Seth Price reports:
"[T]he first thing to talk about with almost all advertising copy is standard language use. Pay attention to grammar; not that you can’t use some slang or abbreviations, but typos are a real challenge for folks. Also, spelling things in all caps may work in an angry email, but it’s not necessarily great for ad copy...Features are great. Those are the things that you detail in the amenities section. When you’re filling out your listing in the MLS and the house has granite [countertops], you want to make sure you list that. But, what you’re really selling is a connection with the buyer and that is generally about benefits. That might be the ability to experience an amazing view or have a fantastic place to live for your entire family. Whatever those things are, you’re creating a connection that they can picture in their mind and imagine themselves a good fit for...[Y]our customers are really smart and they’ve got lots of tools at their disposal to do search. So your job is to be as straightforward and compelling as you possibly can and be careful of words that have a double meaning. Some of those words...are red flags. If you say 'fixer-upper,' they’re thinking it’s a dump. If you say 'it’s cozy,' they’re thinking it’s probably too small to fit a bed into. You want to focus on the features or the best benefits that you can of that particular property and avoid those words that could mean something else to the consumer...[T]ry to frame price in context. You can talk about, for example, a Unique and Beautiful Ranch House Well Below Market Value. That’s the ability to imply that there may be a deal there without shouting, but still be [up front] about the price...Most folks don’t like to be sold to. A headline with 'Priced to Move Now,' is not necessarily helpful in providing information for the consumer. What you might focus on are, again, the benefits...[T]he idea is that you want to be as human as possible in your language and you want to make sure that you’re concise, because people are going to scan your content. They’re not going to read every word [that you] write, so get to the 'who, what, where, when, why, and how,' those important facts that people are searching for. And make sure that you fill out every attribute when you’re filling out your listings. Add as many photos [as] you possibly can. Most people do photos first, they’ve searched for price, and they make sure that the listing has some features they want. They’re really trying to get a sense of 'is this a good fit for [me?'] So, if you leave out some of those things that are really important for their decision[-]making process, you miss an opportunity...[M]ake sure that you include a CTA [call-to-action] on every landing page and every listing. For example, your CTA [call-to-action] might be 'We show at any time, day or night. Call us now.' That’s pretty compelling for someone who works during the day and assumes that the house they want is unavailable to see at night. I might call that agent and bypass everyone else, because I’m able to get what I want sooner." Freelance Writing Solutions reports:
"Feature articles are a smart addition to your website and marketing strategy. This compelling content makes you an expert…makes your website more 'sticky'…and makes your prospect want to take action...Decide whom you’re targeting. Picture the reader in your mind, not just as a broad category but as a real, living, breathing person. What do you know about that person? Where does he work? Where does he live? What is he worried about? What information is he looking for? Be as specific as you can...When the person has read your article, what do you want him to feel?...Even more than feeling, what action do you want him to take? Do you want him to go to a product page on your website? To forward the article to his boss? To call you? Know what you want to happen as a result of your article...Why should the reader bother with your article? What’s in it for him? Don’t make the article all about you. Make it relevant to the reader, too. And tell him why...What information is important for you to share? What is important for the reader to know? Create a bulleted list of topic points...Imagine you’re having a face-to-face conversation with your reader, where you’re sharing your information. What additional questions might come up? Be proactive. Anticipate and answer those questions. So here’s the great part. Once you’ve gone through these steps, you’ll find that the article is essentially written for you. Here’s how it works: Numbers one and two set the tone and style you’ll use in the article. They tell you if you’ll be writing with a professional voice, or light and conversational, or even wry and humorous. Tone and style sets the stage for everything that follows. Number three grabs your reader’s attention…which makes it a perfect introduction. Even better, it makes for a perfect way to wrap up the article, that is, a perfect conclusion as well. So now you’ve got your first and last paragraphs written. Numbers four and five are your body, the bulk of your content. But now you know what you want to say, so it’s just a matter of organizing those bullet points and writing them out into complete sentences and paragraphs. And voila! You’ve got great, compelling content that establishes you as an authority, holds your prospect’s attention, and helps to convert prospects into buyers. In marketing, content counts." Meg Dowell reports:
"In the professional writing world, it pays—sometimes literally—to be able to write a lot in a short period of time without completely melting your brain. Every once in [a while], it is important to take breaks and let your mind recoup. But there are a few ways you can work toward getting better at writing more without feeling brain dead at the end of the day, and we’re here to share some of them with you. We’re going to focus on professional writing in this post—online publishing, articles, blogging—but some of these concepts can also be applied to some areas of creative writing, too...If you’re pursuing a professional writing career, there will be times you’ll have to write about topics you’re not completely familiar with—which yes, means you’ll have to do a lot of research to give your project credibility. But outside of work, you have the freedom to write about what you know best. Always take advantage of the opportunity...It’s easy to ramble on and on and on about your so-called field of expertise, and sometimes that can be a good thing. When we write more, we train ourselves to lay out our points and arguments in an organized manner before trimming them down to a much more appealing 500 words or less...There’s a good reason anyone and everyone can start their own blog. Not just because it’s easy, but because it allows people to write about whatever they want, whenever they want. This is why starting a blog is an excellent starting point for writers interested in making headway in a specific field. If you can practice writing more often by writing about things you really like writing about, you’ll find yourself writing more, at pretty decent quality, without feeling completely drained afterward. When you write about what you know, which you can easily balance with learning more about what you don’t know so well in order to be able to write about that, too, it feels a lot less like work...Publishing often on your blog is an effective strategy; consistency is one of many keys to writing success. But sometimes even that can start to feel a bit tedious after [a while], even if you genuinely enjoy doing it. It’s important to expand your horizons if you want to show you can write a lot and still write well. Keep publishing on your blog, but also be on the lookout for other writing opportunities, even small ones. If you have some professional advice, LinkedIn is a nice way to self-publish. Is there a magazine looking for how-to articles on subjects you like? Are there blogs in your niche you can apply to guest post on? Sometimes, the more work you give yourself, the more productive, and prolific, you’ll be. Just start small...Start off with your own blog and maybe another outlet, and grow your audiences there, then see where you can go from there, and if you have room in your schedule to fit it in. The key to writing a lot, generally, is to make it a priority. But always remember that taking time to rest is still important. As you get more and more used to writing in large quantities (while still paying attention to quality, of course), you might have to schedule time to not write, instead of the other way around." CustomPapers.com reports:
"Custom essay writing is something each one of us does every day whether it is a letter or a research paper. A little anxiety actually is good for us. It is when a person is so anxious that he/she cannot do his[/her] job [that] it becomes a major problem. What are some tools to help with writing anxiety? Relaxation, brainstorming, free writing, understanding the assignment, and organization. The first step to overcoming writing anxiety is to take a look at the assignment and consider why it is making you anxious to do [it]. Is it the topic? Why does it make you anxious? Confront the reasons why you do not want to write the assignment. Take a moment to breathe and decide to stop the negative self-talk. Focus on positive reasons for writing...Now, try some relaxation strategies. Begin by getting up and stretching. Tell your mind to relax. Begin to tense and then release different muscle groups. Breathe deeply and continue to tell yourself to relax. Picture yourself writing in your favorite place. Now, begin to tell yourself that you are capable and willing to do the assignment. Do you understand the assignment? Read it carefully and think about what it is asking you to do. Circle any key words in the assignment. What do you not understand about the paper topic? What needs to be clarified? What areas of the topic would be interesting for you to focus on? Make a list of questions and talk to the instructor about your anxiety...[B]rainstorm about the paper topic. What do you know about the topic? What are areas that you want to learn more about? Is the topic boring to you? How can you change the topic so it will be more interesting? Brainstorm everything you know and those things that might be interesting...[C]reate an outline. Think about the thesis statement. Does this make you nervous? If so, discuss ways to create a thesis statement with a friend or the instructor. What are the main points about the topic? What research do you need to do? What facts, statistics, or anecdotes can you use in the outline that will later lead to the research paper? Often creating an outline will help you in effectively writing the essay, term paper, or even dissertation. [Forget] spelling, grammar, or the rules about writing a custom research paper and begin to write about the topic. Write about the things you know. What have you learned from your research? What are some interesting statistics about the subject? What are some things you thought you knew and realized the information was wrong after doing the custom research? Why is this an interesting topic? Write freely about the topic. Once you complete this writing, then use it to help you create an outline or to write a rough draft. Often the worry about spelling and grammar creates anxiety in the student and the best way to overcome this is to forget the spelling and grammar and just to write. Once you do this, then go back and revise the essay...Write the rough draft of the essay and put it away for a few hours or preferably a few days. Go back and read the paper. Correct any mistakes such as spelling or grammar. Put in some quotes and statistics as well as adding the sources used during the paper. Create a bibliography page. Now, ask a friend to read your custom essay or research paper...Write your final draft of the paper and know that with a little help of relaxation strategies, brainstorming, creating an outline, and writing a rough draft you have overcome your writing anxiety." Wendy Connick reports:
