Technical Writers do more than just write. They communicate relevant technical information to get jobs done; see previous posts on what a Technical Writer does (see Defining a Technical Writer). They create the documentation, but how do they present an effective and appealing document? In a previous post, we discussed how to create a Style Guide and the importance of them. The guide allows the writer to focus on writing the content, and less on the look and feel of the document. No matter which Style Guide is followed, there are certain popular generic rules that should be followed. You might say the items mentioned below, can be part of a Style Guide.
To increase the visual appeal of a document, we should adhere to certain rules the same way we do for grammar. If the document is too long, does not present any illustrations, and is strictly text, the user will have a problem just reading the first page. Readers will usually flip through the document to see how it is structured. If it has a lot of white space, images, and has varying styles and formats, then viewers will more likely read it. Apply some of the following tips:
Insert images; use plenty of graphics; snapshots, tables, and charts to aid in explanations.
Use pointers, callouts, or arrows pointing to each part of an active item.
Organize document with easy to find information; use plenty of pointers, references, tips, thumbnails, etc to guide the reader.
Make paragraphs short and succinct; use simple words and write for the audience.
Use icons indicating relevant-must know information; warnings, advice, rules, policies, etc.
Ensure plenty of white space.
Do not create lengthy documents; break it up into more than one.
Limit varying fonts and colors for pointing out information.
Use outlines, bullets, etc., for ease of readability.
Apply headers and footers.
Include Glossary, Table of Contents, Appendix, Index, Error section, Check List, or Reference sheet/card if applicable.
Include a Q&A section.
When instructing, create numerical step-by-step directions and include indented sub-levels if appropriate.
Change up the style from one section to another, e.g., from one column to two, or have text flow around images for a change.
Try to create a visually appealing document using some of the above ideas. If you have more suggestions or ideas on how to make documentation more appealing, please leave a comment.
Does your website perform up to its potential in terms of bringing in volunteers and donations?
Consider these statistics:
According to Google, each month there are 368,000 searches for the term “nonprofit organizations” in the United States. The phrase “volunteer opportunities” yields 201,000 searches a month. There are 5400 searches a month for people looking for “charities to donate to.”
Even when you narrow the searches geographically, the results are still impressive. For instance, the term “volunteer Cleveland” yields 2900 searches a month, while “volunteer opportunities in Chicago” produces 5400. Clearly folks are using the internet to find organizations worthy of their time and money. But is your website working hard enough to get in front of them — and is it converting viewers into donors and volunteers?
Know where you stand
Before you do anything else, evaluate your website’s current effectiveness by tracking the traffic it’s seeing. Without establishing some benchmarks, you simply won’t know where to start. Most reputable hosting providers include some sort of stats tracking program. Many use AWStats, a great program that gives details such as unique viewers, total visits, and hit totals. With this plug-in, you can also see what days and times your site is generating most of its traffic. In addition, you’ll know which searches and external links are sending visitors your way. If your provider doesn’t offer this program, ask. It’s free and should be very easy for them to install. If you want to go the do-it-yourself route, then check out Google Analytics. Just cut and paste the code into your site, and this program will give you all of the above features and more. Like most things Google offers, it’s free and high quality.
Is the traffic there?
Now you can make a judgment as to how you want to handle your scenario. If you find that you aren’t getting much traffic, then the next course of action would be to promote your website more heavily. Make sure your URL is on all marketing materials, email signatures, business cards, blogs, newsletters, et cetera. You may also want to consider having the site optimized for the search engines. This process of basing your site’s text and HTML code on keywords works best if performed by a professional. However, it’s often worth the price of admission, since optimization can move your site up search engine rankings very quickly.
Focus on the bottom line
If you see that you’re getting a good amount of traffic, it’s time to focus on your actual conversion rate. In the business world, the most important statistic is the percentage of traffic that resulted in a sale. If you had 1000 visitors and 10 of them bought something, then you are at one percent. Of course, nonprofits aren’t selling products, but you could easily set up other indicators, such as the percentage of visitors who made a donation or signed up for a volunteer opportunity. To a lesser degree, quantifying how many visitors signed up for a newsletter or requested more information as a percent would also have some merit.
