20110927 Modern Communication Chamber Expo
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MODERN COMMUNICATION: PROFESSIONAL WRITING FOR YOUR BUSINESS, AND WHY IT MATTERS September 27, 2011 April L. Finnen, MBA @AprilFin
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Modern Communication: Professional Writing for Your Business, and Why it Matters, presented by April Finnen, Frederick Chamber EXPO, September 27, 2011
Transcript of 20110927 Modern Communication Chamber Expo
MODERN COMMUNICATION:PROFESSIONAL WRITING FOR YOURBUSINESS, AND WHY IT MATTERS
September 27, 2011April L. Finnen, MBA
@AprilFin
FIRST IMPRESSIONS – THEN
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Business used to be conducted by word of mouth. On paper. Sealed with a handshake. We advertised in the mail, the yellow pages. We wrote internal memos and sent interoffice mail. We got on a plane to meet with far-away clients.
FIRST IMPRESSIONS – NOW
www.
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Now we Google. Tweet. Facebook. LinkedIn. Skype. Customers check in on Foursquare. They rate us on Yelp! Angie’s list, and hosts of others. Whether we are paying attention or not. First impressions are increasingly digital.
WHAT’S CHANGED?Then NowReporters decided the news Everyone reports “news”Print/mail/fax press releases One-click publishingPrint anything (brochures, newsletters, memos)
Online everything
Yellow pages GoogleWord-of-mouth (literally) Online reviews
DIGITALIS
FOREVER 4
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Reporters used to “make” the news. Now, anyone can report the news, as they see it. Yes, their “news” could be what they ate for breakfast. But it could also be an earthquake. Apparently, Twitter now travels faster than earthquakes! Anyone ever mailed or faxed a press release? (I have.) Now, there’s one-click publishing. We used to print everything. Now, everything is online. Tweets are archived in the Library of Congress. Those messages from—and about—your business are there permanently. Are they good ones?
THE NEW MARKETING DOS AND DON’TS
BroadcastSpamCold callHide your identityTake shortcutsAuto-post / auto-DM
InteractOpt inBe helpfulBe transparentBuild over timeTailor your message
Don’t Do
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Social media has changed marketing forever. A decade ago, all we could do was broadcast (advertising, press releases, etc.). But that guy with the megaphone shouting about “me me me” all the time? He might as well put a lampshade on his head at the company party. Has anyone heard the term content marketing? Instead of blatant sales messages, content marketing showcases your expertise in a way that tries to honestly help your customers (or anyone else), without expecting anything in return. You might be thinking “Why would I do that? I need to make money.” The returns will come. It will take time, but you can’t rush relationship-building. You can’t rush it in real life, and you can’t rush it online. So, don’t spam. Don’t try to act bigger than you are, or obscure your identity. People want to know who’s behind the business, and where you are physically located. Don’t take shortcuts to build your email lists or Twitter following—do it the “old fashioned” way: one at a time. The best way to get people to follow you is just like email. Offer great content (tips on something in your industry is a good start). Be generous – retweet content that your audience might be interested in too. Even if you’re a non-profit, don’t just talk about your own organization all the time. People will tolerate more of this from you as a nonprofit, but you’ll need to contribute to the larger conversation. And, please, PLEASE, don’t set your Facebook account to auto-post to Twitter. Your message gets cut off, and how will you know if someone replies to you? Tailor the message for the medium. They can be similar, yes. Auto-cross-posted? No. The easiest way to LOSE followers on Twitter is to DM—direct message—people as soon as they follow you with something generic like “Hey, come look at my Facebook page!” If I wanted to look at your Facebook page, I would have connected with you there. It takes a little time to get used to the ins and outs of using various social media platforms, and finding your groove with email marketing. Don’t be afraid to try new things. We’re all still learning, and making up the rules as we go. Just don’t expect an overnight return. You can’t tweet three times to seven followers and expect instant results. The new marketing takes time.
DON’T FORGET THE OBVIOUS
Customer service still rulesThe ways customers expect to reach you are changingIn-person and phone interactions still important
Spelling and grammar matter
Use built-in spelling and grammar tools (Word, blogging platforms)No: ☺, BRB, L8R, LOL in business writingYour writing is your business résumé – no typos!
