Many people are put off writing – whether for business or pleasure – because they’re not confident with spelling and grammar. But they shouldn’t be. Spelling and grammar are not writing; they’re simply sets of rules and conventions; tools to aid communication between writer and reader. Even if you’re a bit shaky about them, it shouldn’t prevent you from expressing yourself through the written word.
As a recent article from the BBC News highlights, we all have our own distinctive way of expressing ourselves when we speak and write. The piece is about the unknown Whitehouse insider who’s been spilling the beans on the Trump administration, penning an anonymous column in the New York Times. By the time you read this, their cover will probably have already been blown, but it does raise an interesting topic. What clues to your personal identity do you reveal in your writing style?
If you were asked to name the core components that make up a brand’s identity, what would come to mind first? Most likely you’d think of logos, colours and fonts – and you’d be right of course, but these visual elements don’t work in isolation. What gives a brand its unique identity (aside from what it does) is not just how it looks, but also how it speaks. While strong visual branding and great design grab attention initially, it’s down to written content to follow this through; the words you use will need to communicate your message effectively - engaging, inspiring and converting interest into action. Looking after your brand’s voice is just as important as taking care of other areas of your branding.
Everyone knows that the best sort of sales leads are recommendations – referrals from satisfied customers who have experienced your business and are happy to tell others just how great your organisation is. The trouble is, no matter how enthusiastic these ‘brand ambassadors’ might be, simply hoping they will remember to refer you – if and when they have the opportunity to do so, is not a particularly reliable sales strategy. However, there’s a really easy way you can take control, using the strong relationships you’ve developed, and the projects you’ve successfully delivered, to proactively leverage further sales opportunities – by capturing your success stories as case studies. Case studies are a powerful way to showcase your projects, the customers you work with and the results you get for them.
If you have to create any kind of written content for your business – a new page for your website, a brochure, a blog post or an advertisement for example, there are some simple things you can do that will improve the quality of your writing and help to ensure you get the results you want. 1: Know your audience: Make sure you’re clear about who you’re writing for. The more you know about your reader, the more accurately you will be able to tailor the style, tone and content of your writing. 2: Write in active voice: Use the active voice to help make copy briefer, clearer and more emphatic.
Do live events form part of your marketing strategy? Experiential marketing – taking a brand into a live environment like a conference, exhibition or trade show is one of the most powerful communication channels available to your business. Live events present a unique opportunity to engage with an audience face to face, and establish relationships that are far more personal than those you can develop in digital space. And because live events are memorable experiences that engage all the senses, they’re a great way to generate awareness and build brand recognition.
Are you capturing your success stories, and using them to proactively leverage further sales opportunities? Case studies are a powerful way to showcase your projects, the customers you work with and the results you get for them. Case studies are: Versatile: You can use them in both digital and hard copy formats to support a wide range of marketing activities. Link them to your website as downloadable pdf’s, use them to support e-shots and direct mail campaigns, as leave behinds for new business presentations, and giveaways at events.
If you haven’t yet made blogging an integral part of your marketing strategy, you’re missing out on big opportunities. Posting regular blogs is an inexpensive and relatively easy way to bolster your inbound marketing efforts, drive quality visitors to your website, and attract more prospective customers Your business may already be reaping the benefits of blogging, but just in case you still need convincing, here are 5 reasons why you need to get started now! 1. To improve your web ranking The search engines that rank your website feed on fresh content, and a blog is a simple and easy way to keep your site updated.
In web design projects – at least in our experience – the creation of written content is often left until late in the process. Usually this is because, despite having the very best intentions of drafting their own copy, the client found the process more of a struggle than they’d anticipated. The temptation then can be to press on with design, simply leaving space to backfill with text at a later point, but taking this ‘cut and shut’ approach will almost certainly lead to a second rate website. Design and copy need to work together to bring out the best in each other, and ensuring both these creative processes are co-ordinated will result in a website that’s more than the sum of its parts.
Spring may not yet be fully sprung, but all the signs (outside our window at least), indicate that it’s definitely well underway. At this time of year, as the sap starts to rise, the birds begin to get frisky and the daffodils do their thing, it’s difficult not to be inspired by nature’s lust for life. In the natural world, the cycle of regeneration is ongoing, a continuous process of striving to stand out, get noticed and grow – not so very different from the business environment when you think about it. As you go through the spring rituals of oiling the lawn-mower, cleaning up the garden furniture and scarifying the lawn, give some thought to your marketing materials.