What is an acceptable conversion rate? That’s a tough question to answer. In business, most direct mail yields a conversion rate between one and three percent. Some internet marketers feel this is a fair goal for a website, too, while others contend that it should be closer to the 10 percent mark. For nonprofits it may be wise to work the equation backward. For instance, if all the associated costs for your website is $100 a month, and we know a volunteer’s time is worth $20 an hour and the typical volunteer puts in 2 hours a month, then getting three volunteers a month would put you $20 on the plus side.
Be open to change
If you find that you aren’t reaching your conversion goals despite having enough traffic, you may need to take a look a critical look at your site. Make sure the website design looks professional. People want to help out organizations that appear to have their house in order. A shoddy-looking website gives the appearance that corners are being cut. And if you want someone to donate or volunteer, say so. Don’t be shy. Place your call to action prominently on the front page. Moreover, don’t trust that viewers will navigate their way to signing up for anything. Instead, put a link or button right there on the front page that leads them immediately to registering for a volunteer opportunity or donating to your cause. Last, but certainly not least, also make sure contact information is prevalent and easy to locate.
The internet is a powerful way to market your organization, so capitalize on getting the most out of your online presence. The most direct path to getting a good conversion rate is to create a site that is attractive, easily found on the internet, and user-friendly. These three pieces provide a solid foundation for the final and key ingredient: the prominent display of buttons or links that seamlessly guide users toward your goal… getting them actively involved with your mission.
Shawn Kendrick writes for VolunteerHub.com and holds an MBA from Ohio Dominican University. VolunteerHub is a cloud-based software that enables online volunteer management. The software helps nonprofit organizations to simplify the entire volunteer management process, including scheduling, registration, hour tracking, and recruitment. Nonprofit organizations can try VolunteerHub for free for 30 days by visiting: http://www.volunteerhub.com/free-trial
Customer service is the smartest thing companies can do to build a product name and company reputation…until they think they are smarter than the rest of us.
When companies think they are smarter than their customers it’s time to time customers learned how not to play their game. That’s right, I said it. We need to train customers; they just aren’t savvy enough. Actually, we, customers, probably are, but we don’t have the time to fight the companies taking advantage of us. We shouldn’t have to, but our apparent attempts at teaching companies is either falling on deaf ears or is being ignored–BECAUSE WE ARE STILL BUYING THEIR PRODUCTS!
I’m big on customer service. It’s important. It’s the smartest thing companies can do to build a product name and company reputation…until they think they are smarter than the rest of us.
I am about to embark on a bit of rant–as if you couldn’t tell. I generally write about training and development issues here and I’m more of a lecturer than a ranter–although my rants seem to be popular, too. Maybe that’s because rants are popular. Anyway here goes:
I’m sure no one here has ever experienced bad customer service. No one has ever felt the employee didn’t want to be there or look you in the face. There’s, of course, something very wrong with this picture. I walk into this joint, see, and no one raises an eye, see, and I notice a clipboard with names on it. Nobody “sees” me. Even my name that I first wrote in longhand (not horrible longhand I have to say) is ignored because an employee (I really just want to call them a helper because an employee works for a living) does not want to mispronounce a name not clearly written. The solution: ignore it. Move on to the next one–the one in block print so you will only be viewed as a stellar communicator. One pissed consumer. If I must sign in, then I must need this company more than they need me because I must wait until it is convenient for them to acknowledge my paying presence.
Not that someone should jump up because I am a long-term, high-paying customer–no that would be like the airlines.
Customer service should not be based on my ability to pay for your service or even my existing account, which may put others to shame. I am nothing more than a customer; treat me like one. Forget my large paying presence, I might add, because I have a family contract with them that I pay monthly, which I must pay large fees to get out of a contract if I am not getting the service promised. I only mention this because of lost potential.