"Few things will turn off a prospect faster than hearing a salesperson recite stiltedly from a phone script. But that doesn't mean that using a script equates to poor cold calling. A badly written script is a disaster, all right, but a good script can boost your cold call success. In a good, really entertaining movie, the actors seemed to speak and react spontaneously. Everything they said and did sprang naturally from whatever was happening around them. And yet we all know that those actors were using a script. The difference is that their scripts were written using words and phrases that were so natural that they sounded spontaneous...Your own acting skills may not be on a par with a professional actor's, but you do have one benefit that they lack. Namely, you get to write your own scripts using words and phrases that come naturally to you. There's no need to act [as] if you have a well-written phone script, because the words on the page are the same words you'd be likely to say on your own. Where the script comes in handy is...writing those words down ahead of time, [and] you won't have to worry about losing your train of thought or having your mind go blank. Most phone scripts fail because they are written like marketing materials. Those smooth, polished, convincing phrases work in a brochure or even an email, but spoken out loud they will sound stiff and artificial -- or worse, slick and 'sales-y.' Phone scripts should sound just like you do when you have a casual conversation with someone. As you write the script, stick to words you use every day in normal circumstances...If you have trouble writing a script in this style, tape yourself while you ad-lib a cold call, and then play back the tape and write down what you said exactly as you said it. Then polish it a bit as needed, but without making the language more formal. If you're new to sales and an experienced salesperson is kind enough to share her phone script with you, think long and hard before making substantial changes. A script that's been highly successful for her is no doubt full of useful sales techniques and persuasive language. You're better off practicing with that script until it sounds natural...Once you've had a little more experience with cold calling and know what works and what doesn't, you can give yourself a little more leeway to change that script to suit your own preferences. A good phone script should cover every part of the call, from 'Hello' to 'Goodbye.' As you cold call, prospects will throw various objections at you, some of which will be a complete surprise. Jot those objections down and then after the call ends, write up a good response for those new objections and include them at the bottom of the script. Even the best phone script will get stale over time. You'll come up with new and more effective ways to grab the prospect's interest and close the appointment. And as your company launches new products and changes existing ones, you'll need to change around your benefits phrases to keep up with the revised product features. The best way to decide which changes to keep and which to discard is to test them out under live fire. When you have a significant change you're thinking about for your phone script, use the new wording on 25 cold calls... then switch to the old script and make 25 more calls. If the new version gets you more appointments than the old version does, then your change is probably an improvement." Anna Bassham reports for Jennifer Reinoehl:
"When you bid on a project, you are thrust into a highly competitive process, competing against other freelancers with similar skills. Unless you make your strengths and experience shine in your proposal, you could miss out on a great opportunity...Writing a winning project proposal begins with you successfully matching your talents, interests, and skills to a project. Step one is to read carefully through the project and make sure you fully understand it before you bid. If you use the proposal templates...make sure you personalize your proposal for each job...The top two lines of your project proposal are your 'selling' lines. When the employer gets your proposal, these are the lines that will make him or her decide to keep reading your proposal or skip it. If the employer requires a specific response to show that you read the entire project, put it on top. Do not try to creatively embed your response in a sentence. Chances are good that, if the employer does not see it immediately, he or she will not even read the rest of your proposal...What is your most marketable trait? Include it underneath any required responses. This trait may vary depending on the project...What other qualities do you have that make you a good fit for the job? Outline them in one paragraph if possible...Next, be sure you answer any questions the employer might have asked. Sometimes these questions can be answered throughout your text (even at the top); other times you can just set them in their own paragraph...After you have explained why you would be the best person to complete the project, then it is time to provide time and cost estimates. Be accurate or explain why you are unable to give a specific quote. Most employers do not like placeholder bids, so ask questions before bidding...Finally, thank the employer for reading your proposal[.] Make an impression, so that even if you are not chosen for that particular project, the employer might think of you for future projects. If you are awarded the project, you will be starting off on the right foot!...Only rarely should your proposal grow to be bigger than the box in which you type it. Try to keep it about that size, or in some cases less, without sacrificing quality...