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	<title>words for you &#187; better writing</title>
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	<description>Direct response copywriting, SEO copywriting by Eileen Parr</description>
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		<itunes:summary>Direct response copywriting, SEO copywriting by Eileen Parr</itunes:summary>
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			<title>words for you</title>
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		<title>Have you ever scribbled a telephone message then been unable to read it or understand what you meant?</title>
		<link>http://words-for-you.co.uk/general/have-you-ever-scribbled-a-telephone-message-then-been-unable-to-read-it-or-understand-what-you-meant.html</link>
		<comments>http://words-for-you.co.uk/general/have-you-ever-scribbled-a-telephone-message-then-been-unable-to-read-it-or-understand-what-you-meant.html#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 06 Nov 2008 17:53:14 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>eileen</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[General]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Newsletter Articles]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[better writing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[business writing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[note taking]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[writing manuals]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://words-for-you.co.uk/?p=317</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Whats the most important part of writing?
I had three fantastic groups at the recent workshops. Some of them came from a technical background, some from sales and some from customer services.
It might seem that there wasnt too much of a theme between the different backgrounds especially as some of the delegates only writing contribution is [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[Whats the most important part of writing?
I had three fantastic groups at the recent workshops. Some of them came from a technical background, some from sales and some from customer services.
It might seem that there wasnt too much of a theme between the different backgrounds especially as some of the delegates only writing contribution is about noting things down in a CRM system.
However the approach that I use for all my work is the one is based on a core belief that whatever you need writing for, it has to be carried out with one person in mind.
And thats not you the writer. Its your reader.
Ive had discussions with many clients about this since their logic is that they have to talk about what they can do or the reader wont understand.
To me thats the wrong way round.
Lets take the simple example of taking notes. Whats the purpose of notes?
If youre taking notes of a conversation with a customer, then you need them to be:
1. A true record of your conversation.
2. Full enough to understand what took place if you dont look at the note for six months.
3. Clear enough for someone else to read and understand if they have to take over your work for any reason.
In each of those cases, you the writer need to consider you or someone else as the reader and what their needs are.
The same information can be phrased in different ways that would totally confuse someone else, or even yourself if not clear. Thats why no matter what youre writing, you need to start in the same place.
What does the reader need to understand from the notes, or the report or the ad, of whatever the piece is?
And in case youre misreading the question, it isnt what do I want them to understand, but what they need to understand.
Part of the group discussion in the workshops was about training manuals. Im happy to admit that Im not technical. Which means that if I buy some software, or a piece of equipment I want to be able to use it without any pain. Or at least as little pain as possible.
As I explained in the workshop, manuals are often written in what for me appears to be double dutch or another incomprehensible language. When you examine why that happens, its usually because, regardless of the language, the manuals are written by people who understand the product or system.
One way a company can avoid purchasers throwing the manual out of the window is to supply a short " very short introduction.
A this is where you start. And you divide it up into this is where you start if you know absolutely nothing, then this is where you start if you can do this, and this is where you start if this is a new version of what you already have.
That approach at least gives the customer the feeling you care about their problems and theyre likely to give you more time before they throw the manual out the window.
Well it works for me " how about you?
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		<title>Writing for challenging times</title>
		<link>http://words-for-you.co.uk/how-to-write/writing-for-challenging-times.html</link>
		<comments>http://words-for-you.co.uk/how-to-write/writing-for-challenging-times.html#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 06 Oct 2008 10:27:11 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>eileen</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[How to write]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[better writing]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://words-for-you.co.uk/?p=270</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[I&#8217;m sure that you&#8217;ve seen many articles recently full of doom and gloom about the financial crises. This isn&#8217;t one of them because
while I realise that many people are going through tough times, if you&#8217;re in business you can&#8217;t allow yourself to be negative.
What seems to happen is that when budgets are cut, the first [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[I&#8217;m sure that you&#8217;ve seen many articles recently full of doom and gloom about the financial crises. This isn&#8217;t one of them because
while I realise that many people are going through tough times, if you&#8217;re in business you can&#8217;t allow yourself to be negative.
What seems to happen is that when budgets are cut, the first thing that goes is the marketing budget. Which is demented because it&#8217;s the very time that you need to make sure that you&#8217;re keeping in touch with your customers.
Which these days, has to mean updating your website, strengthening your newsletters, powering up your email marketing and making the most of every means available to you to keep the contact going.
It doesn&#8217;t matter if you can do it in-house or you employ someone but please keep on writing. Keep on stressing the benefits of what you can do and keep on listening to what your customers are saying.
Yes they&#8217;ll be looking for a good deal, but they also need you to understand their challenges and issues.
All economic systems are cyclical. For some businesses now the cycle has reached boom time. Insolvency experts will be rubbing their hands. So what do they need that you can offer them?
It&#8217;s very tempting to sit back and say that we have to ride it out. It&#8217;s more important that we plan and create a strategy to benefit from the situation as it is.
Remember, many fortunes were created in the Great Depression of 1929. Many more will be created as a result of this situation.
Why not be one of them?
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		<title>How to write &#8211; Quick tips 1</title>
		<link>http://words-for-you.co.uk/how-to-write/how-to-write-quick-tips-1.html</link>
		<comments>http://words-for-you.co.uk/how-to-write/how-to-write-quick-tips-1.html#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 23 Jul 2008 08:50:58 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>eileen</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[How to write]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[better writing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[improve your writing]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://words-for-you.co.uk/?p=145</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Improve your writing &#8211; Quick Tips 1
Use active verbs.
Many of us use the verb &#8216;to be&#8217; withut think. In most cases we can replace that with a much stronger and more active verb.
Example One:
Dissolvo is the solution for all your block drain problems.
We can strengthen this:
Dissolve provides the sollution for all your blocked drain problems.
Example [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[Improve your writing &#8211; Quick Tips 1
Use active verbs.
Many of us use the verb &#8216;to be&#8217; withut think. In most cases we can replace that with a much stronger and more active verb.
Example One:
Dissolvo is the solution for all your block drain problems.
We can strengthen this:
Dissolve provides the sollution for all your blocked drain problems.
Example Two:
Dissolve was the choice for thousands of satisfied customers last year.
Better is:
Thousands of satisfied customers chose Dissolvo last year.
The same is true of the verb &#8216;to get&#8217;.
Example:
Wearing out snazzy shoes gets you all the attention you&#8217;d like.
Better is:
Wearing our snazzy shoes you&#8217;ll attract all the attention you&#8217;d like.
Every time you choose a verb, make sure it punches its full weitht. Verbs attract attention and focus you&#8217;re reader on what you want to tell them. Active verbs move your text along.
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