2009

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Plan to make your copy a success

Tuesday, December 8th, 2009 | View on own page?

If you’re tasked with the job of preparing some copy for your business, planning what you have to say first before hitting the keyboard will help you make your case and get the job done on time.

At the outset, be clear who you’re writing for and keep your target reader in mind. Are you talking directly to potential customers about a new product or service or trying to interest the news media in the latest developments in your business? If you’re writing for your website then apply this principle to each page.

Note the main points in your story as they come to you. Then read them through and arrange them in the sequence that best makes your case, adding any relevant facts, figures or examples to reinforce what you’re saying. If, like me, you were taught at school to map out an exam answer in pencil before writing in earnest, then you’ll get the idea.

Next review what you have. Is there anything important missing? Does your plan mirror what you want to say?

The rhythm of three

Now it’s time to put the words down on paper, or at least key them into your word processor. Write in step with your plan so your story progresses logically and vary your sentence length to give your copy a sense of rhythm. This will make it sound more compelling to your readers rather than predictable or plodding.

If you’re looking to be particularly persuasive, and get your points over forcefully, then remember the ‘rhythm of three’. This is a simple device – called a tricolon – which is made up of three parallel words, phrases, or clauses in one sentence like Stevie Wonder’s ‘Signed, sealed, delivered’ or Julius Caesar’s ‘I came, I saw, I conquered’. Threes work because they’re memorable and easy on the ear.

Reading your copy back to yourself, or out loud, is a good test of rhythm and structure and should highlight where you may need to edit or sharpen your text so your readers take in what you’ve written.

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Could internet plagiarism damage your online reputation?

Saturday, December 5th, 2009 | View on own page?

Internet plagiarism continues to be a concern for schools and universities anxious to stamp out the wilful passing off by their students of online content as their own. But it’s also becoming a problem for business, too. Now you might think that having your expert content used by other sites is the greatest form of flattery and, anyway, it all helps to get the message out there.

But you’re likely to feel decidedly less relaxed if the content you’ve laboured over so meticulously has not only been lifted without acknowledgement, but has also resulted in your site being downgraded by the search engines. Search engines don’t like finding the same content on numerous web sites and consider it spamming, so plagiarism could prove damaging to both sites’ standings. Furthermore, there’s the possibility of damage to your own reputation as you could be mistakenly seen as the plagiarist by those who don’t know otherwise.

You can check the integrity of your site content by searching on some key phrases in Google, or by using the free Copyscape plagiarism checker which also has guidelines on how to go about tackling any breaches. Another useful resource is the Internet Archive Wayback Machine which holds digital references of your site’s previous versions to help date and prove that any disputed copy is, in fact, yours.

I was able to find original pages from the first Moving Finger site going back to 2003.

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Review: ‘The Business of Persuasion’ by Stuart McKibbin

Tuesday, October 13th, 2009 | View on own page?

Any business- or owner-manager who needs to brush up their writing skills, or who’s looking to improve their overall writing technique to complete day-to-day communication tasks, would do well to get their hands on this practical book.

Subtitled ‘Copywriting skills and techniques that get results’, it is very much focused on direct marketing copy for sales letters, brochures, press ads and electronic media. But the author goes far beyond how to write just to secure an order or sale. He describes techniques and approaches for many other business scenarios as well, such as responding to complaints, securing payments for overdue invoices and acknowledging orders. And it’s in demonstrating how effective copy can smooth these tasks to the benefit of the business that the usefulness of this book really lies – by explaining practical approaches which anyone with a need to communicate more proactively can master.

Not surprisingly from an author who was head of copy at Reader’s Digest, there’s some fascinating insight on understanding reader motives and coming up with the creative ideas with which to get the message across. There’s even a detailed creative checklist to prompt and guide you at the start of a project while a batch of practical exercises will test your grasp of the various techniques.

Even if you never intend to write a word yourself, just being aware of the advice given here should better inform your dealings with professional copywriters.

Unfortunately The Business of Persuasion seems to be out of print but you should still be able to find it on Amazon or in your local library.

Well worth seeking out.

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Promoting your business through articles

Tuesday, October 13th, 2009 | View on own page?

One of the most effective forms of promotion for a business is to be seen in print, or online, by having articles published. Having your name as a contributor says lots about the expertise you have which can only add to your credibility and build potential customers’ confidence in your offer.

Your trade journal is a good place to start in getting your business extra exposure. Most of them welcome editorial contributions from spokespeople who can offer their readers an opinion, a perspective on current trends within the industry or some other timely and informative comment. So how do you go about bagging your slice of the action?

First of all, check the journal to see the kind of features it publishes. Then review some hot topics with your own team that fit this profile. It’s likely you’ll already have a bank of ideas based on your experience of the industry which, with a little application, can be moulded into something worthwhile.

Next get in touch to discuss the angles and topics the editor is looking to cover. This is important – your offer should be tailored to the publication’s requirements so be flexible. If you’ve done your homework then you should be able to pitch an idea that will serve you both well. Agree the final topic, required length (word count) and the deadline – and stick to them all. Remember, your article shouldn’t be sales-orientated and solely about your business (if it is don’t expect it to be published); rather it’s an opportunity for you to demonstrate insight and expertise from the vantage point of your industry knowledge.

Of course you can also publish online by adding articles to your website and by submitting to article marketing sites like EzineArticles.com. For these, you must conform to set editorial guidelines (just as you would to the requirements of your trade editor) in return for which your articles will be made available via the internet.

What return can you expect from publishing articles? It’s best to see your writing as part of your longer-term marketing and PR effort and to commit to a regular output. That way they will contribute to a developing awareness of your business among prospective customers that should pay dividends over time. Of course you may get lucky with a topic that strikes just the right note at just the right moment and leads to an enquiry. But that’s likely to be the exception rather than the rule.

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Avoid costly errors with the business writer’s toolkit

Tuesday, July 28th, 2009 | View on own page?

How do you feel when you spot a spelling mistake or an example of bad grammar in a company’s website, direct mail piece or brochure?

At the very least you might question the organisation’s attention to detail and overall quality control. After all if a business can be so careless with its own presentation, what does that say about its approach to customers?

Apparently a large percentage of us will even go as far as not to do business with companies demonstrating poor communication skills. In the UK, the Royal Mail has estimated the value of such lost sales at £40 billion a year; in the US, bad writing costs business over $200 billion annually.

So if you’re not sure when to use ‘complement’ or ‘compliment’, ‘effect’ or ‘affect’ correctly, then do look them up first. Don’t rely solely on your word processor’s spelling and grammar check.

While online services abound, there’s really no substitute for keeping a couple of good hard-copy references on your desktop to provide the help you need.

So here are three suggestions that could spare you possible embarrassment:

The New Oxford Dictionary for Writers and Editors
Straightforward guidance on writing style and usage, including common spelling confusions

The Oxford A-Z of Grammar and Punctuation
Handy pocket book to answer everyday queries

Grammar and punctuation – all you’ll ever need to know
An excellent guide from the Word Centre in just 33 pages with self-test exercises

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