Not that someone should jump up because I am a long-term, high-paying customer–no that would be like the airlines. This is only cell phone service so there is no need to acknowledge a six phone full-service presence. We’ll come back. If not, there are other customers–and they already have us with a contract so we can buy nicer phones with so much stuff we don’t want and demos we don’t want. And, they can change the service at will. If we don’t like the change, they won’t let us out of our contract. Maybe if we got a lawyer… The trade off’s not worth it. The cost of a lawyer and the cost of the contract. They know it; we know it.
It’s not the airlines so no special privileges, and if the company enters into contract negotiations to build more towers, provide competitive phones, or cancel what extra niceties you have now, they can and we are still under contract to pay if we opt out. Can they do that? Apparently. Each new contract is a new time to take you for more…until we learn how to work your system or other systems stop going along with your game and offer customers what they want and treat them right. Only then you’ll go away or change.
The companies get theirs in the end, but not after they have taken us for all we are willing to pay them for products we may not want, contracts we feel obliged to buy because we don’t have the product or service guarantees that used to convince us the products and services were worth it in the first place. I hate buying a guarantee my freezer is not going to die on me in more than 90 days or even a year. Doesn’t say much for our ability to build or produce quality, but it does say a lot for our salesmanship. Or, our own stupidity as customers.
I think we need some training because the big business folks are taking advantage of us. They are just asking for government regulation, but in this economy and the pressure to make smaller government it won’t happen for a while. Big business knows this. So, make millions, billions while you can. You certainly are contributing to making this economy even weaker, but at your CEO’s pay level, does he care?
Now I will admit not every company is out to screw you. Those that try harder to let me know they care what I think, that they’ll cut me an occasional break on policy, they are telling me I am a customer worth having. Customer loyalty is not what it used to be. Consumer websites are telling us how to get the most of our money, but the companies are still taking advantage when they can and give capitalism a bad name. We are turning into our own third-world with greedy attitudes; if we are indeed, I hope we are minus the corruption, but greed does motivate that possibility.
All that’s left is to educate the consumer to see that customer service is designed for the company first, and we’re along for the ride. The company is smarter than us, right? They can tell us how we should spend money and what we should want to buy. The problem really is that they do. It is number one on some sales pitches, “Make someone need your product!” Sales has become almost a dirty word because customer service has really left the table like Elvis has left the building, not to be seen again.
…if we all work together and not take it anymore… Tell the big guys what we think, tell them what we don’t want and aren’t willing to pay for…
I know everyone has customer service horror stories. I could go on forever. I don’t know how exactly we could manage to train all customers to be smart customers. It would be quite an undertaking and who would pay for it. Granted we all pay now–just not for the training, but for the opportunity to be fleeced.
We would all try to do some training though, I think. Honorable people we are. We could do it for free; of course, there would be access to our websites and our books–our services.
Seriously… Honestly… We could hold seminars, and I’m sure some innovative trainers will do that. Just make sure you ask a lot of questions and don’t buy a contract. We could go viral on the Internet and complain. Isn’t that already being done. Wish I could be a catalyst for more to happen. Maybe if we all work together and not take it anymore. Tell the big guys what we think, tell them what we don’t want and aren’t willing to pay for. Even the cell phone companies have contract-free programs, but you pay full price for the phone that will be obsolete in a year. Gotcha still.
I want a laptop I can type comfortably on–not the usual flat keyboard. I’ve seen organic add-ons, but don’t you think that would have been one of the first adaptations in the product evolution? Makes you wonder if they thought it would limit sales. Most people only use it for typing–even searching the Internet. I’d venture a guess that 90 percent of the hardware and software is not used except as a feature must pay for. Who cares if you use them after you leave the store or the online site where you bought it. Of course, the custom option still exists…pay extra for that. That’s not just computers. Some things stay rather basic–like toilets, but you can get a fancy one if you like–gilded.
