If you are going to spend the time and energy writing the words you should spend a little extra time polishing them. Especially when you are marketing yourself or your business. This is where it is extremely important to get it right. You can’t rely on the spell check on your word processing package. Here are some reasons why.

Some words will not be picked up using the spell check function because they are, in fact, correct words, just not correct in the sentence you have written. For example, the incorrect use of the words your and you are very rarely picked up by the spell checking function. An example of this is shown below.

I have circled the incorrect word. As you can see, even with spell check the incorrect use of the word you (rather than your) was not highlighted, but it is obviously incorrect and the sentence does not make sense. Only the human eye can pick up these types of errors.

Several words in the example below are part of the English language, they are just incorrect in the sentence. Again, the spell checker has failed to pick these up. I have circled the errors for you.

Humans are much better than automated functions at recognising errors. And, a great method for a thorough check of your document, depending on its length and importance is to read the document backwards, starting from the end of the document and reading from the end of the paragraph back through to the start, looking at each word on its own merit, rather than reading it in the sentence. This will help to avoid reading what your brain wants to read or thinks should be the next word.

And a word of advice: often if you have laboured over a document, you are so close to it that even thoroughly proofreading the document yourself will not pick up some errors. Why? Because you are too close to it. You have drafted, read, rewritten, read it again, produced the final draft, proofread and by now you know it backwards. That in itself is the issue. You read what you know you want to say or what should be written, not what is actually there.

Ask someone to proofread for you. A fresh perspective can be invaluable.

Recently I was assisting a client to update the details for a long list of their contacts. How hard could that be? With website address in hand no less? You would be surprised at how many companies do not have their contact details easily identifiable on their website. How strange. You would think that this would be one of the most important pieces of information that a company wishes to convey.

And it can be a major source of frustration when it takes much searching to find this basic piece of information. Or worse yet not be able to find it at all.

So, where should contact details be placed on a website?

Always at the bottom of every website page. Usually in smaller font than the rest of the text.

Very desirable as a main menu selection, often as the last item. This will save the visitor from having to burrow down through numerous pages when what they really want is to contact you. Save them the frustration. Studies have revealed that people also search for contact information under the About Us page, so place a link to your Contact page from the About Us page.

What contact details do you include on your Contact page?

• official company name
• phone number, including area code
• email address as a link, automatically opening up in the client’s email account e.g. Microsoft Outlook
• street or postal address, including a Google map for physical address
• fax number (if you still have one)
• a simple contact form
• operating hours, where relevant.

Additionally, if the best and most expected mode of contact is phone and your client base would be seeking this, place the contact number boldly, preferably in the top half of each page. Aesthetics are important but a good website designer should be able to accommodate this.

After all, your website should be about what your client needs. Once they have reviewed what your business offers, we hope that the next step is that they would like to contact you. Don’t make it hard for them to find this vital piece of information, otherwise they may just give up and look elsewhere.

It’s amazing how a refreshing break from work and business can truly recharge the batteries. Even some of the more tedious tasks, which at the end of a busy year almost put you to sleep, suddenly seem slightly more interesting. Medical research clearly supports the benefits a good holiday have on your health and wellbeing.

And so it is the same with your business. Perhaps it needs recharging – a fresh perspective? Does the way you communicate with your potential clients need a review?

Are you talking to your potential clients in a language that they understand? Working every day in your business can tend to bog you down in the ‘day to day must do’ and result in you forgetting about the face of the business – that critical first impression.

Just as it is important for us to be recharged and gain a fresh perspective – the way you are talking to your clients may also need a boost.

Whether it is words for a brochure, website, email marketing or a blog, you need to make sure your message talks to your audience – your potential and valued clients.

That the deal or information you want to tell your audience about is pitched at their level. Not in your lingo but in their language.

Recently I was working with a client who wanted to list the company’s services and what they offer as ‘capabilities’ on their new brochure.  When I pointed out that, yes, they were his company’s ‘capabilities’, but they were his potential clients’ ‘solutions’, and should be named as such, he looked perplexed, but then nodded thoughtfully.

I think it was a light bulb moment for him.

So often, we know what we can offer our clients, but we forget to view it from their perspective.

There is also the danger of using ‘industry speak’ – lingo that you use every day that may mean absolutely nothing to your clients.

Remember, talk to your clients in their language, from their perspective. This awareness and perhaps change in strategy will only serve to benefit your clients and ultimately your business.

Your website is not new to you, but how do visitors to your website feel?

 
Is your website easy to navigate? Can visitors find what they want, quickly? Do people leave in frustration? And how would you know if they did?