Tip: Professional doesn’t have to sound stuffy. Write like you are talking with your customer.
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Some things should be obvious. Customer service is still critical. The ways you talk to your customers might change, but they still expect top-notch service. And if you’ve got employees, be sure they have basic communication skills. Sometimes it’s still the person who answers the phone that makes your first impression. Do you work with an employee or customer you’ve never seen in person – just though email? Have you ever been surprised after meeting someone in person after emailing back and forth? Spelling and grammar matter. Sloppy writing can give people the impression you do shoddy work—even if your work has nothing to do with writing. Use the tools you have. Microsoft Word, blogging platforms and email all have built-in spell checkers. Use them. And don’t use texting lingo or emoticons in business writing, especially if you don’t know the person. Your writing—website, email, work estimates, proposals, newsletters—this is your business resume. Many managers wouldn’t hire you if your resume had a typo. Many customers will also look for a business that pays a little more attention to the details.
BEFORE COMMUNICATING ANYTHING
Ask the big question, from your audience’s perspective
What’s In it
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Your employees probably don’t want to know the entire history behind a new system. They just want to know “how does this affect me? What do I need to do? What happens to me if I don’t do it. Same with your customers. Look at everything you send through their eyes. Will they open a newsletter that says Company ABC monthly newsletter, or one that says “Save 10% on new orders this week”
BEFORE YOU WRITE:NOT-SO-GENTLE REMINDERS
“You” (not “I”)What’s in it for your customer?
Don’t be fancyWrite like you talk. Cut the long sentences. On the screen, less is more.
Kill the jargonAcronyms don’t make you sound smart; they confuse your potential customers. And they look elsewhere.
It’s OK to have some funShow your (business) personality Be human
Learn more (source for above):How Better Writing Gets You Better Treatment
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REVIEW YOUR OWN WRITING:THE 4 CS
ClearIs this precisely what I mean?Is it clear what action my reader should take?
ConciseDoes every single word matter?
CoherentDoes this make sense?Do I only have to read it once to understand?
ConsistentDoes this match my other materials, messages?
Tip: PROOFREAD EVERYTHING!9
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Even if you’re a natural writer, it’s hard to review your own work. Our minds see the sentence we meant to type, instead of the one we actually did. If you can, give it a day or a few hours, and come back to it. Try proofreading backward, or in “print preview” mode, for a different perspective. And ask yourself the four Cs (see above)
USE THE RIGHT TOOLWhat Happened
Ways to Publicize Tips
New website Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn– invite comments, votes
Don’t issue a press release; the newspaper doesn’t care.
New business $$$, or clientmilestone
With client’s permission: press release, case study, blog post
Think about it from a larger perspective (jobs created, impact, etc.). Be sure it’s really news for press release.
Job openings Social media, your website Include how to apply.Charity event Social media, blog Include information on how
others can give.Sale/discount Social media 40% of Facebook users follow
companies because they want discounts*
Any of the above
Email newsletter (opt-in, of course)
Your newsletter should offer educational value—not just marketing fluff. Keep that last, and minimal.
*Source: http://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/study-reveals-why-consumers-fan-facebook-pages/
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This focuses on ways to publicize that you control—the newer tools. Newspaper ads might still be useful for certain job postings—that hasn’t changed. This is more to help you navigate the new marketing environment. If you’re still looking for a reason to use social media, use it to offer discounts. 40% of social media users follow companies because they are hoping for discounts. Give them!
AND THEN THERE’S EMAIL
Consider alternativesIf you must use email for lists, BCC the addresses
Be clear and conciseSpecific subject lineMake it clear what action your reader should take, and by when
Proofread!Be responsive
Tip: Use an email marketing service to manage your customer mailings. Many have free small business plans.Tools: MailChimp, iContact, ConstantContact
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And we all love to hate email. Anyone have more than one email inbox? Two? Three or more? Who likes Reply All? There’s a better way, especially if you are using email to send newsletters or other announcements to your customers. Some of them are even free. MailChimp is great, and they offer a free plan for lists up to 2,000 people or 15,000 messages a month. Even if you graduate to a paying subscriber—a good problem to have!—it’s still affordable, and your rates grow only when your list does.