Trainers unite and train customers. Someone has to do it. One company I know even uses that idea to sell customers on the fact their particular store is not a discount store but a store that has so many connections it can give you the best deal. If you buy there, they give you credit for being an educated consumer. Brilliant strategy, sounds good and they win. Get on those company web sites and tell companies what you think. Boycotts are lovely this time of year–just before Christmas, but companies aren’t terribly worried with all the diversification.
End of rant. Happy training from the Cave Man. Let’s get back to the beginning when life was hard but fair.
A long time ago, business execs used to say, “I know we get 80% of the benefit from 20% of our marketing budget, but I don’t know which 20% works” Today, that is an optimistic statement. Not even 20% is working.
I have a list of 30 provocative questions companies ought to ask about their marketing, and aspiring marketers ought to consider before deciding on a career path.
1. Is it more important to improve our products or our advertising?
2. When we compete on price, are we revealing a lack of faith in the value our products deliver to customers?
3. Is “customer loyalty” a valid concept in a smartphone enabled, app-driven marketplace?
4. Would we be wiser to seek to win every competitive match-up, rather than aim for a sense of inherent loyalty to our offerings?
5. Needs-based customer segments provide a means to allocate marketing resources. Have we created such segments?
6. What knowledge do we have about specific customers that our competitors lack?
7. What are the benefits of having knowledge of our customers that our competitors lack?
8. Do we make it convenient for our customers to be loyal?
9. How could we make it more convenient for our customers to be loyal to us?
10. What percentage of our revenues come from delivering customized products or services to customers?
11. How many ways do we use customer information to benefit that customer?
12. How many new ways could we develop to remember information for customers, instead of just about them?
13. When we collect feedback from customers, do we talk in terms of the job/task they were doing or in terms of their perception of our firm?
14. What percentage of our marketing budget can be quantified by accurate metrics?
15. Are we 100% truthful with customers?
16. Marketing tries to make our firm look good. How do we avoid having social media call us out for fudging the truth?
17. Is outbound marketing declining in effectiveness?
18. Do we offer enough compelling content and innovative services to attract customers to us?
19. Are we designing sensors into our products and services?
20. Do we encourage customers to provide feedback, and do we allow other customers to see it?
21. Should we take funds from advertising and general marketing and shift them to developing more innovative services and products?
22. Do we have active and effective teams that combine marketing, engineering and design professionals?
23. Do we encourage and respect a diverse range of opinions and skills across our marketing organization?
24. What percentage of our customer touch points are smart (interactive) vs. stupid (static)?
25. Do we have a mobile strategy that places a greater emphasis on serving than selling?
26. Are we consistently looking at the edges of our industry to spot disruptive technologies and business models?
27. Do we speak at customers or with them?
28. Do we reward customers for feedback?
29. Are we getting increasingly granular in our marketing metrics, to better spot opportunities?
30. Do we reward employees for serving customers, regardless of divisions or jobs?
Bruce Kasanoff is President of Now Possible, a strategy firm that offers fresh thinking about marketing and customer relationships. The Chartered Institute of Marketing – the largest organization of marketing professionals in the world – cited him among their inaugural listing of the 50 most influential thinkers in marketing and business today.
How many meetings do you attend, or facilitate, in which you are speaking over the telephone or over the internet? I imagine quite a few. It can be a little unnerving, or it can be a highly engaging experience. Here are some tips to making the most of these virtual presentations:
Remember your voice trumps all else. Since the listeners can’t see you, all they have to go on are your voice and your slides (if you are using them.) If you don’t know how your voice sounds, now is the time to get a voice recorder and record and listen to yourself. I know it isn’t fun, but it is an eye opener.
How many “ums” and “ahs” do you hear? Is your voice monotone? Do you have good volume? How is the voice quality over your phone line or headset?
