Tuesday, February 2, 2016

Persuasive Writing for Business

Persuasive writing for business is an extremely valuable skill and can be used with customers, business partners and employees. Persuasive writing can be used to answer common questions and deflate reluctance in getting action or agreement. The number one reason why writing persuasively is beneficial to business is because it can increase sales.


The best writers go beyond just persuading readers to believe in your service or product; they also persuade readers to believe in your brand. Gurus know how to get people to believe a business and/or brand is at the pinnacle, which doesn't have to equate to success in dollars. Rather, great writers know how to position an organization to create a loyal following and lifetime value that, overtime, increases in monetary value or goal accomplishment. If it's a non-profit organization, the goal may be to gain more members or advocates.

Being persuasive in writing is useful in creating ad copy, content for your website, and many marketing and communication materials. Persuasive writing establishes rapport; every experienced salesperson knows how important that is. While writing quality content or copy, it is important to build and maintain reader interest. Having a positive attitude and making the reader feel good will also provide greater incentive for the person to do what you ask.

Expressing creativity in writing can help in keeping the reader interested. Don't make the mistake of trying to persuade with an aggressive stance; writing with good manners will get you a lot further in persuading most people while writing service benefits.

Monday, November 16, 2015

Overcoming Writer's Block

Overcoming writer's block becomes easier the more you write. That has been my experience. I think the more you write, the more confident you feel about expressing yourself and your thoughts. However, you don't have to be a guru writer, anyone can overcome writer's block at any moment by pushing yourself to type or write with a pen, (if that's your fancy). I have used this technique hundreds of times and it works. I literally type whatever comes to my head.


I give myself the freedom to make mistakes and expel all thoughts. Of course, this technique works better when you know the subject matter fully. Many times, there are lots of re-writes and editing, especially if the issue being written about is complex.

That being said, if you want to write quality content and do it well, it's important to read reputable literature on the matter. I prefer  reading books written by expert authors or papers published by educational institutions, such as in journals, as opposed to reading random websites. In this way, I know I am reading authentic literature. This is very important for some industries.

For instance, writing for a legal service can be time consuming in prior reading. I have had to read very dry and boring government laws or codes in order to write well and actually offer valuable content. I've even read court documents in preparation of writing a press release where the details and implications are critical and required. It's not fun reading dull information but it must be done in order to keep my promise of providing a quality content writing service.

When in doubt, do what guru writers do: drink lots of coffee! On the upside, writer's block is advantageous if you're writing a suicide note. (Ha, ha! Sorry, I couldn't hold back that one).

Tuesday, November 10, 2015

Content Writing for Service Businesses

Content writing for a service business can be a lot harder when it's a startup and there is no business plan or there are no clear objectives in a marketing plan.  That is, if the copy writing is intended to sell and be marketed toward a particular audience. As a writer, sometimes I am not merely writing about a topic, but rather I'm making and implementing a marketing strategy. Perhaps, I'm just a perfectionist and extend myself above and beyond because I really want to see my clients succeed. I take their success as a reflection of me and take it personally. I suppose that can't be bad thing.

In the past, many times, I have written content with underlying marketing strategies. I'm happy to say that companies are quite receptive and they relish the extra work you put in. Sometimes, though if there is too little documentation or available information about a business it can be a problem for a writer because then you're playing a guessing game. You're not sure where to draw the line and what the business is capable of. Are you saying too much in your writing? Are you over extending a service that the business is not capable of producing? Is the content understating or overstating a service and putting a strain on resources?

As a professional writer, these are some of the aspects one must consider carefully, especially when content writing for a service that is heavily regulated.

The takeaway from this blog is, if you are a writer, be careful what you write. If you overextend a service even as simple as a delivery time, that can either put a real strain on the resources of the business or result in a bad review, refund, or complaint when the customer does not get the service completed in time. It's very important to do your research and be certain that the content you are writing about is factual. Always be sure to have the CEO, or an executive of the company review your writing, especially when writing a web page about a service provided.

