BETTER BUSINESS WRITING: TIPS FROM
THE PROS
It's impossible
to overstate the importance of letter writing. Letters help
you attract customers, make sales, keep clients happy, and
collect money.
Business letters also enhance
your legitimacy. According to a recent article in the Wall
Street Journal, failure to be taken seriously ranks as the
number-one problem of home-based businesses. In many cases,
letters are your only contact with clients and therefore your
only chance to create a professional, competent image. Unfortunately,
many of us haven't taken the time to study and analyze examples
of good letter writing and learn the basics of business
correspondence.
BE FOCUSED
"It's amazing how many
people sit down to write letters without knowing what they want to communicate,"
says Jan Venolia, author of Write Right! and Better Letters: A Handbook of Business
and Personal Correspondence.
Venolia suggests that you
begin the
writing process with a statement of purpose and an outline:
"Begin by thinking through your purpose. Ask, Who will
be reading my work? What have I got to offer? What action
do I want the reader to take?"
When drafting a sales letter,
for instance, you might follow this well-tested format:
* Attract attention with
an opening that grabs. Ask a question. Pose a challenge. Make an attractive
offer. Be intriguing, enticing, bold. Make them want to read more. * Build interest
with additional information and benefits. Add details that justify and enhance
your bold opening. * Make an argument for your product, service, or point of
view. Explain the value or advantages of what you're selling. * Persuade readers
by explaining the benefits in their language. Answer the all-important question,
What's in it for me? * Inspire action by telling the reader exactly what to
do. Be clear and direct. * Induce the reader to act promptly by including additional
information, a special offer, or a personal note in the postscript.
BE CONCISE
You'll be amazed at how
many words you can cut simply by imagining that every word costs a dollar. "Good
writing is free of the superfluous, excessive, and redundant," says Jeffrey
P. Davidson, author of Marketing for the Home-based Business. Reread each letter
with these guidelines in mind:
* Does every word carry
its weight? * Have I refrained from repeating myself? * Have I used short phrases
or single words instead of tiresome phrases ("cannot" instead of "not
in a position to"; "since" rather than "in view of the fact")?
* Have I used the active rather than the passive voice ("The board passed
the resolution" instead of "The resolution was passed by the board")?
BE CLEAR
No one writes to confuse.
Yet think about how many letters you've received that were nearly impossible
to decipher. People don't have--and simply will not take--the time to figure
out what you have in mind. It's up to you to be clear.
"It takes a real artist
to make a long sentence clear," says Venolia. "Clarity begins with
short sentences." Here is a checklist for clarity's sake:
* Are my sentences short
and precise? * Do I refrain from using too many relative
or personal pronouns (which, that, it, he, she)? * Have I
correctly used commas, hyphens, colons, and semicolons? *
Is every word spelled correctly? * Have I avoided slang and
jargon?
BE VISUAL
A letter is composed of
words, yes, but the way it looks on a page can be as important
as the text. Visually scrutinize your letter. * Is it free
of smudge marks, cross-outs, and white-outs? * Have I used
standard letter-writing
layouts? * Is the body of the letter arranged correctly
on the page? * Are my paragraphs short and inviting? * Have
I used--but not overused--bold, underlined, or italicized
words and phrases? * Would I be interested in reading this
letter if it were delivered to me?
BE HUMAN
A letter is a communication
between one human being and another. It's not a legal document or a testimony
to your ability to write in legalese. Even a formal letter should reflect your
personality with language that is easy to understand. * Have I used conversational
language? * Have I avoided stilted phrases ("per our conversation")?
* Have I respected the integrity of my reader by refraining from pompous or
patronizing language? * Have I respected my integrity by not making offers,
threats, or statements I cannot support? * Have I avoided sexism by deleting
the rote use of "he" and "his"?
When your letter is finished,
give it one more inspection. Is it focused? Concise? Clear? Visually appealing?
Reflective of your personality? If so, send it off with high hopes that the
reader will gain a good impression of you and will want to respond favorably.
WRITING AD COPY THAT
SIZZLES
Probably the most difficult
writing
assignment you'll ever face is writing copy for a display
ad. That's because an advertisement is successful only when
all its elements--headline, copy, illustration, and design--work
in harmony. Sign painters have a word for it. They call it
snap.
If one element is slightly
out of kilter, the fickle reader will move on, and your good work, intention,
and money will be wasted. "People don't read ads, they read what interests
them," says Jay Levinson, author of the best-selling Guerilla Marketing,
Guerilla Marketing Attack, and the recently released Guerilla Marketing Weapons.
Considering the cost of
advertising, you may want to hire a professional copywriter. If you want to
give it a try yourself, get all the advice you can and follow these guidelines:
DO YOUR RESEARCH
You can't write a successful
advertisement unless you have specific goals in mind. And you can't set goals
until you've done your research.
"Get it all down in
your mind first. Think right and you'll write right," says Bernard Endelman,
a San Francisco-based advertising consultant whose agencies have helped develop
advertising campaigns for Polaroid, Volkswagen, Avis, Sony, Xerox, and Federal
Express.
To "think right,"
ask yourself:
* Who's my target audience?