If you found any opportunities for improvement, work on then now. It will pay dividends for years. A great way to get better vocally is to periodically record yourself in a practice presentation, exaggerating each aspect of enunciation, inflection, rate of speech, etc. Think of putting color into your voice. This exercise can help you stretch your vocal range, especially if you listen back and hear the improvements for yourself.
Some other tips for humanizing the experience:
1. Don’t use a script unless absolutely necessary. Your audience will be able to hear that you are reading. Instead, use notes that are less a script.
2. Rehearse your content, as much or more than you would for a live presentation. Pay particular attention to the opening minutes, the transitions between topics, and the closing. Ask a small group or even one person to listen. Or record it and play it back.
3. Engage the audience in the first three minutes. If you wait until midway through your presentation, the audience is used to listening only, and won’t respond as well as they will in the first few minutes. Ask them to write on a white board, or introduce themselves if the class size is small enough. If you know them, do a quick “check-in” with each person.
4. Have a helper sit in. if you can have even one live body in the room, or even on the phone, you can talk to that person. Less of the blind feeling you can get when you don’t see an audience. And maybe that person could help you with audience questions, technology issues, etc.
5. Privatize the chat function so that only the presenter and helper can see the questions. Encourage people to ask anything they want, knowing that they will remain anonymous. This increases trust and reduces risk of saying something they might regret. You can respond to the comment or question without revealing who said it.
6. Put up pictures. You can post them on your wall, or on your desk or even on your computer. Make these the happiest-to-see-you faces you can. Or use pictures of your pets or loved ones so you can see them, if that helps you feel more connected.
7. Stand up. This allows you to breathe more deeply, puts more energy in your voice.
8. Open your mouth wider. Enunciate carefully. This can keep you from rushing, and make you more easily understood.
9. Smile. Yes, we can hear that in your voice.
10. Keep the group small. In this way you can personalize the call, so people don’t just drift in and out of attention. There is nothing like hearing your name called with a question attached. Your audience will stay more focused if you might call on them.
Speaking with a remote audience is more and more part of our presentation repertoire. You can hide in the dark, or you can choose to shine.
I would love to hear from you. How do you sparkle when you speak with remote audiences? And how do you engage your audience in remote presentations?
Although there’s no way that one simple formula could work for everyone, getting great PR is not out of reach, even with a tight budget and no training. We’re talking about basic ways to support a great story. There are ten things you should know, according to Entrepreneur Magazine. Last time we covered #1-5, and today’s post: 6-10.
6. “Follow up on Correspondence”
Once you’ve sent that press release or story pitch, be sure to follow up appropriately and timely. Look at it from their perspective. They have tight deadlines and a bazillion emails. It’s just a fact of life that they can’t read everything right away. So help them out and direct their attention to your submission. Call or email – and give them the boost they may need to pay attention to your great story.
7. “Don’t Carpet-Bomb Reporters”
In other words, the shotgun approach doesn’t work. Instead of sending your message to dozens of reporters (editors, bloggers), choose the 5-6 that are most influential and most likely to be interested in your niche. Chances are that you will be better able to follow up with these few – and make an impact.
8. “Keep Your Promises”
If you make claims, such as “revolutionary new…”, “breaking news …”, “exclusive story…” – it’s vitally important that you deliver as promised. If you’re capturing their interest with puffery, you’ll lose their trust (and likely never regain it). So be real. One time-tested motto: “Under-promise and over-deliver”.
9. “Stress Relationship-Building”
It’s important to establish the same type of healthy relationship with your press contacts as you establish with your coworkers. Think long term. If a story you pitch doesn’t make it, ask what they DO want. If a story they run about you has some inaccuracies, stay calm and don’t make it a ‘lose’ for them. Don’t burn bridges.
10. “Establish a Winning Track Record”
You are the representative of your company. If your press contacts like you, they will probably also like your company. Be considerate, and professional in all your dealings with them – always. They’re under pressure, so your kindness WILL make a difference.
Tell us about a great local story you read recently. Why was it so interesting?