CAN-SPAM ACT OF 2003Hate spam? So does Congress.
Unless they opt in, it’s spam, and it’s ILLEGALAll messages must include a valid postal addressYou must offer a way to unsubscribe in every messageYou must honor unsubscribe requests within 10 daysEach separate email in violation of the law is subject to penalties of up to $16,000You are not exempt if someone else is doing your email marketing – you are both liable
Learn more:http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/microsites/spam/business.htm
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Hate spam? So does Congress. They made it illegal. This isn’t exactly new, but I get messages every single day that break the law. First, they have to opt in. Someone handing you their business card at a networking event does NOT constitute permission to add them to your mailing list. You can follow up with a one-time invitation. Every message must include a snail mail address, and a way to unsubscribe. If you outsource this, you’re still liable for up to $16,000 PER MESSAGE. If you have a list of 100 people and you don’t follow the above rules, you’re looking at $1.6 million. Spam isn’t worth it. Offer great content—not salesly jargon—and your list will grow. Slowly, yes, but it will grow.
OTHER LEGAL THINGS
If it’s on the Internet, assume it’s copyrightedYou cannot use Google Images search to find graphicsYou cannot use photos without permissionCreative Commons licenses rarely allow business useSnap your own, hire a photographer, or use stock photos
Limited free options: http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/images/Flickr.com – many photographers allow free use with attribution/link backAffordable stock photo sites: iStockPhoto, Photos.com, Shutterstock (cheaper than a lawsuit)
Web accessibilityEx: ALT tags
Learn more: http://www.copyright.com/
Learn more: http://www.w3.org/TR/WCAG/
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When I taught PR writing to college students, this really surprised them. You can’t use Google Images to find photos for your website or any other commercial purpose. It’s cheaper to pay for stock photos than a lawsuit. It’s also a good idea to design your website to accommodate people with disabilities. For example, one of the reasons you see text when you mouse over an image is to assist people with visual impairments. You should work with a professional to design your website, even if you’ll be maintaining your own content. They can help you stand out and look polished. And, they’ll keep you compliant with the laws.
TIME-SAVERS
Hire a professional to design your websiteAdd Frequently Asked Questions (and the answers) to your websiteWrite standard responses for common customer inquiries
This keeps everyone consistent and on messageAdd to the list as you answer new questions
Use a web-based tool for your email newsletterAuto-responders, opt-in and spam checkers will keep you legal, and remove the hassle of manual unsubscribes
Think of a few words/phrases to describe your business “persona”
Examples: helpful, efficient, experienced, fun
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Managing all these new channels doesn’t have to take much time. Here are some ways you can be more efficient.
ADVANCED TIME-SAVERS
Filter your email inbox(es)Auto-sort to folders by priorityRead the low-priority stuff once a day (newsletters, conferences, etc.)
Go digital – do you need paper files?Make an editorial calendar for your social media
Blog posts, tweets, etc.Purpose is not to automate, but to ensure your activity supports your strategy
Have a social media strategyWhy spend the time without a purpose?
Resource: Your Social Media Road Map, by Beth Schillaci
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FURTHER READING
“Both your customers and your employees have started marching in this burgeoning social media multitude, and you’d better get out of their way—or learn to embrace them.” – ForbesUnmarketing, by Scott Stratten -http://www.unmarketing.com/Mashable.com – basic and advanced how-tos on everything social mediaFrederick Chamber member directory
For web design help, also look in the marketing and graphics/design categories
The Business Writer’s Handbook by Gerald J. Alred, et al (now in 9th edition) 16
QUESTIONS?
April Finnen, MBAAssociate Director, Communications, DynPort
Vaccine Company LLC Email: [email protected] or [email protected]: http://www.linkedin.com/in/aprilfinnenTwitter: @AprilFin and @dynportBlog: OnePersonShop.com
Opinions in this presentation and on my personal blog and social media profiles are solely my own, and do not necessarily reflect the views of my employer.
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