* What media reach that audience? * Where is my competition advertising? * What
is unique about my product? * What action do I want the reader to take? * Can
I afford an ad that "says it all," or will my ad be a teaser for "free"
information or estimate?
PUT YOURSELF IN THE READERS'
SHOES
Readers are not interested
in you or your product. They are interested in themselves. So what should be
the focus of your all-important headline and lucid copy? The reader, the reader,
and always the reader.
"Make a mental picture
of a typical reader, and then translate features into benefits that he or she
will understand," says Jill Adams, principal of Adams & Knight Communications,
a Simsbury, Connecticut, advertising agency that has developed campaigns for
clients as diverse as the Special Olympics and Hartford Insurance.
Make a list of all the benefits
you offer. Which is most important? Once you've decided, begin building your
ad around the number one benefit.
FIND THE DRAMA
People like stories because
stories contain that exciting, elusive element: drama. It's up to you to find
that drama in your product or service. Can you save readers precious time? Money?
Can you offer a competitive edge? How can you dramatize your distinction over
your competitors? Once you've answered these questions, try writing a headline
that capitalizes on the drama of your offering. Then use the copy and graphics
to illustrate the dramatic premise.
WRITE TO INFORM NOT ENTERTAIN
Though drama and theater
have much in common, they are not synonymous. And your ad, while dramatic, should
not be theatrical. "You shouldn't show a man standing on his head unless
you're selling a device to keep coins from falling out of his pocket,"
Endelman says. "Ads that entertain often forget to leave their business
card. It's information you must provide. Information entertainingly presented."
After you've drafted an
ad, show it around and gauge the reaction. If readers comment on the clever
pun you've used, you're in trouble. If they ask about your product, you're getting
close.
"Have a friend read
the ad out loud," suggests Adams. "Where they stumble reading is where
readers will stumble when reading silently."
And since you've paid for
that precious ad space, use it to explain what is distinctive about your offering.
This is your ad, not your competitor's. "If you can plug in your competitor's
name and the ad still rings true, start over," Endelman advises.
As for length: "People
will read copy if it's interesting," says Levinson. Don't be afraid to
give them information. It may be your only chance.
KEEP IT HONEST AND SIMPLE
You can't blame readers for being
skeptical. They are bombarded daily with hundreds of advertisements. "Readers
are experts at culling the truth from the hype," says Levinson. It's not
easy, but you can gain their confidence, as well as present a convincing argument,
by keeping your ad honest and simple.
Keep it honest by avoiding adjectives
and outrageous claims. If it's the greatest thing since sliced bread, "use
testimonials--they're still a great way to gain credibility," Levinson
advises.
Keep it simple by using simple words,
short sentences, and short paragraphs. Review ads that compel you. Chances are
the copy is so lean and clean that the ad seems simpler than it really is. Bells
and whistles don't sell products; clean copy does.
TELL YOUR READER WHAT TO DO
Many major corporations have the
luxury of running advertisements to enhance their prestige. And though a small
business's ads don't always have to sell products, they usually do, because
of your limited budget.
Tell the reader how to contact you.
Make it easy. Include an address, a phone number, or an 800-number, if applicable.
"Generate action by offering
a free brochure, free sample, free estimate. Free is one of the most important
words in the marketer's lexicon," says Levinson.
If you really want to get some action,
make your ad a tear-out coupon.
Now stand back and look at your creation.
Does the ad crystallize your message? If it doesn't, hit the drawing board again
and work a little harder at perfecting the mysterious art of advertising writing
and design.
BROCHURES THAT GET RESULTS
The workhorse of most small businesses
is the brochure. This simple, time-tested piece of literature will do more to
define you and your company than any other marketing tool.
A well-designed brochure will enhance
your image, attract referrals, and help you sell your product or service. A
poorly designed brochure will tarnish your reputation and keep customers at
bay. A brochure is a reflection of you. "If it doesn't look and feel professional,
people will assume that's the way you run your business," says Levinson.
DEVELOP A BUDGET
Before you can begin writing, you
must decide what size and type of brochure you can afford. Your budget will
have to include line items for design, printing, paper stock, color, and photos
or illustrations. No doubt you'll want a quality brochure, but that doesn't
necessarily mean four colors and gilded edges.
Adams suggests bringing in a quality
designer to lay out your brochure: "It costs more, but it's worth it."
No amount of dazzling copy will save an unattractive brochure.
DEVELOP A COPY STRATEGY
Use the same clear, active, and personal
style you would when writing letters and display advertisements. And make your
most important points quickly.
"Statistics show that readership
falls off dramatically after 50 words but barely falls off at all from 50 to
500 words," says Levinson. That means you have 50 words to hook them and
the rest of your brochure to inform them.
How much copy? Put forth enough information
so that a person can make an intelligent buying decision. That should be your
guiding force. Remember also that most brochures unfold, so each panel should
stand alone.
Keep your brochure timely by mentioning
specific dates. Write that you've been "in business since 1984" rather
than "in business six years."
Finally, don't forget the all-important
call to action. Tell your readers several times how to contact you. Display
the information clearly and make the invitation inviting.
