Copywriting
You’ve written some content. Researched the facts and reviewed the copy for typos. Made sure all the names are spelled correctly. You even managed to fit in all the right SEO search words AND stayed under your character limit. But did you do a tone check? They say the road to hell is paved with…
Virtually every tech business posts stories about their customers’ wins with their products or services. Call them case studies, customer successes, or use cases, these pieces follow a standard pattern: the customer (a business) has a problem. They find a technology solution. They get positive results, preferably quantified with numbers. Happy ending. These stories obviously…
When everything these days feels BIG and OVERWHELMING, let’s focus on an impactful micro-concept for writers and presenters: chunking. It’s not a new technique, but one that needs embracing since now more than ever we’re consuming most everything (except all that mac n cheese) on our (small) screens. Couple this with overall memory fatigue and…
What drives a great story? The devil does, of course. Having something interesting to say–what novelists would call a good plot–is essential, but a great story hinges on its minutia. Details matter. Generalizations are boring. Unfortunately, minutia can also be as boring as hell. Too much of it, that is. That’s the devilish pitfall in…
We’ve all seen it. We’ve even all done it. The typo, the doubled or omitted word, the malaprop. At best, it’s a barely noticeable oversight; at worst, you’ve become a hilarious “editing fails” meme. Whether you’re editing your own writing or someone else’s, we have some tips to help prevent “sloppy copy” and make your…
The internet has made it possible for U.S. companies and organizations to expand their reach into international markets. Whether you’re a small business marketing products in other countries, a nonprofit bringing your mission to other regions in need, or a global enterprise with offices around the world—writing for international audiences poses unique challenges. For starters,…
Case studies are a great way to show how your business helps customers solve problems in the real world. A well-written case study uses lively quotes, interesting examples, and juicy anecdotes to engage prospects and differentiate your business from the competition. Most clients should be happy to talk about their experiences and toot both your…
One of the paradoxes of legal documents is that they’re rarely written to be understood by the people they impact most. Instead they’re mostly written by lawyers for lawyers. This approach may be great for reducing liability, but it’s not so good at telling non-lawyers what they’re getting into (and, no, that shouldn’t be the…
Several years ago, I wrote about writing for the tech and startup industries and got a lot of heat for it. Mostly, people had qualms with my combining the two discrete industries. I would imagine that now, several years later, I’d get similar feedback particularly since the tech bubble appears to have burst and food,…
Whether you’re crafting new content so your audiences will bite (and hang on), creating eLearning training programs for your internal teams, or adding more energy to your client’s existing projects and online communities, you’ll want to boost your credibility with every word you choose. Keeping the conversation going is mission critical as you build team…