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Quick Tip
Strip |
 Is Your Web Copy Ready
For Prime Time?
So you’re writing for a website…maybe
even your own? Want to stand out, or at the very least, get read?
Keep these quick tips in mind:
-
Talk to people directly, addressing
them as “you.”
-
Avoid business jargon,
overly-technical explanations and “corporate-speak.”
-
Be concise and to the point.
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Talk benefits, not features.
-
Proofread everything and when you’re
finished, proofread it again (and ask someone else with “fresh eyes”
to do the same).
Grammer & Speling Duz Count
"Writing today is not a frill for the few, but an essential skill
for the many."
--The National Commission on Writing in America’s Schools and
Colleges
Good
writing really matters when it comes to promoting or representing
your business.
 Recent
research has shown that many hiring managers consider a certain
qualification above all others when making decisions on hiring and
promotions. And that qualification is not experience, technical
skill or business insight - it is writing ability.
And if you think the research is just talking about
employees in marketing or communications positions, you’d be wrong.
In fact, according to The National Commission on Writing, 2/3 of
salaried employees in large American companies have at least some
writing responsibility – everyone from administrative assistants
to the sales force to the CEO. Whatever the field or position, the
ability to properly use the written word plays a major role in
career success.
If your writing skills can use a review, the following tips can
help:
-
Know what you want to say.
-
Know your audience’s language, needs and problems.
-
Know what response you are hoping to elicit from
this audience.
-
Trust and believe your ear.
So,
Like, What Is Marketing?
 According to Webster’s, marketing is:
-
The act or process of selling or purchasing in a
market.
-
The process or technique of promoting, selling and
distributing a product or service.
-
An aggregate of functions involved in moving goods
from producer to consumer.
As you know, marketing comes in many forms and
formats: advertising, public relations, even blogging. When you use
words to promote your company, product or service, you’re marketing.
And remember that your message – and how you put it together – is
the key to your potential customers’ opinions and actions.
In other words, marketing = selling. Without the right message
and words, there is no sale!
Connecting
With Your Audience Authentically
By
Amonda Rose Igoe
 You may
remember the famous “Odd Couple” television episode where
Felix says to Oscar, “When you assume, you make an Ass out of
U and Me.”
From my own personal experiences, I know Felix was right. I have
assumed way too many times. And yes, it has left me feeling – and
perhaps looking – like a jackass.
Recently, I was speaking to a community group. I was sharing a
story about one of my dogs named Serena and some of the
unusual things she puts in her mouth, like lizards. I thought I
was very clear in my communication, until someone approached me
afterwards and politely said to me, “I was surprised that you let
your daughter put lizards in her mouth.”
Ugh! That was not the lasting impression I wanted to make. I
thought I was clear in saying that Serena was a dog. Obviously, I
learned a valuable lesson. Even the best speakers need to relearn
valuable lessons from time to time.
Don’t assume anything about your audience
We can never assume that our audience knows what we are talking
about. I have seen way too many individuals use their business
lingo when talking to an audience of potential customers, and find
out later that the audience had no idea what the speaker was
talking about. And on top of that, most people in the audience
fear looking foolish, so they don’t ask questions.
Whenever you are speaking to a group, I would recommend that you
do several things:
-
Repeat what you are trying to say in several different ways
until there is absolutely no way they could miss the message you
are trying to communicate.
-
Always ask your audience questions to determine if they truly
understand the information or are just nodding their heads. If
your audience looks away when you ask questions, they are
definitely not getting it.
-
Look out for puzzled faces. Your audience is your greatest
barometer to tell if you are effectively communicating your
message. If they are getting your message, their eyes will be on
you.
Amonda Rose Igoe is a nationally recognized public speaker,
seminar leader, published author and certified success coach
specializing in helping her students live extraordinary
professional and personal lives. To request information about her
powerful seminars and success coaching, call Amonda Rose at
561-706-7371 or visit her online at
www.HighPerformanceSpeaking.com.
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