Thinking of doing a little freelance writing or graphic design work? Or maybe you’re thinking of hiring one. The Freelance Switch blog has compiled an amusing Guide to Freelancers. It zeros in on 13 common character flaws — oops, breeds — the highs and lows associated with each type, and a glimpse into the impact …
Why marketing hype ultimately fails
Hype is always a temptation when talking or writing about your company or services. Puffing up your features and benefits may seem like a good way to set yourself apart from the competition. But too much hype hurts you in the long run, when people realize that their expectations — the ones you set with …
Do you repeat yourself? Do you? Well, do ya?
You should, you know. Everyone is busy, distracted, only half-listening. They’re quite likely to miss your marketing message the first time (or two). Business Week‘s Michelle Nichols says offering your customer the same information in different ways can help get your message across and close the sale. Her sales tips (paraphrased by me): Listen for …
Having trouble writing about your business?
“You know the really hard thing about writing? You not only have to think up all the words, you have to put them in the right order.” – Rick Broida
If "Web site" is two words, shouldn't "webcast" be, too?
Should “blog” be capitalized? Does the title of a blog go in italics (like a book title) or inside quotation marks (like a magazine article)? Is “login” one word or two? Are you sure there’s no period in Dr Pepper? Nagging little questions like those can really slow down anyone’s writing or editing. But there’s …
Does your writing need an editor?
Everyone know what a writer does. But what is editing? What does an editor actually do for (or to) your book, article, newsletter? Who needs an editor? Everyone who writes needs their worked edited — even famous journalists and novelists, says Dan Santow, a former magazine editor and now Edelman PR type. In his new …
The secret of spreading "sticky" ideas
When you have an important idea, how do you communicate it in a way that has impact, a way that “sticks?” Guy Kawasaki recently interviewed Chip and Dan Heath, authors of Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die. The book reveals the six principles that characterize sticky ideas. They’re almost always some …
Business books attract clients: example #2
Yesterday I wrote about the many benefits of writing a business book: credibility, visibility, even a tiny taste of celebrity. A recent article in Manage Smarter agrees. It mentions, among others, a mortgage broker whose self-published book has attracted a steady stream of customers — and millions of dollars in revenues. Also mentioned is presentation …
Win clients with your own business book
It’s the ultimate in information marketing: Write a business book that displays your expertise. Sure, only a relative handful of authors like Jim Collins, Tom Peters and the Freakonomics guys write best-sellers that bring in megabucks. But that’s no reason for you to abandon the idea. Book sales, after all, are only one way your …
When in doubt, cut it out.
Fat is disgusting — especially in your memos, sales letters, or any other kind of business writing. Here’s how you can tone up your business writing instantly: Just trim the fat. Prune any words that are unnecessary. They weaken your writing and dilute your message. Good writing is lean and strong. It gets right to …