Publications & Enewsletters

PUBLICATION SECRET: PLANT SOME EVERGREENS

In a recent entry, I mentioned the value of a good swipe file for newsletter development. Another very handy tool is what are known as “evergreen” articles.   What’s an evergreen article? It’s simply a story that provides general information, will always be appropriate for the audience, and isn’t time-sensitive.   For a financial institution, evergreen … Read more

COMING UP WITH NEWSLETTER STORY IDEAS

One of the many lessons I learned during my ad agency days was the importance of a good “swipe” file. Never heard the term? It’s simply a file (or box) where you threw ads, articles, brochures – anything you liked or thought was particularly effective. When you were given a tough assignment, you’d sift through the swipe … Read more

DON’T USE FAKE PHOTOS

I was leafing through what I thought was a great local tourism publication. It was well-written and well-designed, and the photography of local landmarks and amenities was outstanding. And then I noticed the full-page photograph opposite the Lodging page. It was of a maid in a luxurious hotel throwing open the drapes and revealing the … Read more

YOU MIGHT NEED TO PREP TOMATOES SOMEDAY

One of the most common mistakes made by marketers is trying to cram too much information into their communications materials. It’s often the result of saying “well, we probably need to mention this … and this … and this,” along with a bit of “well, there’s some empty space. How can we fill it?”   … Read more

HOW MANY REWRITES ARE NEEDED?

Of all the lessons I learned in my college days — at least of the ones I’ll admit to in a public post — one of the most important was the value of rewriting. A first draft is just that — the first shot at getting everything organized on the paper (or onscreen). Rewriting gives you the opportunity to refine and improve what you’ve done.

Sometimes, people ask how many times they should rewrite something, and my answer is always the same: however many times it needs. That’s not a flip answer. At times, one rewrite is enough to make something work, while other words might need to be trimmed and polished a dozen times.

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SUCCESS STORY: GHOSTS IN FOUR STATES

The Olive LLP accounting firm was one of the region’s largest, and its financial institution practice was one of its strongest. But there’s always room to grow, and the practice leaders were looking for ways to raise the profile of its professionals.

The practice served banks, thrifts, and credit unions in a four-state area, with different professionals assigned to offices serving each state. The leadership recognized the value of staff-authored articles in industry trade magazines, but didn’t have the time to develop articles or the know-how to place them. They looked to Scott Flood Writing to find a way that would provide the highest visibility and recognition for the firm without reducing the staff’s ability to rack up billable hours.

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FAQS ARE AN AMAZING TOOL: PART ONE

I’m not sure who first created a frequently asked questions document or page, but I hope I get the opportunity to thank her someday. (And yes, I’m pretty confident that it was a “her,” given the innate male reluctance to pose questions.)

For marketers and other communicators, the FAQ is one of the most powerful tools you can use. It can strengthen your sales efforts, overcome resistance, minimize misunderstandings, and boost customer satisfaction.

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SUCCESS STORY: WRITING FOR THOSE WITH DISABILITIES

Designing a garden to accommodate the special needs of people with disabilities is a wonderful idea, but only if the intended users understand how the design works with them. When the Plainfield Plus community group secured a grant to establish such a garden in the town’s Friendship Gardens park, that’s why they included funds to create a guide to the garden and asked Scott Flood to develop it.

The book provides details of the garden and shows how its various elements address different disabilities, such as raised beds that reduce the need for stooping, and plants with scent and touch characteristics that can be appreciated by people with visual impairments. Just as important, the book detailed how people could duplicate those features in their own gardens.

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SUCCESS STORY: EASY EXPLANATIONS

Email marketing is an evolving, powerful tool that is widely misunderstood by many in the marketing community. Those with prejudices against the channel fail to see the opportunities it offers for highly personalized, always trackable marketing efforts.

That means providers of email marketing services must devote much of their effort to educating potential customers, so they understand the value that their services offer. Indianapolis-based email marketing pioneer Delivra takes a very aggressive approach to developing understanding on both a macro level and in how their sophisticated, user-friendly platform puts those opportunities within reach.

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