 
You know every nook and cranny of your website, and this alone can pose a problem.  To you it is easy to navigate, you know where to find things – it makes perfect sense. To you.

But what about your visitors? To them, your website is new. So, how can you ensure that your website is user friendly?

Perhaps you need a fresh perspective, someone from outside your business to evaluate your website and provide constructive feedback.

Maybe you need to re-evaluate the purpose of your website – is it doing what you originally intended, or has that purpose changed?

Or do you use industry ‘lingo’ on your website – you understand it because you live and breathe it, but do your potential clients understand it? Industry speak can turn people away from your website, and your business.

A fresh set of eyes or an independent opinion may be just what your website and your business needs.

Communication, in its many forms is a powerful tool, if used wisely. Bad communication, quite simply, equals bad customer service – which does not bode well for any business.

And, according to a recent BDO Service 2020 report, “30 per cent of Australian businesses will need to increase their customer service standards if they want to succeed in the coming decade.” A sobering thought.

So, where do you start in evaluating if you and your staff are serving your customers well?

Unless you are a large corporation, and even those companies need to consider this; you or your staff must answer the telephone personally, not with a recording that gives your valuable customers the option to press 1, 2 or 3 or to “please tell me in your own words what you are calling about today” only to be told, “sorry, I don’t understand you”. That reminds me of the ‘Sick of talking to a machine’ AAMI Insurance advertisement featuring ‘Moira’ whom the machine interpreted as being named ‘Moron’.

Social networking, in whatever sphere, needs a strategy which must be backed up by regular interaction and implemented with careful, considered and consumer-focused communication. Adopt a relaxed, informal approach but avoid being overly personal; remember it is your clients you are speaking to, not your best friend. As with all other business communication it needs to be free of spelling and grammatical errors – yes, even on Facebook!

An example of social media gone wrong was Qantas’ Twitter disaster last November. Clearly they forgot the golden rule of ‘client-focused’ when they attempted a ‘luxury’ promotion attempt just weeks after it had left thousands of travellers stranded.

Your website content should answer some (but not all) of your potential customers’ questions. It must:

• provide various alternative methods to contact you – email, phone, address – and make it obvious; don’t hide these contact options in some obscure place, a common and puzzling phenomenon that only serves to annoy web users
• be free of grammatical and spelling errors
• be well maintained with fresh content; nothing speaks louder than a website with old dates, information that is no longer relevant or links that don’t work
• avoid ‘industry speak’, which can creep into your business. Asking someone external to your business to write for you can eliminate this; a good writer will quickly identify industry speak and find better ways to say what needs to be said, in everyday language.

All of your written communication must be clear, concise, free of errors and most importantly respond to the customer request or query in a professional and helpful manner. It is important to always:

• double-check, before you send, for grammatical and spelling errors
• check the ‘tone’ is positive even if you feel the customer request may be frustrating or petty
• respond in a respectful manner.

Good customer service is all about clear, concise and customer-focused communication.

How well is your business communicating?

So, you’ve spotted your perfect job. You know that you can do the job and do it well. You just need to get your foot in the door.

But your resume is outdated or doesn’t sufficiently reflect your current skills and abilities.

How do you create or update your resume to gain an interview?

Research

Find out as much as you can about the company and the industry of the advertised position. Check out the company’s website, Facebook and follow them on twitter. See if you can identify the employer’s hidden needs. Aim to solve those hidden needs in your resume and cover letter.

Reflect

Find a blank piece of paper and brainstorm your employment history, education, abilities, qualities and achievements – write down anything that comes into your mind under each of the topics. Identify the keywords that appear in the job advertisement and use them throughout the brainstorming exercise.

Relevance

Once you have it all down on paper, go back to each topic and think about what is relevant to your target job. Cross out anything that doesn’t relate. Sometimes a whole previous position may get crossed out; you don’t need to list everything – it is important to be relevant.

Refine

Arrange the topics into two sections – assertions (abilities, qualities, achievements) and evidence (jobs, education), structuring the text into clear, compelling and interesting sentences. Insert targeted keywords, identified from the job advertisement, which will get your prospective employer’s attention. Format into a professional document and above all proofread to make sure your resume is free of spelling or grammatical errors.

And remember the main question in the employer’s mind is “Why should I interview this person?” and “How is he or she different from the other applicants?”

Good luck! I hope this helps you create a compelling resume that says, “Hire me”.

Your time is precious. Why fill it up with cumbersome chores that you could outsource? We have highlighted five important reasons why writing your own website content, advertising copy, important letters, press releases – pretty much anything with words… can be problematic for many reasons.

