To make your writing seem personal, write like a person, for cryin’ out loud. That goes for most corporate communications as well as speeches and presentations, as Dick Cavett pointed out in a recent NY Times blog post. The former talk show host was referring to political candidates’ speeches, but the same principles hold true […]
Category Archives: writing
Seth: Write like a blogger (but not this blogger!)
Seth says write like a blogger. Good advice. The two biggies on Seth’s list that hit home for me were: #3: Drip, drip, drip. Bloggers don’t have to say everything at once. We can add a new idea every day, piling on a thesis over time. #9: Say it. Don’t hide, don’t embellish. I’m always […]
Is your writing wimpy and wishy-washy?
Strong, powerful, confident words communicate and convince. Lame, wimpy writing kicks the legs out from under your message, and waters it down. The most common kind of wimpy writing are “qualifiers.” If you remember what your 7th grade English teacher told you, qualifiers are adjectives and adverbs that limit (“qualify”) your message — thus modifying […]
Are you leaving would-be customers hungry for more?
The always-interesting Freakonomics blog in the NY Times recently cited a recent study that confirms the importance of providing lots of product information in your marketing and sales material. The MediaPost headline says it all: “Majority Of Online Shoppers Check At Least Four Reviews Before Buying.” Take-away point: A solid 68% do their homework before […]
Sales letters, brochures and e-mail marketing
Seth has a cogent observation about the differences between direct mail, brochures and emails. Basically, most direct mail pieces — and this includes those long direct response Web pages — try to make the sale in one step. The famous (and challenging) “one-call close.” The copywriter tries to think of every possible objection you might […]
Why you SHOULDN'T have a sale this summer
I hate sales and discounts — at least for professionals and small businesses. When you lower prices, you’re basically training customers to wait for a lower price before buying– a bad habit. There are many better ways to drum up business, especially during your slow season. Rather than simply offering discounts, John Jantsch of Duct […]
What can an unrepentant hippie teach you about business?
Jansport backpacks have been around since 1967 — the Summer of Love, baby– when Skip Yowell’s cousin had an idea for a better backpack, built around a lightweight, adjustable aluminum frame. Murray formed a company. His girlfriend was a virtuoso on the sewing machine. Murray promised that if she’d marry him, he’d name the company […]