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Sunday, August 9, 2015

Top Content Marketers Know their Target Audience


“Good marketers see consumers as complete human beings with all the dimensions real people have.”
– Jonah Sachs

To do content marketing and writing well, it is essential to know who your target market is. The best content writers develop persona(s) of who they are which may include their interests, occupation, and more. For instance, if a doctor specializes in pediatrics, it would be to his benefit to have a target market consisting of mothers with young children. He may know from experience that mothers are most likely making the decision of where to take their children for medical evaluations. He may also notice that most of his clients are of a particular age range. To advantage marketing efforts, he may have  the content on his website custom made to be attractive to this group.

It takes dedication and time to research and define your target market well. However, the payoff in writing high quality content is tremendous. It comes down to providing information that actually interests your best customers, makes new ones, and keeps them loyal. Quality content writing keeps people coming back for more.

Fill out the online form and send me an email, if you need a high quality content writing service.

Saturday, August 1, 2015


"Creativity is intelligence having fun."
- Albert Einstein

Good writing, in a reasoned manner, can produce conversation when it's original. When appropriate for the context, being a writer who's creative and entertaining can be a good experience for the reader.

Monday, July 27, 2015

Crucial List on Website Marketing for a Small Business and eCommerce

A business with a small budget for marketing can advantage these website ideas from an experienced marketing expert. Regardless of your budget, it is important to be creative with your marketing to gain the most from your efforts. Creative marketing captures and holds attention. It is vital to grab the prospect's interest first to incite any further action, such as a website visit, purchase, or call.

1.    Get a website

Today, most people will visit a website after they've viewed an advertisement, if they are interested. Everyone goes online to research, especially for bigger budget decisions. Thus, your website should be in tip-top shape. As a small business owner or sole proprietor, having a website is a top priority and it's very affordable. Many web hosts, like GoDaddy.com, have free websites when you buy a domain name and their hosting. Some even have eCommerce frameworks from which to build on, though you may need assistance with that. The point is to have a website, any website is better than none. Do the best with what you have and can do.

You can begin with a smaller budget website and after your business has grown, have it redesigned for marketing reasons. Marketing is a necessary means to grow your business big and quickly. Investing in marketing will pay back many times more than what's put in, but it's imperative to make smart and educated decisions.

A website legitimizes a business and makes known what is offered. Even if it's a small website consisting of a few pages, there are too many reasons to list on why every business should have a website. Profile pages on branded websites, such as Yelp, are a nice addition to your marketing mix. However, they will never match the capability of a website that can fully express your business offering. Get a website and a domain name unique to your business.

If you already have a website, and it is down a lot, I highly recommend upgrading your website host.

Losing website visitors, and thus customers, because your website is down is a tragedy. Spending an extra few dollars a month is well worth all the customers you may be losing.

2.    Get it professionally designed

I want to stress that a professionally designed website can go a long way in increasing your sales. However, it's important to choose the right website design company. There are many facets of website design that make some websites perform better than others, such as user-friendliness, the graphic design and images, and other factors. Of course, the content on the website, which is the meat of it, is going to make a big difference on how effective it is.

If your website looks like an ancient relic, an inference may be made about your product or service.

If your website looks like it was made in 1980, it was due an update decades ago, unless you're targeting a niche of hipster teeny boppers. If not, it is highly advisable to modernize the look of the website so that people won't draw the conclusion that perhaps your product or service also belongs in the 80's.

To give your website a more modernized look without spending a lot, update all the images and content, and simplify. Remove outdated graphics or elements. Add elements that are representative of your business now, such as social media buttons or links to your social media profiles, like Twitter and Facebook. Be sure to have professional looking photos of any employees that are on your site. 

3.    The right marketing creates customers

In short, the better the website, the better your sales. That concept can be applied to all marketing efforts. The better your ads, communication with customers, marketing strategy, and so on, the better your sales. Marketing, when done right, creates customers.

4.    Copywriting and graphic design should be carefully thought out

The same can be said of advertisements, the graphic design (including colors and images) and copywriting should reflect a professional image that uplifts your business. If the graphic design being used is one had since day one, it's probably outdated.