[T]emplates save time, and they prevent editing mistakes that can cause you to be overlooked for the job. Regardless of whether you filled in a template or wrote from scratch, you should always write in complete sentences and reread a proposal for errors before you post it...Winning proposals are backed by winning profiles, and winning profiles alone can get you jobs...Winning proposals have work samples attached even if you have them posted on your profile. If you cannot attach a sample, point employers to your profile and put samples there...[P]remium proposals are best used to draw attention to your bid on jobs that fit your profile perfectly or jobs where you are competing against many other freelancers. Of course you want every job to which you apply, but using premium proposals all the time can drain your bids." Leo Isaac reports:
"When writing an event proposal the amount of detail required will depend on the scale and importance of the event. However event proposals generally share many common components...It is important to provide the reader of the event proposal with an overview of what the event is about. Some events need very little explaining because they are commonplace. However, it is unwise to rely on the title of the event alone to explain it[s] purpose. In providing an overview for the reader, it may be important to describe the main participant target group(s), the main goals to be achieved in running the event and, if the event is somewhat [unusual], one or two sentences that provide the reader with [a] mental picture of what the event will be...The organisation [sic] or entity bidding for the event should extol its experience and capability. It is crucial that whoever assesses the bids firmly believes the bidding organisation [sic] will be able to put on a good show. The proposal should contain succinct information about the event management experience of the proposed event team. If experience in staging events is limited then it is useful to mention any managerial, project management or [coordination] experience in any other field. Qualifications of persons in the event management team may also prove useful to mention. The proposal should also describe any training that will be given to event volunteers...The reader of the proposal will want to know whether the venue is suitable for the event. The proposal should outline all facilities available at the venue, everything from toilets to [car parking]. For indoor events, the type of surface, lighting, [air conditioning], [seating and] electronic equipment should be well[-]described. For outdoor events, the level of maintenance on turf, seating and shading for spectators, fencing, drainage and floodlighting is worthy of mention. The number of change rooms and their condition for teams/participants is always important. It is often worthwhile to include a map or floor diagram. Photographs of key features of the venue may assist. There needs to be a detailed description of what would be attractive to event goers and how the venue will fully cater [to] the needs of the event, including performers, officials and spectators. Don't forget to include information about public transport to the venue, and car parking for those who arrive by car. If the venue has staged similar events in the past, you should make mention of this...[A]t the initial stage of bidding, the event proposal may suggest a competition program in terms of the number of days, and the start and finish times each day. It is important for decision makers to know how many hours a day the venue is available...It is worthwhile to consider that the program should also include ceremonial events with visiting dignitaries who may make speeches or present awards[.] Furthermore the event bidding team can [propose] entertainment 'extras' that may start or finish the program or fill any gaps...The club or organisation [sic] bidding for the event should draft a budget of probable income and expenditure. It is important that such a budget is realistic and therefore some care and consideration needs to be given to suggesting sponsors that have not yet formalized any sponsorship agreement. The event budget should not show a loss when all projected income and expenditure has been taken into account. [I]f the budget predicts a loss there will be major concerns in the minds of those who assess the event bid proposal. The club or organisation [sic] that wins the bid may be entitled to an amount of funding from the sport governing body to alleviate certain costs that will likely be incurred. However, there is also an expectancy that the host club or organisation [sic] will have an opportunity to make money through the canteen, bar, fundraising raffles and merchandising. These forms of income should be reflected in the budget in the event proposal." |
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March 2024
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