THINK VISUALLY
Your job as a writer-designer is
to make it as easy as possible for the reader to become informed. People these
days like bite-size bits of information. Here are some techniques for delivering
palatable information:
* Subheads: "Readers should
be able to get your main message just by reading your subheads. Each subhead
should build on the subhead before as well as on the headline," says Adams.
* Bullets: These little attention-getters work wonderfully for a short list
of features or benefits--like these. * Testimonials: "When using testimonials,
use real names, titles, and cities if possible," suggests Levinson. "That
makes them more believable." * Pull quotes: A pull quote is a particularly
pithy phrase or statement that is usually set in larger type in a border within
the body of your text.
USE RESTRAINT
"The better part of valor is
discretion," said Shakespeare. If he were a marketing consultant today,
he might suggest that "the better part of professionalism is restraint."
In your enthusiasm to dazzle, don't let the light blind the reader.
Demonstrate restraint by avoiding
outrageous claims, excessive use of adjectives, and unsubstantiated information
(just as you should in all your correspondence). Remember, readers know hype
when they see it. Use restraint when working with a designer in choosing colors
and fonts, too.
Use photos only if you have to or
if they're of exceptional quality. "I'd rather go with an all-text brochure
than use a bad illustration or photo," says Adams.
Spend a lot of time developing, writing,
and designing your brochure, because you can't make changes once the printer
has churned out 10,000 copies. And keep it simple. Remember, you want this brochure
to last a long time; it's better that it be a workhorse than a thoroughbred.
POWER-PACKED PRESS RELEASES
The press release is one of the most
powerful--and cheapest--marketing tools available to you. Unfortunately, other
business owners discovered this long ago, which makes the "press game"
a highly competitive affair. Nonetheless, you can rake in free publicity by
writing targeted press releases. First, however, learn about the media covering
your area and trade, and then learn standard press-release conventions.
KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE
When drafting press releases, you're
writing not to potential clients but to busy editors who receive anywhere from
20 to 50 press releases a day, and who promptly trash 95 percent of them.
To gain the inside edge, "you
have to learn about each publication, its focus, the expertise of its editors,
and the editors' names," suggests public-relations manager Terry Kalil,
whose 15 press releases last year generated more than 150 clippings for Great
Plains Software of Fargo, North Dakota.
The odds of getting some coverage
are slim, but remember that editors read press releases for a reason: They have
space or airtime to fill, and they're on the lookout for potential stories.
WRITE LEADS WITH PUNCH
In the news business, stories begin
with the most important fact or feature of an announcement. Look at newspaper
articles for guidance.
"Write your lead as if the reader
will read nothing else in your story," says Kalil. Try the "inverted
pyramid" technique: Offer the most important information first, followed
by supporting information in order of diminishing importance.
Having trouble identifying the story?
Try these tried-and-true approaches:
* New products or innovations * Personnel
promotions or anniversaries * New advertising or sales campaigns * New location
* Awards given or received * Donations * Announcements of seminars, lectures,
free demonstrations * Joint ventures * Elections to club or office * Survey
information
INCLUDE THE FIVE W'S AND THE H
Read your press release before you
send it. Does it answer the questions every news story must: who, what, when,
where, why, and how? Look for at least three of these in the lead paragraph--if
not in the lead sentence.
MAKE IT SHARP
Due to the nature of the job, most
editors are no-nonsense people--all the more reason to write no-nonsense press
releases.
Cut the adjectives; forget the bravado.
These are language professionals you're writing to. "Not one piece of fluff
at any time," says Kalil, who suggests these other tips:
* Stay benefit-oriented. * Don't
lose sight of the bigger picture: What does it all mean? * Use verifiable and
meaningful data. * Search for typos and spelling errors--you lose credibility
with every one. * Don't overwhelm with a two-pound press package. * Skip self-serving
quotes. * Use headlines, bullets, and subheads.
Editors want it straight, tight,
and honest. Give them anything else and you've given them one more reason to
ignore your release.
Limit text to two pages, but make
your release visually appealing by starting the text in the middle of the first
page, if possible. In the upper right-hand corner of the page include a contact
name and phone number for more information.
TARGET, TARGET, TARGET
Many small and home-based business
owners believe they don't have a chance of getting a press release printed.
They're wrong.
Local papers are always looking for
town news, names in the news, and local business stories. While your name or
your company's name might not be splashed on the front page, every acknowledgment
helps.
Help your local media by tailoring
your release to their style and length. Suggest where your story might be placed.
Address it to the correct editor.
And tailor all your releases to their
destinations, such as national trade magazines or state business publications.
These media may not be interested in a local seminar you're promoting, but they
may be interested in a new product you're releasing.
"With today's word processors,
targeted press releases are easy and essential," said Davidson. Send press
releases selectively, and "always address the release to a specific individual,"
says Davidson. While you're at it, don't forget to use common sense. Don't send
photos to radio stations, and don't send a release about next week's lecture
to a magazine with a three-month lead time.
Once your first release is printed
or aired, you'll understand the power of the media, and from then on you'll
be hooked on the most exciting--and cheapest--publicity game in town. cheapest
-- publicity game in town.
Freedom Technology Media
Group
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