Category: business blogging

business blogging, business communication, business writing, tone, writing better, writing well, writing with clarity

5 Ways to Boost Your Writing Style and Tone for Business

1. Know the purpose of your document. Let it determine the appropriate writing style and tone.

  • Emails: People often write them like they speak, with relaxed language, using contractions and slang (“Let’s talk soon.”). Depending on company culture, internal memos may use more formal wording, forgoing humor and emojis. It may use neutral pronouns to remove potential bias.
  • Articles, web pages, newsletters, social media, and blog posts: Those that inform can include more neutral wording than those that entertain. If you want to interest people in buying a product or a service or to support something, you may use persuasive wording with psychological triggers, like emails warning of a sale that will end soon.
  • Crisis communications: When an emergency strikes on a mass scale, consider the gravity of the situation. Serious topics, such as widespread layoffs, a mass killing, or a harmful virus need care and sensitivity. Depending on the circumstances, it’s more empathetic to deliver the news by phone, video, or in person.

2. Simplify. Large blocks of text can be hard to read online, especially without proper formatting. Shorter words, sentences, and paragraphs free of jargon are easier to read. Add a list or bullet points to reduce blocks of text to improve scannability. Write in an active, rather than a passive voice, which fosters complex words and phrases.

3. Clarify. Explain complex concepts. Use examples. Add links to boost comprehension and save words. Insert images if they will enhance your explanation.

4. Show empathy, respect, and sincerity. Think about who your reader is, where they’re at, and what they struggle with.

  • End your email with a greeting.
  • Use the words “please” and “thank you” as appropriate.
  • Consider writing for inclusivity: different races, ethnicities, and people with disabilities.
  • Consider how readers from another culture may interpret your message.

5. Proofread. As a Forbes article declared, typos, especially lots of them, can make you look sloppy or “kill your brand.” Spell-checking software maker Grammarly reported in their study of 100 LinkedIn profiles of native English speakers that it can affect a professional’s ability to be promoted. They found that the profiles of people who weren’t promoted to a director-level position in the first ten years of their careers had 2.5 more errors than those who advanced.

Need to improve the tone or other parts of your writing to boost your image and your success? Consider a business writing coaching session.

BOOK A COACHING SESSION

What kind of tone works for you in your writing? Feel free to comment below.

Quotes

“Don’t you type at me in that tone of voice.” ~ Anonymous

“A writer doesn’t have a soundtrack or a strobe light to build the effect she wants. She has conflict, surprise, imagery, details, the words she chooses, and the way she arranges them in sentences.” ~ Adair Lara

blog, blog writing, blogging, blogging for business, business blogging, writing advice

5 Steps to Write a Blog Post From Start to Finish

1. Brainstorm. To write a blog post, find a topic interesting to your target market through surveying customers or analyzing data, such as keywords they search for. Competing websites can also spark some inspiration. If you want higher page rankings through Search Engine Optimization (SEO), research keywords with Google Ads or other tools and questions people ask. Add those words or phrases to the title and subheadings or to the content, as relevant.

2. Research and outline. Research can help you narrow down the topic of your post. Outline, or have a rough idea of what you will write about. Lists are another, easier form of outlining. For non-list posts of 800-1,000 or fewer words, cover two to four main points. For example, a post about how to get a home ready to sell could include advice on pricing the property and making it appealing to buyers (cleaning it, clear photographs, etc.).

3. Write. When you write a blog post, start with the most interesting parts of the topic. Lead into the body of your topic and reach your conclusion. You can write a call-to-action in the middle (better for longer pieces) and at the end to promote products or services, or ask readers what they think of the topic to generate comments. HubSpot offers some blog post templates for inspiration. Add appropriate keywords at or near the top and linking back to any of your existing articles on or related to the topic to enhance SEO.

4. Make a headline. After you’ve written the article is a great time to create your title; if you’ll use SEO, remember to include your keywords. Adding a benefit can also increase interest. Titles for lists tend to be easier to write.

Example: 7 Little Known Tricks for Increasing Pay-Per-Click Leads

5. Edit, proofread, and compile. To save time, run your piece through spell-check first, then the Hemingway App. Then triple-check your spelling, grammar, and punctuation on-screen and printed out. Read it aloud. Have someone else look at it, too. Add a relevant photo for greater visual appeal and check the overall format to see if it’s easy to scan. Also, before you publish, check facts and any links, that you included any SEO keywords, and that all is correct. And ensure that you’re not making these common blogging mistakes.

The Classy Writing Blog

How I Write a Great Blog Post for a Client

“Not sure how to write a great blog post? A great blog post should answer any questions your reader has while it informs and entertains him or her….”  Read more.

Quotes

“The first thing you need to decide when you build your blog is what you want to accomplish with it, and what it can do if successful.” ~ Ron Dawson

“Don’t try to plan everything out to the very last detail.  I’m a big believer in just getting it out there: create a minimal viable product or website, launch it, and get feedback.” ~ Neil Patel

Comments? Suggestions? Need help? Feel free to contact me.

Michelle Troutman
classywriting.com

blog, blog writing, blogging, blogging for business, business blogging

How I Write a Great Blog Post for a Client

Not sure how to write a great blog post? A great blog post should answer your reader’s questions while it informs and entertains him or her. Here’s how I create informational blogs for my clients.

A woman with her hands at a keyboard, showing how to write a great blog post.

