| It's impossible to be in business without
producing some written communication. Whether it's a press release, a brochure, an
article, or a product sheet, sooner or later, you'll have to put pen to paper (or fingers
to keyboard!). And when you do, use these tips to maximize your message!
1. Know your audience and keep them in mind as you write.
You must always know who your intended audience is for a
communication piece. Who's the target market? Why is this so darn important? Well, because
if you don't define your market, how can you write to your prospective clients about the
things that matter to them? And if you don't write about what matters to them, you won't
touch them in ways that make them want to take action - buy your product, or hire you, for
example?
2. Know the difference between features versus benefits.
Put yourself in the mind of your prospective client and
view your product or service from their point of view. Most business owners can tell you
about the "features" they offer, but not always about how those features
"benefit" the customer. And since the customer is - by definition - the person
purchasing your goods or services, doesn't it make sense to focus on the benefits to them?
Good example: A tire company ran a commercial with an
infant floating inside a tire on a pool of water. The baby looked warm and dry and safe.
The official "feature" was the good traction the tires provide in wet
conditions, but the "benefit" being sold was you providing safety for your
family. See the difference?
3. Do some competitive research, and use that research to
enhance your marketing materials.
The Internet offers you great opportunities to see how
others in your field are marketing themselves. You might find approaches that you can
adapt to your own business.
4. There are few things worse than a blank piece of paper!
I saw a "Spongebob Squarepants" episode recently
in which Spongebob had to write an 800 word essay. He had about eight hours to do it, and
by the end of 7 hours, all he had to show was a series of false starts, crossed out words,
and a title.
This is certainly my experience as well. Don't go for
"perfect" the first time through. Just write and write and write until all your
thoughts are out on paper. Don't worry about style or grammar, just get the words out.
Afterwards, you can go back and revise, edit, and polish.
5. Write like you talk.
I read recently that although people sometimes think a
"formal" writing style sounds "professional," it isn't the most
effective way to communicate. And while it may be an oversimplification to suggest you
write exactly like you talk, here are the basics: a) Go for a conversational style. You're
building a relationship with prospective customers, so it's okay to let your personality
shine through. b) Talk directly to the recipient of your letter or email; you want to tell
them why they're hiring "you."
6. Break some rules - starting with these two!
Do not use contractions. In most business communications,
it's okay to use contractions. Using contractions contributes to conversational style.
Don't end a sentence with a preposition. As someone who's
jumped through many hoops trying to follow this rule, I say "yippee" to this
one. If our goal is clear communication, then abolishing this rule is something we can all
agree on. (Isn't that better than "Abolishing this rule is something on which we can
all agree."?)
7. Avoid passive voice.
Use active voice instead. What's the difference? In active
voice, the subject of the sentence acts directly upon the object - "Cat bites
dog." In passive voice, the subject of the verb does not act - "The dog was
bitten by the cat." Another hint: Passive voice includes some form of the verb
"be" - am, is, are, was, for example.
8. Give yourself enough time.
It's hard to write well. It's even harder to write well -
fast. Whenever possible, plan to allow enough time to write, leave the copy for a couple
of days, and then return with fresh eyes.
9. Be kind to your reader.
Write the shortest sentences possible. Break long ideas
into shorter paragraphs. If you're writing a long report, use subtitles to break up your
text, and help the reader follow your path.
10. Talk directly to your reader.
This is especially important in creating a relationship
with a reader, a potential customer or client, for example. Read these two sentence
openers: "A customer will achieve great results." versus "You will achieve
great results.
The other side of this coin is to refrain from using the
third person when you're describing yourself, your products, or your services. Using the
third person creates a distance between you and your reader and is really only appropriate
for bios and press releases. Make everything first person and personal - "I offer
this to you" or "We offer that to our customers."
©2005, Karen Kanakanui, WordsAreUs |
