It’s inevitable. Every year, around February or March, people start anticipating a business “summer slowdown.” They’re the same folks who talk about a “slow December” starting sometime in mid-October. Then they put off doing anything of substance until mid-January because, they reason, things are dead for a good few weeks from start of the slow December.

You can certainly talk a slowdown or a slow period or a lull in business into being, but why would you want to?

Just like those who refuse to operate under the shadow of a recession (or whatever word they put on it), I, too, am not interested in focusing on all the potential slowdowns and lulls that can come my way. (Not to downplay high gas prices, unemployment records and everything else that is making times tough for people.) BUT….to me, marketing, and success in general, is about focusing on what you want and on where you want to be – not on all of the potentially not-so-great things that can (and, yes, do) happen.

I’m not saying you, or I or anyone else is immune to significant trends or to anything else that affects the masses. But why base your life (or your business) on a fear-based approach? Why not expect the best? I do…and I get it, too – no matter what the season.  

Yours In Success,

Allison Nazarian

The almighty VERB

I know….YAWN! Since when is the topic of verbs considered exciting? While it may not be exciting, verbs are key to your marketing success. REALLY!

Action, action, we want action.
Active beats passive – every single time. Always, always, always choose words – especially verbs – that are active, visual and powerful. Your writing will be far more vibrant and convincing if you use active rather than passive verbs and the active voice over the passive voice. Passive verbs tend to be wordy, unnatural and, frankly, downright dull.

Consider these two sentences:
Passive:  The book proposal was given to the publisher by Lisa.
Active:  Lisa presented her book proposal to the publisher.
Or these:
Passive: The cake was eaten by the boys.
Active: The boys devoured the cake.

What is…isn’t. I once had a client who forbade me from using any form of the verb “to be.” This means I couldn’t use is, are, am, were, etc.

At first I thought he was out of his mind, but you know what? The end product was all the more strong, forceful and effective. The verbs were impactful and had more meaning than those dreaded-but-necessary “to be” verbs.

→ What are your biggest marketing challenges?

→ Are you sick of trying to figure out how to go from ‘OK’ to ‘WOW?’

→ Have you put off writing your brochure, mission statement, sales copy or something else because you simply cannot find the right words?

Allison will choose the best questions and answer them at no cost, with a link to your website, in a new DIY Copywriting blog COMING SOON.

Send your question/case study information to:
Newsletter@GetItInWriting.biz with the subject line:
DIY Copywriting Q&A

"We are told that talent creates its own opportunities. But it sometimes seems that intense desire creates not only its own opportunities, but its own talents."

          – Eric Hoffer