Linda Ray reports:
"Part of an effective marketing campaign for your spray painting business is to promote yourself as an expert in your field. You can do that a number of ways, including writing articles for industry magazines, [for] consumer self-help publications and for posting on your own website. Rely on industry surveys and published research, as well as your own experience, to craft useful articles that ultimately promote your business...Articles that range from 350 to 400 words can provide a plethora of useful information for readers interested in the spray painting industry...[Y]our customers can learn from your expertise. Informative articles set you apart from the competition by painting you as an expert...Industry associations such as the American Coatings Association put out studies based on research, take polls and track trends. This information is available to you as a member and can provide effective sources for article ideas and content. Quote manufacturers in your articles, cite recent studies and highlight new products that you learn about through industry sources. Additionally, articles should contain keywords that will be picked up by search engines online to increase traffic to your article, which ultimately leads readers to your website. Also, place a call to action in all your articles...Rely on your own experience, the research of industry experts and your enthusiasm for the work you do to craft short, direct, interesting articles for readers. Start with a subject and find examples from your experience, customers or vendors that speak to that subject. Keep the article short and to the point. Refrain from making your writing too marketing-heavy and instead rely on a simple sentence at the end that directs readers to your company for service. If you write the article yourself, have someone experienced with editing copy examine it for you. Alternatively, you could come up with article ideas and hire a freelance writer to craft the pieces; many will allow you to place your name as the author...Industry and do-it-yourself publications accept well-written articles for publication and often will provide you with a detailed byline and contact information in the magazine. Online publications continually need a supply of informative articles. Post your articles on a blog that [draw] the DIY crowd or other potential customer bases. Write articles that cross industries." Jody Hanson reports:
"In the diplomatic corps it is important that all invitations, requests and questions be put in writing. Consequently, if you have any business with an embassy, you will have to write a letter. Like good manners, proper writing skills are expected in diplomatic circles and people are judged by how well they follow protocol. Writing a letter to an ambassador isn’t difficult. It just requires you to follow some basic rules. Use the block format. This is the accepted style wherein all text starts flush with the left side of the page. Rather than indenting, leave one space between each paragraph. Use letterhead and leave a space between the address and the date. If you don’t have letterhead, type your address in the top left corner, and then add a space and enter the date. Leave a space after the date and enter the inside address. Write [The] Honorable (full name), Ambassador of the United States on the first line and follow with American Embassy and the address. Write (His or Her) Excellency, Ambassador (full name), on the first line, if you are writing to a foreign ambassador. Write Embassy of (country) and follow with the address. The inside address is what separates business letters from friendly letters, and the address is the same as the one that goes on the envelope. Leave a space following the inside address, and then write the salutation. The correct format is 'Dear (Mr. or Madam) Ambassador' for an American ambassador and 'Your Excellency' for a foreign ambassador. Leave a space again, and begin the body of the letter. Explain why you are writing to the ambassador. Get straight to the point by saying, 'I am writing to request....' Keep your sentences and paragraphs short. Don’t use a big word when a small one will do. Maintain a professional tone at all times...Compose another short paragraph, making sure to once again leave a space between paragraphs, and provide any supporting information...Start a final paragraph by thanking the ambassador for his time and for considering your request. Leave a space between the final section and the closing. End your letter with 'Yours sincerely.' Leave three or four spaces for your signature, and then type your name. Check for spelling and typing mistakes. Read the letter aloud and listen for the tone. Edit accordingly." MakeMyNewspaper reports:
"A feature story is usually the longest article in your newspaper, above 1[,]000 words. Typically, you only want to have one of them per issue. It is a blend of a news article with a bit of interpretation of the facts without giving an opinion as to what the solution should be...It interprets the news. It makes predictions on the consequences of the event or action being reported. It provides a reader with a clearer understanding, hopefully, of the long[-]term effects of the subject of your article. For example, if the principal of your school institutes a new dress code policy, a feature article on the subject might include (in no particular order):
Tomorrow, the principal’s new and stricter dress code will go into effect [schoolwide]. Among the newly banned clothing items are gang colors and short shorts. All students have by now signed an agreement to abide by the new dress code, and teachers have been tasked with the responsibility of enforcing the new requirements. This new code does, however, come with some unintended consequences that the administration may not have considered. This answers most of the main questions, and from here a feature article can launch into the analysis and predictions as to the outcome of the new dress code policy. Take the reader on a journey of in-depth analysis and thought. You want your article to be thought[-]provoking, but also very thorough, covering as many angles as you can. End with a concluding paragraph that wraps up the most salient points of your article. A feature story is the main, front-page article found on your newspaper. It should have the largest title, [have] the most compelling images, and provoke the most thought and discussion." Rob Green reports:
"Return policies are extremely important when selling online. If you’re just starting out then they’ll help you generate trust with shoppers more easily, because they’ll know they can return anything easily if they need to...Most online stores have a return policy that expires after 30 or 60 days, but what if your return policy lasted for 90 days, 120 days, 365 days or even for a lifetime? Buying online is all about risk for most people...Extending your return policy for as long as you can will make more than it will cost you, because the overwhelming majority of your customers will not act on your return policy – they just want to know it’s there for peace of mind before they place their order...If you’ll only accept return to a certain address or when the box is marked with particular details, then make that clear. Provide examples to help your customers out should they ever need to return something to you. Ideally, however, your return policy will have few (if any) conditions attached to it...If customers do return an item and there’s really no other way around it then be cheerful and friendly about it. Process the return immediately and ask for a testimonial about their experience. Take their testimonial (and [name and photo] if you can) and add it to your return policy page. When shoppers see the testimonials they’ll be even more likely to...buy from you...Depending on what you sell, a lot of return can be because the customer simply chose the wrong model number or product size. Because of this you should include two options in your return policy: a) a cash refund or b) the issue of store credit. If the customer wants a cash refund[,] then of course you should give it to them, but a surprising number of customers will be just fine with a store credit...This might sound obvious, but you should always ask the customer why they’re returning an item they bought from you. Keep a list of reasons and if you spot any trends[,] then try to stop the problem in its tracks...Most of your competitors won’t even publish a return policy, but if you’ve listened to the tips above [and sell] good quality products[,] then you should promote your return policy everywhere you can: on your home page, on your shopping cart and checkout pages[,] and even in your newsletters and promotions. Remember, winning your shopper’s trust can send your conversion rate through the roof...Remember to be generous, use clear and simple wording, [use] lots of bullet points and include instructions not just for how to return an item, but for anything else your customers might need before, during and after the return process is complete." Elle Smith reports:
"Periodic reviews provide constructive feedback to employees, which help improve the overall performance of an organization. When an employee has performed well through the year, performance reviews can be a pleasure for both manager and employee. If the employee isn't performing up to your expectations, however, the review may be weighted toward negative behaviors. While it's important to acknowledge undesirable work performance, there are ways to approach the review to help create a positive and productive experience for both manager and direct report...Constructive criticism is one thing, but if you start out by highlighting the negatives, it may appear to be an attack from the employee's perspective, and he may become defensive. Always begin the performance review with positive notes about the employee's work throughout the review period. Use clear, nonjudgmental language that can help the employee get back on track without feeling attacked. Praising him for desired behavior can bolster him against the negatives that follow...Employees appreciate positive feedback about their performance. It makes them feel appreciated and motivates them to do a better job. If the employee is [underperforming], feedback is likely to narrow in on undesired behaviors, which can undermine employee confidence and highlight supervisor bias...This type of approach may feel like punishment and may be useless in helping the employee to grow...Instead, alternate negative and positive comments in the written review. Don't gloss over negative performance, however; it isn't fair to the organization or to the employee...Don't rely solely on your memory of the employee's performance throughout the review period; instead, document work performance as it happens, then refresh your memory before you write the review. By using notes, you are more likely to give a more objective view, especially if particularly poor performance is the most recent memory...An objective employee review avoids generalizations of character or competency, and focuses instead on the employee's performance, not his personality. Cite examples of specific issues, such as missed deadlines or customer service-related behaviors, not attitude...Write a targeted plan to help the employee improve his job development and career development goals. It will show that you care about him and that you are confident in his abilities to make positive changes. Clearly articulate your expectations for him, and ask him to comply with improved performance. People feel more motivated to perform well when they see their efforts make a difference...Ensure that you recognize the employee when he meets your expectations." Christina Knott reports:
"A demonstration speech is a short lecture explaining how you do something. Topics can range from simple...[to] complex...Pick a topic. Choose something you know how to do well so you can help others understand...Start with an introduction when beginning your outline. You'll want to start with something that grabs your audience's attention, suggests the website www.speech-topics-help.com, an online guide to writing speeches. These can include a question posed to the audience, rhetorical or otherwise. For ideas, think about what interests you about your topic and why, and introduce that aspect to your audience...Outline your main points or steps. If you're explaining how to make a bed, explain what to do first, second and third. If you're describing how to scuba dive, describe where you start or what you need to know first...Go through your main points and add details. These are subpoints, and they help explain your steps...List any tools needed at this point. If possible, collect them to bring in for your speech. Visual aids are also great tools to draw people in, reports www.speech-topics-help.com...Rework your introduction to include an outline of [y]our speech. Now that you know exactly what you'll be talking about, make sure to add that to your introduction as a guide for your audience about what you'll be talking about. It's important to your audience to preview your speech, according to a writing guide published by Northern Virginia Community College...Work on your conclusion. Here it's important to go over your main points once more to remind the audience what they've learned. You'll also want to include something memorable that encourages the audience to follow up on what they've learned by trying it...Practice giving your speech to family or friends to help improve your presentation." David Carnes reports:
"Drafting a contract clause can be a risky business, especially if the value of the contract is high. If a dispute erupts and the contract is ever litigated, an opposing party might exploit any ambiguity in a clause to twist its meaning into something other than what the drafter intended. Write a concise statement that illustrates exactly what purpose you want the contract clause to achieve. Write in plain English, not in 'legalese.'...Convert your statement into command language using the word 'shall.' The word 'shall' is a time-honored legal usage that indicates the presence of a [legally binding] promise...Add legal definitions for ambiguous words or terms in a separate definitions section at the beginning of the contract...Add legal definitions for ambiguous words or terms in a separate definitions section at the beginning of the contract...The definition would then proceed to present a reasonably comprehensive list of examples. [The] term 'including but not limited to' is critical because it expands the definition to include items not specifically listed. Rewrite your draft clause by replacing the original term with the defined term...The presence of capitalized words alerts the reader to refer to the definitions sections in case of any doubt. Identify and correct ambiguities. For example, the word 'steal' is ambiguous and misleading because Company A could make digital copies of Company B's digital files, transfer them to a third party, and still claim that it did not 'steal' them because it did not deprive Company B of these files by erasing them. If Company B actually wants Company A to refrain from using or disclosing Company B's business secrets, this should be clearly stated. Research the legal background of the subject matter of a clause and revise the clause accordingly. For example, a clause should specify that Company A will not breach the clause by using or divulging information that Company B has already made public." Emily Weller reports:
"You might excel in a professional kitchen, but struggle to capture your cooking ability on paper. A culinary arts resume needs to demonstrate your skills and experience to an employer. It should also let a potential employer know what you are looking for in a position. When it comes to writing a resume, remember that there is no one-size-fits-all formula. Craft your resume based on your personal work history and skill set...Type your full name and contact information at the top of the resume page. Center your name and information on the page. You can make the text size of your name bigger than the rest of the text on the page, size 18 or 20 points instead of the standard 12. Include all of your contact information, including your mailing address, email address and phone numbers...Create an objective that is specific to the position to which you are applying...List any relevant experience you have working in a kitchen. Start with your most recent position and work your way backward through time. Include the name of your position, the name and location of your employers and when you were at each position in your list. Create a bulleted list of your responsibilities and accomplishments at each job...Include your experience before your education if you want a potential employer to see how much industry experience you have already...Add a section detailing your education at the end of the resume. If your work experience is thin, you might want to put the education section first. List the schools you attended, your course of study and when you attended. Also note it if you earned a degree...Include an additional section listing honors or awards you have received. You can include culinary certifications you've received in this section or in the education section. Fully explain the award or honor and note when you received it...To give a potential employer a summary of your experience and skills, include a 'Skills and Qualifications' section under the objective, but above the experience section. A separate qualifications and skills section is useful if you are a new graduate of a culinary program or are just getting started in your culinary arts career, because it highlights what you can do, even if you don't have much on-the-job experience yet." |
Writing and editing can be pretty rigorous processes if you want to do them well, but that's what this page is here for. Check out the latest tips here. Archives
March 2024
CategoriesJ.D. Parsons
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