“I hate staring at that empty screen and that #%#^$% blinking cursor. I know exactly what I want to say, but I can’t get started.” No matter who you work for and no matter what your role may be, your job probably involves some writing. If you’ve faced times when the right words wouldn’t come, … Read more
Whether you consider yourself to be a skilled writer or you dread reaching for the keyboard, writing probably plays a critical role in your daily work. You may not be authoring articles for professional journals, but you probably have to create emails, memos, reports, and other items that require some writing skill. Following a few … Read more
Nobody reads copy anymore. At least that’s what everyone tells me. Nobody pays attention to the printed word, so keep it to a minimum and don’t even think about using a word with more than two syllables. Much as I hate to admit it, there’s some wisdom behind that. Couple the oversupply of information to … Read more
You can use them advertising, mailings, in email newsletters, on your website, on social media, as articles in trade magazines, in brochures — no matter how you communicate with your audiences, there are ways to incorporate case studies.
You’ve got 60 seconds to pitch your company’s most important prospect. Go! “Well, your industry is increasingly competitive and margins are shrinking, leading many of your competitors to bypass the traditional distribution network for more streamlined channels. That puts you in an unfavorable pricing environment, which is causing you to lose market share at an … Read more
As people move closer to top management’s ranks, they discover perks and benefits reflecting added responsibilities of their new positions. Examples include better retirement plans, company-backed loans, and travel opportunities. They also learn top executives accomplish more by reaching out to specialized resources. Ever read a magazine article or lengthy blog post from a corporate … Read more
Someone told me about a company that was reputed to be impressive, and I went to the firm’s website to learn more. I spent about ten minutes reviewing their content. What does this amazing company do? No clue. I read their mission, product information, press releases, “About Us,” and more – and I can’t begin … Read more
Should you capitalize items in bullet points? Punctuate them? People have strong opinions about matters like these. However, most of the time, what they believe are inviolable rules are actually just styles and personal preferences. People get remarkably worked up about those “rules.” And as someone who creates copy for a living, it’s a constant … Read more
When presenting workshops on writing more clearly, I always tell attendees the most important advice I can offer is to eschew obfuscation. Whether I’m speaking to top execs or folks in the early stages of their careers, that advice provokes blank stares throughout the room. I didn’t create the phrase, but I adore it, because … Read more
In the hundreds of hours I’ve devoted to waiting on hold for people, I’ve listened to many messages that are nothing short of torturous. I’m not talking about reminders that I’m being kept on hold because my business is incredibly important – the problem usually shows up in the sales messages that pop up every … Read more