Ms. Chapman’s new book has a name change! The Net-Powered Entrepreneur – A Step-by-Step Guide will be available very soon. With offices in Nashville Tennessee, but working virtually with international clients, Lisa M. Chapman serves her clients as a business and marketing coach, business planning consultant and social media consultant. As a Founder of iBrand Masters, a social media consulting firm, Lisa Chapman helps clients to establish and enhance their online brand, attract their target market, engage them in meaningful social media conversations, and convert online traffic into revenues. Email: Lisa @ LisaChapman.com
There are quite a lot of questions about how a document should be designed. If the document projects an appealing appearance and motivates the user to want to read it, then the document has been properly designed. But how do we do this? A lot of these questions can be answered within a Style Guide. It will outline familiar or commonly used styles and formats that users have previously agreed upon. The amount of content presented in a Style Guide will depend on what is required for each document to be created.
Try to denote only the important ‘must have’ items within the Style Guide.
If it becomes too lengthy, break it up into sections and include a Table of Contents. It might even be more logical to break it up into more than one document. For example, if the:
Style Guide is for Developers, you might create two different guides. Create a Style Guide for a document that details the format to use when requesting, compiling, and logging database changes and another Style Guide showing what style to use for coding documentation.
Style Guide is for HR, you might need to create several, such as a guide for a document explaining how to complete certain forms, another guide for a document that explains procedures to follow, and another guide that explains the style to use when writing about company policies.
Keep it organized; break up the guide by sections or subject matter.
What and how many Style Guides you create depends on the document type, project type, etc.
To help you begin, try to:
Go back and track down previous documents and see how they were written and see what format was used the most. Also, note down inconsistencies.
Create a chart to help you stay organized; use headers indicating various types of documentation versus the formatting and style used. Use this chart to give you an overview of what currently exists. Use it to also see where you can make the existing documentation more organized and efficient.
Have a meeting with managers, project leaders, developers, users and those that will be using the Style Guides. Inform them of the Style Guides you will be creating and present examples.
Communicate to them that each document created should have their own Style Guide.
If you already have a draft of each type of guide, have them examine each one and then give a quick synopsis and see if they approve or disapprove of them.
Show them the chart you created, point out the inconsistencies, and indicate how you came to the decisions you arrived at for creating better documentation.
Explain how a Style Guide would allow a writer to focus on the topic and would save time and energy, as the writer does not have to think about how to format or style a document.
You might face some opposition. They may want to keep some of the old formats and disagree with you. Listen to them, find out what they want and give them what they want. If you can, include what is desired, but indicate this as an exception.
This meeting is where you lay out all questions, uncertainties and reservations onto the table. This is the time to get all your answers. Also, if you have a pressing issue, ask it now. After the meeting, forward all attendees updated Style Guides to see if they meet with their approval.
Do not be discouraged. What will be in the company Style Guides will depend on the company and its culture.
If you have used Style Guides or created them, and would like to share some ideas for them, please leave a comment
Recently I worked with a wonderful group of professionals, each wanting to be a better speaker. Some wanted to feel more comfortable, to turn nervous anxiety into power. Some wanted to be able to speak more fluently, releasing themselves from relying on notes and slides. And some wanted to break bad habits; notably, the habit of using filler words. Ah, that is a tough one.
Why do we use filler words? And what can we do to reduce them from our speaking?
Cause 1: We use these fillers to fill the tiny gaps when we are thinking of what we want to say next. Our minds race so fast when we are speaking (and we speak much slower than we think) that there is often a disconnect. We forget where we were, or what our point was, because we are thinking so fast we are off to the next thought.
Solution: Try to keep your focus with what you are saying. Try to not think ahead so much. When you notice your mind racing ahead to the next thought, or what is on the next slide, gently bring it back to the present and the words you are saying in the moment.
Cause 2: We distract ourselves with perfectionism and criticism. When we make a mistake, we dwell on it. We beat ourselves up. We hear each and every little filler. And we distract ourselves with these thoughts, so we end up with…wait for it…more fillers. Dang!
