Does anyone write letters anymore? We have e-mail, text messaging, social media web sites, and the soul of communicational brevity, Twitter. With all these other forms of communication, do we still need to know how to write a good letter? Whether you’re seeking employment, trying to sell widgets, or contacting business associates, now, more than ever, a good letter can raise you above the crowd. The quickest way to disqualify yourself from consideration from a world of business opportunities is to not know how to write an effective letter.
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Posts Tagged ‘audience’
4 Essential Tips for Writing an Effective Letter
Top 10 Writing Mistakes Part 2: Today
In Part 1, we examined error studies of writing during three decades of the 20th Century: 1917, the late 1930s, and 1986. We found that the nature of the errors shifted slightly–even though the primary errors were with comma usage, pronouns, spelling/misused words, verb tense–but the incidence of errors held steady, at about 2.1-2.2 errors per 100 words. This indicated that writers were not making more errors, just various mixtures of many of the same errors.
But what about today?
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4 Gender Differences in Marketing Approach
Gender differences abound. Obvious, right? Feminism and equality aside, failing to recognize that women write and respond to writing differently than men is a recipe for ineffective communication. Nevertheless, it is important to recognize that the following differences are generalities; women are no more alike among themselves as men are.
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3 Myths and Realities about Language and Audience
Whether your line of work is business or politics, it pays to know your audience. The world is full of businesses that failed because they did not know their audience. If you don’t, your message, however finely crafted it might be, will be ineffective because it did not appeal. Here are a few facts to dispel some myths about general audience. (more…)
10 Writing Tips to Get (and Keep) Prospects’ Attention
Making a powerful impression on your readers isn’t easy. They’re busy, impatient, and quick to click away from that site or close that brochure. The good news? Creating connections with words isn’t rocket science. It just takes a little know-how. Check out these 10 writing tips for ways to draw readers in—and keep them wanting more:
- Keep it simple. Tell readers what they want to know. Be as concise as possible with short, powerful sentences. Remove extra words. Does it all need to be super-short? No. But remember that long sentences can be harder to follow. Use them sparingly.
- Use friendly formatting. Make it easy for prospects to find what they’re looking for. Use bullets, headlines and subheads. Break up the text into clear, organized segments. This will allow readers to scan and skip over things they already know.
- Ask questions. Not 20, but one or two. Questions can help you connect, and help your readers figure out what they need.
- Be real, be personal, and be unique. It’s ok to be conversational and friendly. In most cases, writing doesn’t have to be formal to be effective. You don’t have to sound like a robot. The more real and honest you sound, the more your readers will relate to you.
- Know your audience. You can’t relate to every reader. You have a specific market, right? Know them, and talk to them in a language they understand.
- Use appropriate lingo. Does your audience “get” your specialized, expert lingo, or do they understand a different language? If you’re selling lawnmowers to landscapers, they will be more “tuned in” to your lingo than a general consumer (who might appreciate simpler language).
- Testimonials. You can praise your own merits, but when someone else says it, the impact is so much greater. Use snippets where they’re relevant.
- Show your benefits, not your features. What benefits will your readers get if they choose you? What’s in it for them? Tell them. It’s easy to get caught up in the part that excites you, but remember, it’s the benefits that make their legs wobbly.
- Go with the flow. Pay attention to the natural sequence in which people want to acquire information. Organize your content accordingly.
- Make it easy to get in touch. Use a “call to action,” overdo your contact info, and offer a free consultation. If they know you’re accessible and eager to talk to them—taking the next step will be natural.
Have you discovered ways to really connect with your reader? Have any of these writing tips worked for you? If so, please share your experience.
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