When marketing looks outdated, some people will assume the product or service is also outdated. You may have the best product or service around, your marketing should reflect that.

Do you want people to think you are not up to date in the industry, in the tools you use, in current trends with new technologies and business partners? Think of it this way... How would you feel, if you visited a dentist for a cleaning, laid back in your chair and he started to lay out his tools that appeared like they were from the Middle Ages? You probably wouldn't feel very comfortable or confident in his service. You might question whether he would give you the best dental cleaning. You may even excuse yourself to the restroom and run out.

5.    Contact information should be prominent on all pages of your website

The website should have contact information such as an online form, email link, and/or phone number displayed prominently. Don't hide the contact information or make people search endlessly through your site to find it. Don't make people do more than they have to. Research has shown that most people visit websites and make decisions within the first 30 seconds. Make it easy for people to contact you and place the contact information in a prominent section on every page.

Your profile pages, such as Facebook and Yelp, should have your contact information and a link to your website.

Contact information should be placed on all advertisements, whenever possible and where it makes sense.

6.    A phone number is good, a toll free number is better

A toll free number is especially important if you get or would like clients or customers outside of your local area, such as other cities or states. If the website engages in eCommerce, (it has a shopping cart), then a toll free number is highly recommended.

A phone number and website is usually the best contact information to display on all ads, either online or offline. Research has shown that having a phone number displayed increases sales. A toll free number is a great investment and shows people you are serious about doing business. Try and get a toll free number that is easy to remember; you can use word(s) describing your business, such as the service, product, or brand name.  There are many services with good rates on toll free numbers, such as Grasshopper.com and TollFreeForwarding.com.

Affordable online forms to put on your website are easy to implement at FormAssembly.com. I've used all the company services I've recommend in this blog, in the past, for different businesses I've worked with. I recommend them because they are reliable, affordable, have great customer support and do a great job.

7.    Hire an experienced professional writer

Hiring an experienced professional writer to create the content for your website or copywriting for your ads is an investment that pays off in leaps and bounds. If you've never done it, then you simply don't know what you're missing. Like anything, it's important to hire the best writer; someone who has many years of marketing experience and is considered an expert in the industry. I've worked with leading internet marketing companies and consulted world known direct-response marketing leaders, like Guthy-Renker. These companies hire me because I have a very long track record of consistently generating top results for a wide range of businesses.


The key to winning in marketing is to make deliberate choices.

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Thursday, July 16, 2015

Business Internet Marketing and Online Method Types

Businesses have several types of internet marketing to choose from. The awareness of your product or service and the demand for it may be an important factor in choosing what online method is best for you. Although, the different internet marketing channels and types are available to all businesses, some will be more ideal than others.

Internet Marketing Types:

  • Search engine optimization (SEO) – consists of doing work, such as quality writing, to raise search result rankings and place at the top of Google, Yahoo, and Bing in the free organic listings.
  • Pay per click (PPC) – paying for each click to your website. The clicks vary in price and are controlled by the market in an auction based platform. In some industries, such as law, clicks can be over a hundred dollars on certain search phrases.
  • Press releases – writing that announces news about your business and is released to a public relations (PR) distribution network.
  • Email marketing – can be advertisements, newsletters, sales letters and more.
  • Affiliate programs – paying commissions to affiliates for online sales or qualified leads tracked by online technologies.
  • Ad network – image, text or video ads placed on a network of websites or one website.
  • Social media – posts or ads on social media sites.
Regardless of the method you choose, it is wise to have quality writing to get a higher response from your online advertising efforts. The writing and images, if any, will determine the effectiveness of the marketing campaign and, in turn, will affect your sales. It takes skill to write well in marketing, including targeted copy to a particular demographic and advantaging the method used.

Ideally, you want to do marketing research before you start working on your campaign and develop a strategy. The writing, design, and any media should support your online marketing strategy. The marketing campaign can span across the different types of channels and this can be very powerful.

If you found this blog helpful, please share it or like it below and help others like you. Press the g+1 button. Thank you!

Please give your suggestions on what you would like to read a blog on, in regards to online marketing, websites, and content writing by commenting.