The Write Touch, Inc.

Using conversational copy, nix the jargon

Larry — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 21:53:47 +0000

Marketing copy should almost always be written in conversational language. Write as if you’re talking to the prospect face to face. Further, the language needs to sound like what your prospect would say, rather than your version.

Don’t confuse technical terms with jargon. Technical terms help communicate a concept or idea more precisely than ordinary terms. Example: Wi-Fi describes a particular kind of Internet connection.

Jargon, however, is simply language that is unnecessarily complex. For example, why use “graphical representations” if you actually mean pictures or signs and decals?

More about connecting with your audience here.

Please don’t write like this

Larry — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 21:43:21 +0000

If your marketing includes emails, articles and/or blogging, think you could engage your audience with something like the following example?

This excerpt is from a recent Denver Post article by Dave Maney titled “Economic scoreboard is broken”.
“That same distorted scoreboard effect can be seen through the lens of GDP statistics, with collaborative consumption offering information-enabled sharing of expensive durable goods (fewer sold, more efficiently used — think Zipcar or Airbnb), and in business investment figures, in which services like cloud computing and Internet-enabled outsourcing have vastly reduced the amount of start-up and expansion capital businesses need (through efficient shared use of technology and physical space).”

Engaging? Not so much. As to jargon and technical terms, read my blog “Using conversational language”.

2012 Goals

Larry — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 15:55:30 +0000

If you’re the goal-setting type, remember the “rules” about goals. Almost every so-called expert and author of goal setting advice says you need to:

Put the goal in writing
Make it realistic
Put a time frame on it
Make it measurable
State it in a positive context (I will weigh 175 pounds, not I’m going to lose x pounds)

Many struggle with the process because they make it too complicated. Here’s a simple tool you’re welcome to use for 2012. GOAL SETTING AND AUDIT WORKSHEETS

A Thanksgiving Thought

Larry — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 15:27:03 +0000

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. We host a traditional gathering of family and friends on Thanksgiving every year. One year we had 25 people, and our two kids were away at college. One of our guests was from Australia, in Denver to work on a new software project with my company.

Life seems more hectic these days. Struggles abound, individually and collectively. On Thanksgiving, lets shelve our challenges for a day (at least) and focus on what’s really important. Give thanks for your friends and family; relationships – sharing our journey with others is what really matters.

Keyword and website content

Larry — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 23:09:49 +0000

From Tips and Tools – November, 2011:

Yes, “Content is King” is still the dictum of a good website. Keywords are critical to the search engines:

Write the content first . . . for the reader, with a focus on benefits and call to action.
Do keyword research after you’ve written good content (plenty of tools out there).
Make sure the most popular keywords are part of your copy.
Just don’t disrupt the message with repetitive keywords/phrases.

Check out Communication Tips and Tools archive