Avoiding industry speak

Within your business or industry you can very quickly become immune to industry speak. It becomes your everyday language, but to your potential clients is can seem like another language. Asking someone external to your business to write for you can eliminate this; a good writer will quickly identify industry speak and find better ways to say what needs to be said, in everyday language.

This is our thing

You may be a fantastic accountant, business coach, real estate agent, lawyer or hairdresser, but are you comfortable with writing? I certainly wouldn’t attempt to prepare my own tax, cut my own hair or represent myself in court; just as you may need someone to help with your communication – it allows you to get on with what you’re best at.

Content is king

You may have heard this phrase bandied around, but what does it really mean? It has never been more necessary than in today’s fast moving environment to ensure your online content is well written and effective, but also updated regularly to keep Google happy.

Polished communication is invaluable

Even though communication may not be your core business, and you may be thinking what does grammar have to do with your industry; errors and bad grammar can be really embarrassing… and make you look second-rate. I’ve heard of someone who was referring to the ‘Shifts’ that had taken place in the marketplace. Problem is, he left the ‘f’ out of ‘Shifts’ and posted it online. Woops.

Diligence and consistency

Sounds boring, and sometimes it is. Not everyone has the patience or the time to ensure consistent written communication, but the benefits are enormous. It could be as simple as creating a style guide and then referring to this for all your communication. This diligence pays off when you can use your “everyday” information in tenders and proposals because you have confidence in it. This approach will also save you and your staff time if there is a style guide to refer to allowing you to create a professional, consistent look.

Even if you feel comfortable writing, do you really have time for this? Would a fresh approach to your content help? Or even if you have already written something, maybe a ‘fresh set of eyes’ to proofread or edit will make all the difference.

What tasks within your business do you find really irritating, difficult and time-consuming? Can we help you?

You have a Facebook business page – so now what?        I’ve outlined the basics to get you started.

 Who

• Keep your client in mind – that is who you should always be talking to on your Facebook page, not your best friend.

 What

• Not the hard sell; this will alienate fans and potential clients very quickly.
• Instead post a mix of your own thoughts, news, useful tips, tools, promotions, competitions, customer testimonials, resources and links from other sites in your industry or related industries.
• Ask questions of your fans so they have an opportunity to have their say.
• Always keep your posts professional, but in a relaxed Facebook way.
• Always double check your spelling, grammar and tone before you post.

 When

• Post regularly, but daily is probably a little over the top.

 Where

• Obviously Facebook; just be aware of your market and of time zones.

 How

• Keep a post calendar or a word document where you store ideas for your next or upcoming posts.
• Engaging with fans is as critical as enticing fans to ‘like’ you.
• Try ending your comment with a question.
• You can always add your own comments to your posts to get things rolling.
• Always respond to comments and questions as soon as possible.
• Follow and comment on other business pages.
• It’s important to be open, inviting, warm and personable, but always remain professional.

 Why

• It’s another tool for you to promote your business online.
• It should ultimately lead to sales, but this may not happen overnight.

Still need some help? Feel free to ask me questions, visit our website to see what we can do for you or follow us on facebook.

Same sounding words, different meanings – you can get away with it in speech, but in writing it’s another story.

If you’d like some simple explanations for the words that trouble many of us in everyday writing, you’ve come to the right place.

Stationery or Stationary?

There’s a little trick for this one. It has to do with paper and car…..

The word stationery means pens, pencils, paper, envelopes – and the best way to remember is to think stationery, think paper.

The word stationary means still, not moving. So if you think of a car being hit by a truck it is no longer moving, it is stationary. Think stationary, think car.

We will need to order some more wedding stationery. (paper)

You need to remain stationary to avoid being hit by the car. (stay still, think car)

So try to remember paper (stationery) and car (stationary). It has always helped me… I hope it helps you too.

To or Too?

How can one little “o” make so much difference? Well, it does and the easiest way to remember is to think of the extra “o” as excessive. Whenever you use the word “too” it usually means there is extra or additional of something, hence the use of the extra “o”.

When to use too?

There is too much information to pass on over the telephone, we must arrange a meeting. (excessive amount of information)

It is going to be too difficult to do that now, we will have to wait. (It is very difficult; and can you see how the singular ‘to’ is correct in the other instances in the sentence)

Mary will be joining us for dinner too. (Mary is also going to join us for dinner)

You have been late for work on too many occasions, there will now be consequences. (numerous occurrences of lateness, obviously too many for this employer)

Do you get the picture? Too is used when you are saying also, or that more is wanted or allowed.

To is used the rest of the time, unless of course it is the number two (2)!

Please let me know if you’ve found this helpful, or if there are other words you struggle to conquer. And stay tuned for my next blog on the use of apostrophe s (’s); or subscribe to receive notification by email.