A new question you should ask reporters

Add a new question to your checklist when you’re interviewed by reporters–or risk an unpleasant surprise in the world of Web 2.0. Ask “Is this just for your personal use?” when a reporter asks to record your telephone interview. As publications add podcasts to their websites, this question increasingly makes sense. It’ll prevent you from […]

If you’re thinking about starting to blog…

… you can learn about the case for blogging and how to integrate it into your schedule. Just watch this YouTube interview with Denise Wakeman of The BlogSquad. The interview was conducted by Michael Stelzner of Writing White Papers. One of Wakeman’s points applies to all of your marketing communications. Think about the problems you […]

Financial writer’s clinic: Great title, lousy intro

“When Will Housing Recover?” This title reeled me in. I flipped directly to the article, bypassing two others. But what I found disappointed me. I’ll use this article’s mistakes to suggest rules you can follow in your article introductions. The writing problem: Boring introduction Then article’s first paragraph stopped me cold. It held a long-winded […]

What’s a good elevator pitch for this blog?

Whether you’re marketing your company, job hunting, or just networking, everybody needs an elevator pitch that succinctly conveys how they add value. Even a blog needs an elevator pitch, says Darren Rowse of ProBlogger in “Write an Elevator Pitch for Your Blog.“ Here’s my elevator pitch for this blog: The Investment Writing blog helps investment […]

Your mail has three seconds to grab your reader’s attention

“The consumer decides in 3 seconds whether to trash your mail, or take 30 seconds to scan and prioritize your mail, and 3 minutes to actually sit and read it,” according to a RR Donnelley Direct Marketing Tip of the Day  provided by copywriter Pat Friesen. That’s why it’s so important to create a compelling […]