Question

Topic: Strategy

Please Quote Your Views For My Next Book

Posted by Anonymous on 3/3/2004 at 1:58 PM ET 250 Points
I’m writing another book on business writing and would like your opinion on a key issue. If I use your quote I will of course give you whatever short credit you want in the text and on the acknowledgements page. (Sorry, can’t do money!) The book will be published worldwide by White Label Publishing / Ecademy Press later this year.

As we all know only too well, the quality of writing online varies a lot.

At one end of the spectrum there are the bloggers who can’t spell or punctuate, closely followed by the texters/SMSers who couldn’t recognize a word spelled out in full if it jumped up and bit them on the ankle.

At the other end of the spectrum are professional business writers like me who take the quality, style, pace, grammar, syntax and everything else to do with writing online, very seriously indeed.

What I want to know is this:

If you are NOT a pro writer, how important is the quality of writing in your online business communications, to the success of your business?

If you ARE a pro writer, of course you will know just how important good quality writing is both online and offline. But please answer this: what difference would your two/three best clients say your writing work has made to the success of their businesses online?

I would be eternally grateful for your views! Please either post them on here or email them to me (suze @ suzanstmaur.com) Many, many thanks in anticipation.

SUZE
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RESPONSES

  • Posted by Pepper Blue on 3/3/2004 at 2:52 PM Accepted
    I am not a professional writer although some times I wish I was or at least had more formal experience/education/background with writing copy.

    This is because I believe that the quality of the writing in my business communications is reflective of the way I think, my attention to detail, my philosophy.

    Since in many cases the reader has not met me, my writing is "me".

    I am finding that as my business develops that all the things you mentioned: quality, style, pace, grammar, syntax are becoming even more important because I have to write more and more, for different audiences and different mediums, and people are becoming more aware and critical - good and bad.

    My concern is that even if I hired somebody or outsourced they will not capture "me", although with time this might happen.

    Hope that brief thought helps.
  • Posted by Chris Blackman on 3/3/2004 at 4:17 PM Member
    It seems to me there are two distinct voices to be heard in the communication message.

    First, their is the voice the client wants to have heard as its voice communicating its specific message. This has as much to do with the client's brand persona as it does with making the message clear.

    Then, there is the voice the target segment listens to. This might not be the voice of the client. They may never have heard of the client, it's products, services or messages. Or if they have heard its other messages, they may have closed their minds to them because they weren't worded or voiced appropriately.

    I think every client, especially where they have broad-ranging demographies within their target segments, would be exposed to this problem. A smaller number face the issue correctly by creating the right blend of our voice/your voice in their communications.

    It's a fine balance. But I think that's where the professional writer comes in. Online or off.

    Hope this is helpful.

  • Posted by Blaine Wilkerson on 3/4/2004 at 9:46 AM Member
    I built my business by writing letters and emails. Nothing more.

    Initially, during acquisition or recruiting, I send out a letter that is very professional in format and grammer, yet is designed to specifically target a particular entity. By using "buzz words" I know will catch their attention, and based on prior research of the company status, I construct my message to hit them where it counts! Currently, my success rate is about 60%. Unfortunately, not everyone responds.

    What I find to be most interesting about the whole phenomenon is how both the clients and I switch into a more personal, laid-back poise in our cummincations. Sometimes this happens almost immediately! One minute we are corresponding and talking on the phone like seasoned professionals, and the next thing you know, we are calling each other "man", dude", "buddy", telling jokes and sharing pics of our kids etc. We all feel more comfortable being able to let the hair down a bit. Did I mention the referrals and word-of-mouth I get from my existing clients secondary to this? It is like we are all one big family.

    Several clients have informed me their hits and profits jumped ever since I re-worded their website, newsletters, sent out that professional proposal etc. Those statements, combined with my success at building an initial client base, is an important indication of how important it is to not only write profressionally, but write according to the situation and the demographic as well. Cut loose when it feels right, just be sure to tighten up when them time comes.

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