on the blogosphere. I knew it was interesting because when I'd contacted Nancy Lininger of CompliancE-news with a related question, she'd written a paragraph on my question in her newsletter.

How to punctuate bullet-pointed lists

2006-01-30T09:16:00.000-08:00

Have you ever used a bullet-pointed list in a memo, report or PowerPoint presentation? Are you punctuating your lists correctly? Or maybe you're not as compulsive as me about these picky points.

Anyway, here's what one reference book, The Grammar Bible, says:

"If a sentence follows the bullet, place a period at the end. Words and phrases that follow bullets need no ending punctuation. It is never necessary to place the conjunction and before the last item in a bulleted list."

Does this make sense?

If it doesn't, then post here a comment with a sample bullet pointed-list. I'll give you my suggestion on how to punctuate it.

PowerPoint rules

2006-01-26T08:55:00.000-08:00

I like Guy Kawasaki's 10/20/30 rule of PowerPoint.

He suggests that you limit your PowerPoint presentations to:

10 slides
20 minutes for presenting the slides
Slides using 30-point or larger type

The 10-slide limit is a bit severe, but I like his emphasis on brevity and easily legible slides. Using 30-point type will stop you from cramming too much into a single slide.

I thought about this at a conference yesterday. Even when I sat just five rows back, I didn't have a prayer of reading some of the presenters' slides. When I sat in the back of a long narrow room, all of the slides were illegible.

Inspiration from novelist Tom Wolfe

2006-01-15T09:00:00.000-08:00

Are you struggling to think up ideas for articles to write?

Take some advice from novelist Tom Wolfe. "If you spend 30 days with your eyes open, you'll have enough stories for a lifetime," he said in his Dec. 2 address to the 2005 Nieman Confererence on Narrative Journalism.

How can you relate Wolfe's comment to your business?

Identify topics that interest your clients and prospects by listening to the questions they ask you. What confuses them? Intrigues them? Motivates them?

Tap those topics for your articles.

"How to Get Your Prospect to Open Your Mail" from MarketingProfs.com

2006-01-10T14:50:00.000-08:00

"How to Get Your Prospect to Open Your Mail" suggests two strategies for achieving this goal.

"Make your mail look like personal mail"
"Treat your outer envelope like a billboard"

It has been a long time since I've done any direct mail, but my mailings are so small-scale, they usually look like personal mail. Individually affixed stamps. No address labels -- sometimes the addresses are handwritten. I wish my handwriting were better.

The billboard approach means putting teaser copy on the envelope. It could be something as short as "FREE!"

Have you tried either approach? What results have you gotten? Is it time for you to try something new?

The author of this article is Ernest Nicastro of Positive Response. His article appeared in the MarketingProfs.com e-newsletter. I like this newsletter because it exposes me to good ideas in digestible chunks. Your subscription is free, with some content limited to paying subscribers.

"Customer comments can contain pure gold"

2006-01-04T16:34:00.000-08:00

Every week I scan Marcia Yudkin's Marketing Minute e-newsletter for tips that I can apply in my business.

Here's a recent tip that resonated with me:
"Customer comments can contain pure gold. Many of my most in-demand services came about from a suggestion made by someone who wanted to do business with me."

That tip has worked for me. Ghostwriting is playing a larger role in my business mix because of client comments. They have inspired me to add consulting services to my menu. For example, I coached one ghostwriting client on how to pitch a column to an editor. Now I'm advising her on how to manage that editor as her monthly column begins.

To read more of Marcia's tips about lessons from her 25 years in business, click here.
The only connection that I have with Marcia -- besides subscribing to her e-newsletter -- is that I took one of her excellent adult ed writing classes back in the 1900s.

"New Lab Data: How Humans' Eyes Really See Email Marketing Campaigns"

2006-01-03T16:55:00.000-08:00

I recently linked to "New Lab Data: How Humans' Eyes Really See Email Marketing Campaigns" from the MarketingSherpa e-newsletter.

MarketingSherpa tested two versions of a single-article email newsletter. One with a piece of clip art at the top, the other with no art. The intriguing result: the version with the clip art won the "number-of-words read sweepstakes."

Of course, whether recipients even open your email newsletter depends on your "from" and "subject" lines.