Solution: Forgive and forget—right away! You may notice the mistake, but let that thought pass by. Keep your focus right where it belongs, on your content.
Cause 3: We are often thinking of the words we want to say, or the words we had planned to say, rather than the thought itself. It is frustrating when you can’t think of that perfect word you wanted to say, but your audience doesn’t know what you planned, only what they hear. Most times, a close-enough word is just as good as the perfect word.
Solution: Think of your message, not your words. Tell stories, use dialog, think in images rather than words. Shut off the internal word-finder and let the words flow. Use close-enough words. Don’t memorize a script. If you do get stuck looking for a word, allow a pause instead of filling it up. The gap is most likely not all that noticeable to the audience.
Cause 4: We very often use fillers before answering a question. While we are teeing up the answer we often use a prolonged “ummm” sound to indicate we are getting ready to answer. Other people will say “that’s a good question” to fill this gap.
Solution: Use a Neutral Bridge instead of the filler. Neutral Bridges include phrases like “the question in about” or “I understand your concern about X.” By using a Neutral Bridge you paraphrase the question, buy yourself time to think, and allow the audience to hear the question in your words.
Cause 5: We get distracted by technology. I remember the first webinar I ever gave. I was so distracted by the technology and by not seeing my audience that I almost froze. Well, I did freeze for a moment.
Solution: Have someone else with you to deal with technology issues as they arise. Practice a lot before this type of presentation, so that the technology becomes more familiar. Consider having a co-presenter until you get the hang of it. Also consider inviting people to sit in live on your session, so you have a real audience. (Or put some pictures of your audience near your computer, and talk to them.)
These are a few of the most common reasons you will hear fillers in your speaking. Will you ever get rid of every um and ah? Probably not. But if you can reduce the frequency and duration of the fillers, your message will be able to get through more successfully, and you will sound that much more polished. Good luck!
What have you done to reduce the fillers in your speaking?
It’s a world of skimmers out there – with way more content than eyeballs. Yes, the competition for readers’ attention is fierce. (But we’re fiercer, aren’t we?)
To score that precious publicity hit, there are ten things you should know, according to Entrepreneur Magazine. No expensive PR agency needed. Follow these insights to boost the odds that your press release will capture the interest of the local paper or influential blogger. Today we cover #1-5, and next post: 6-10.
1. “Get Your Story Straight”
The perfect story for an editor or blogger is one that’s UNIQUE. Right? No one wants to read about things they already know. Get attention by choosing a topic that focuses on your company’s unique competitive advantage. Otherwise known as unique selling proposition. Weave that into a newsworthy story, and include interesting stories, people or places that a reader can identify with.
2. “Perfect Your Pitch”
Take that story you just wrote and condense it down to a 30 second pitch. When you write a press release or call a reporter to pitch your story, you have to capture their attention in two sentences. Maybe less. So keep your pitch short and sweet.
3. “Tailor For Each Outlet”
Basically, this means, “One size DOES NOT fit all.” You wouldn’t pitch the same story to a column editor for HR personnel and individual job seekers. They’re just not interested in the same thing. So make sure to customize your story for it’s audience. Then customize the pitch.
4. “Prepare Assets in Advance”
When you can bring your story to life with screenshots, photos, links to videos and the like, prepare and deliver those along with the story. Your pitch has much more depth and texture – and you make the editor’s (or blogger’s) job easier – they won’t have to find that themselves.
5. “Issue Press Releases and Media Advisories”
These are simple summaries that offer breaking news and expert interviewees. Find a free template online. If you send it digitally to more than one media person, drop their email addresses in the Bcc and send it TO yourself. That way the receiver doesn’t know who and how many you’re pitching to.
Have YOU been featured in a story you pitched? Tell us about it.