1. Planning: I work with my clients to develop blog post topics — with any keywords — and outlines. The outline may be based on their keywords, topic and goals for the post, and their target audience’s needs and wants. I often like to go through the outline with the client or email them one for approval before I start writing.

If a client needs keywords, with my Search Engine Optimization (SEO) experience, I can provide the best keywords on the topic for pay-per-click advertisements and higher organic search engine rankings (results without help from ads). I also usually research questions people ask and competing websites to see what has already been covered.

2. Writing: I can write a great blog post with fresh, attention-getting content before deadline using my imagination rather than artificial intelligence. It will also have an enticing headline — or a series of headlines — the client can choose from. If necessary, I create subheadings to engage readers throughout the post and credit sources. I may also include any links to content of the client’s choice, and public domain or copyright-free images. Social media blurbs to promote the post are another option.

3. Rewriting: I’ll edit and proofread or do a copywriting “makeover” to polish the post before I send a final draft. This also includes checking any links and/or facts. I’m flexible enough that if the client prefers, they can write the piece and I’ll rewrite and do fact and/or link checking.

4. Final draft: I’ll email my draft for the client’s approval. Afterward, I offer two rounds of revision free if they’re requested within 30 days or less, based on the original copy. Upon approval, I’ll send my invoice. And, if the client is happy with my work, I can write a series of posts at a discount for a fixed monthly fee.

For more info, see my blog post packages.

blog writing, blogging, blogging for business, business blogging, Uncategorized

Good Blog Examples: Professional Services Firms

In my Web travels, I see some great and a lot of not-so-great blogs.  These are some good blog examples by professional services firms (law, insurance, coaching, etc.).

DISCLAIMER: I’m not affiliated with any of these sites.  I like their content, and present it for educational purposes only.

1. Johnson Webbert & Young, LLP Attorneys & Counselors at Law: johnsonwebbert.com/news/
I’m biased — because they featured a real Maine legal case about how the lack of an “Oxford” or serial comma in an overtime policy resulted in a “win” for Oakhurst Dairy drivers ups their “greatness” quotient.  And they included a link to a comma quiz in that article.  No call to action for legal matters as a result of run-ins with the grammar police, though.  But, I really like the interesting tidbits about legal cases, the news items, and the opinions from lawyers about cases, which can be entertaining (another favorite post is “Will Robots Take Your Job?“).

2. Richard Brothers Financial: richardbrothersfinancial.com/blog/
These well-written blog posts cover timely topics for investors and people who need financial advice.  Articles about the recently passed Tax Cuts and Job Act and the Equifax data breach in 2017 offer sound advice to readers.  The posts are well-formatted for easy reading, with calls to action to entice clicks for incentives at the end.  This type of “classic” or traditional blog never goes out of style.

3. Noyes, Hall & Allen Insurance: noyeshallallen.com/blog/
This blog covers relevant, appropriate, and timely topics of interest to insurance customers.  Topics tied to trends are crucial for online searches.  The posts answer questions customers probably have or could have asked, which helps engage them and to speak their language.  They’re short, educational, and get to the heart of their subject matter, with the right balance of information, education, and substance for engagement, subtle sales strategies for success.

4. The Law Offices of Joe Bornstein: joebornstein.com/blog/
This accident and disability law firm posts interesting, informative monthly advice on related topics, which include winter weather accidents in Maine, trends in increases in car accidents and pedestrian fatalities, and Halloween safety tips.  They’re enjoyable reading, with lead sentences written with personality.  Check it out — you just might learn something new.

5. Lean East: leaneast.com/#ht-blog-section
These experts in Lean Six Sigma and other ways to eliminate waste in operating processes coach organizations on how to improve their effectiveness.  The posts aren’t letter-perfect, but they offer good advice presented in an interesting way with helpful examples.  They truly show the value of their work to potential clients.

Need help with your blog?  Read my free ebook for some pointers: “5 Common Online Content Problems — Solved!”

What do you think?

blogging for business, business blogging, business communication, business writing, writing well

5 Ways to Write in Your Own Voice for Your Business

1. Just write. To write in your own voice for your business, don’t judge your writing or think too much about it. Save that for the editing and proofreading stage later.

2. Don’t strain to sound like how you think you should sound. Otherwise, your writing might become stiff and formal, lapsing into the passive voice and businessese. Don’t catch those conditions.

3. Show some personality. “Being yourself” makes your writing lively and engaging — that includes aiming for a laugh now and then. Humor is sometimes tricky and subjective, but if you handle it well, it comes across well.

4. Stop editing what you’ve just written. Don’t change a sentence you’ve just written. This constipated form of writing, in which you’re constantly crafting the perfect sentence, stifles creativity and prevents perfection.

5. Don’t rewrite endlessly. Like the above, for some people, this has become a pastime. Constantly editing your work in search of perfection (which doesn’t exist) is also a form of procrastination, which is an excuse not to show your writing to the world. If you doubt your abilities, it’s easier to hire a professional (like me).

Feel like you’re writing in a foreign language? Discover how to write in your own voice for your business to impress others and gain the right clients.

BOOK A FREE COACHING SESSION

Quotes

“If you are not afraid of the voices inside you, you will not fear the critics outside you.” ~ Natalie Goldberg

“When you find your authentic voice, it’s like stepping into a comfortable pair of shoes. The rhythm and pacing of your words feel right, as if they’re meant just for you.” ~ Shirley Kawa-Jump