To learn more about this kind of topic, you can subscribe for free to the MarketingSherpa e-newsletter at http://www.marketingsherpa.com/. I don't have any business or financial ties to MarketingSherpa.

"How to Launch a New Blog the Easy Way"

2006-01-03T07:21:00.000-08:00

Thinking about launching a blog?

"How to Launch a New Blog the Easy Way" will give you a quick overview of some of the things you should consider. Its seven steps, starting with planning, are particularly helpful.

I'm still learning about blogs, so I plan to explore some of the links from this blog posting on the Performancing.com site.

Not sure if you should start a blog? See my Dec. 18 posting below for a link to an article that'll help you figure that out.

"Does Your Company Belong in the Blogosphere?"

2005-12-18T12:04:00.000-08:00

"Does Your Company Belong in the Blogosphere" from Harvard Business School's Working Knowledge e-newsletter suggests three reasons your company should have a blog:

"Influence the public conversation about your company"
"Enhance brand visibility and credibility"
"Achieve customer intimacy"

I liked this quote by a Sun Microsystems employee: "Blogs allow us to get our message out to the world in a direct, unmediated, and unfiltered way."

Leverage the power of lists to grow your business

2005-12-07T10:20:00.000-08:00

If you're interested in ghostwriting, you're probably interested in broader issues of how to make your name known to a broader audience.

I enjoyed reading "Making Your List," the article I've copied below. I'm a big believer in the techniques that Chris advocates. She stresses the role that newsletters can play. I've found that my newsletter has brought me business. I can make a direct connection between sending the newsletter and getting phone calls -- and writing projects -- from clients and prospects.

"Making Your List" was written by Chris Vasiliadis of Signature Faces, Inc. Please visit Chris's web site at http://www.signaturefaces.com for her eNewsletter and resources for helping people create a signature presence.

Making Your List

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One of the biggest mistakes is see business owners make is not creating, continuously growing and nurturing a list. By a list, I mean the amalgamation of all the people and businesses necessary to your future success: your contacts, your fan club. I heard a related great quote at a conference this summer. It was attributed to John Lennon who said, "I think I'll write myself a swimming pool today." He and The Beatles had achieved a place where their fan club list was so huge and so devoted, when he wanted a new "toy," he just needed to write a song, tell their list about it, and soon he'd have his new "prize."

Ultimately, your list is your revenue-generating machine.

Granted, generating a massive list doesn't happen immediately, but done with integrity and persistence, you too can create a strong list over time. To start out and make this venture as productive as possible, consider the following list categories:

Your customer list: people who have purchased products and services from you in the past. Track what they purchased and when, and all communication before and after. By what methods and how often do they prefer to hear from you?

Your prospect list: people who have expressed interest in a product or service, haven't made a purchase, but haven't said no.

Your eNewsletter or eZine list: people who subscribe to your newsletter. This could include customers, prospects, people who heard you speak or read an article you published, colleagues, strategic partners, friends, family, the media: basically, your fan club who like what you have to say and want to keep hearing from you!

Other important contacts in your network with whom you want to keep in touch, but who don't necessarily fall on any of the above lists. Again, consider these folks also in your fan club.

First, it's critical to have these lists: they're like gold. I'll take that statement once step further: they're platinum once you put them to use for keeping in touch and growing your business. That's accomplished by both providing value each time you communicate with them, and having a scheduled system for follow-up. (The latter scenario is one where many business owners fall short.)

Build It with Integrity
Building your list with integrity is key. How do you do that? By asking for permission and requesting action in every customer and prospect conversation and through:

Networking. When you meet people in 1 on 1 networking conversations and they express an interest in your services, ask if they'd like to receive your newsletter (and whatever they say, respect their response). Offer your products and services at silent auctions as a promotional activity and to canvas for prospects. Sponsor a table or meeting.
Speaking. Offer your newsletter at the end of a talk you give, both verbally (combine with additional articles or give-aways) and in your feedback forms. If you sell tangible information products or other products (e.g., audio CDs, home study courses, product-based businesses), collect attendee business cards for a door prize drawing. Hold up a sample item at the end of your talk as a giveaway for someone who turned in their card. (Then take orders for a special 1 day only price for people who want to buy the item right then and there.) Keep the cards afterwards and follow-up to get feedback on your talk and determine interest in your newsletter or other services/products.
Publishing. When you publish articles on and off-line, in your byline at the end of the article, mention your newsletter, include a brief description with reader benefit, and invite people to subscribe on your website.
Writing "keep-" and "forward-worthy" eZines and eNewsletters. I've said it before and it bears repeating: content is king. What's king? Content that your audience needs to succeed. Include such content in your newsletters and your subscribers will both keep your newsletters, continue to subscribe, republish in other venues and forward it to their friends and colleagues.
Strategic alliances (endorsements and teleconferences). A huge point of leverage is to get in front of the list of your strategic alliances. The operative phrase here is "get in front of the list." I'm not advocating buying the list of your alliances, but building alliances with those who promote you to their list. Examples of this in work? Conduct a teleconference on a topic that interests clients of a complementary strategic partner. (Clearly, such clients would match your target audience.) Have your strategic partner promote your teleconference to their list, offering a free preview seminar. Anyone from their list who registers for your teleconference, your strategic partner gets a percentage of the registration fee. (Don't fret: there's software available that tracks and calculates this information for you.) Your alliance is a hero to their list for bringing your value to them, and your contact gets a "kick back" for making sales for you. A more low-tech solution: have your top clients or strategic partners write snail mail endorsement letters to their top 5-10 contacts, endorsing your products or services. Make it easy by writing the letter for them, get their blessing and signature, you stamp the envelopes, and they mail the letters.
Implementing a keep in touch schedule. Sending an article to someone when you think it will interest them. Mailing a congrats email to a friend or colleage when you see them featured in the media. All great traits which you should continue. But they're haphazard and done by chance. Do you have a specific plan in place to methodically follow up with your most important contacts on a regular basis? Here, please let me emphasize: the objective is not to sell -- it's simply to keep in touch and catch up on their priorities and plans, and see if you can help them succeed, directly or indirectly, via your contacts.
Phew! That's a lot of food for thought for this month. Next month I'll share some tools and resources you can use to build and maintain your lists and keep in touch. In the meantime, start collecting names! (and if you'd like to share your favorite tools or resources with me, please email me by December 15th: if I like your suggestion, you may get a mention in next month's issue.)

The "Phat Farm effect" in writing

2005-12-05T15:26:00.000-08:00

Do you give a darn about "Imperial Costumes of Ottoman Turkey"?

Are you somewhat more intrigued by the fashion described as follows?

I guess you could call it the Phat Farm effect, the fashion for oversized, overstuffed outerwear. It turns a person of average build into a walking sport utility vehicle, and - this is the point - makes him or her look bigger than anyone else around.

This quote shows the value of taking your esoteric article topic and relating it to something more familiar in your reader's life.

That connection makes the reader more disposed to read on, to learn that:

Every age and culture has a version of this. So, imagine it expressed, not with down parkas, but with parchment-stiff silk robes woven from threads of gold; with thick brocade coats sprinkled with tulips and roses; with flared kaftans washed by ocean waves and bright with crescent moons.

Analogies and colorful language can hook a reader on a topic that might otherwise escape her notice.

If you're interested, you can read the entire article article, "Dressing for Ottoman Success in a Blaze of Silk and Gold," by Holland Cotter on page D1 of the New York Times (Dec. 5, 2005)

Five questions for better articles

2005-11-28T13:54:00.000-08:00

Here are five questions I ask when I write business articles under my own name or when I ghostwrite for my clients. Ask yourself these questions when you prepare to write an article or when you prepare to be interviewed by a ghostwriter.

Who is my audience?
What problem can I solve?
Why will my readers care about this topic?
What are the three main points I want to make?
What do I want my reader to do after completing this article?

My plans for this blog

2005-11-28T13:46:00.000-08:00

I am a ghostwriter.

I enjoy helping smart businesspeople express themselves in writing. Sometimes they're too busy to write an article. Other times they can't express themselves as well as they'd like. That's where I come in. I work with them to deliver an article that will promote their business and run under their name -- not mine.

Watch this blog for content that will help you if you need a ghostwriter, you hire ghostwriters, or you're simply interested in effective business communications.