Ms. Chapman’s new book has a name change! The Net-Powered Entrepreneur – A Step-by-Step Guide will be available very soon. With offices in Nashville Tennessee, but working virtually with international clients, Lisa M. Chapman serves her clients as a business and marketing coach, business planning consultant and social media consultant. As a Founder of iBrand Masters, a social media consulting firm, Lisa Chapman helps clients to establish and enhance their online brand, attract their target market, engage them in meaningful social media conversations, and convert online traffic into revenues. Email: Lisa @ LisaChapman.com
When putting together a document, where do you begin? What formatting or style do you use to present and communicate your information in a document? This question and others can be answered within the Style Guide. A Style Guide contains a set of rules that a writer uses to maintain consistency for grammar, format, and or content material. There are several Style guide designs. There is usually a generic guide that gives a summary of what styles and formats to use for particular types of manuals and then there is a more specific guide with greater detail, i.e., for:
Medical and Science Writers when submitting regulatory documentation or research,
Developers when submitting requests for database changes and documenting code,
Engineers who require Functional Specifications and Technical Specifications,
Testers who require QA specifications,
Users who require User guides and Reference sheets documenting processes and definitions,
HR Personnel when writing procedural instructions or educational material, or
Manufacturers when creating design specifications, etc.
These were just a few examples. Following a written set of guidelines ensures that the document is consistent, uniform, and allows the writer to focus on the writing of the material. You can call it a blueprint or template to follow. It will help the writer design the finished product and it will also make it easier for the reader, because they’ll know beforehand where certain information is located within a document because of the consistent style.
The Style guide will also:
Detail grammar and industry terminology.
Denote how certain text would be displayed within, e.g., Medical specifications or descriptions, or database definitions.
Indicate how to display numbers, or how to present abbreviations, i.e., should they be presented with initial caps or are some initial caps and some lower case?
How to format other objects such as check boxes or bullets or drop down lists.
Show where objects are defined. Should, e.g., definitions be placed in the back of the document, before the glossary or within the Appendix? How should tables be formatted and laid out? Should a background color be applied to the table or should only the heading have a background color?
Note what typeface, font, and size should be used. Will a newspaper or column style be applied and should text always be left justified?
Indicate the type of graphics embedded; are only jpeg files permitted or are any types of graphic files permitted?
Many other groupings or items have to be described as well, such as the Table of contents, the Appendix and headers and footers and paragraph breaks.
Most Style Guides contain references to sample material, standard conventions, a glossary, etc. So I guess the answer to the question ‘Do we need a Style Guide’ is ‘Yes’.
Note: As reminder, as with all documents, include a section for the review cycle and sign off sheets. This will ensure that everyone approves of the particular Style Guide. See some tips in the next post.
We Value Your Privacy We use cookies to better serve our customers through site functionality and user personalization.
We and our partners store and/or access information on a device, such as cookies and process personal data. This includes unique identifiers and standard information sent by a device for personalized ads and content, ad and content measurement, and audience insights.
With your permission, we and our partners may use precise geolocation data and identification through device scanning. You may click to consent to our processing as described above. Alternatively, you may click to refuse to consent or access more detailed information. You may also change your preferences before consenting.
Please note that some processing of your personal data may not require your consent, but you have a right to object to such processing. Your preferences will apply to this website only. You can change your preferences at any time by returning to this site or by visiting our privacy policy.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
I’m okay with functional and analytical cookies for website functionality. I agree to the use of cookies under these circumstances:
Will be used if you visit Managementhelp.org
Are necessary for the proper functioning of the website
Enable you to use the site securely
Do not collect personal information that’s not needed for personalization
Help us detect any bugs and improve our website
Collect anonymous information about your visits to our website
Are never used for remarketing
I’m okay with the functional and analytical cookies for marketing purposes and not for website functionality.
Are used to monitor the performance of marketing campaigns
Enable us to compare performance across our marketing campaigns
Are used for individual targeting
Can be used for retargeting on other partner platforms
Enable a more personalized experience
