Modern Age Writing Tips When You Need to Make All Those First Impressions Count
Have you ever heard the saying that first impressions count? You might think that you have a bubbly personality, an engaging smile and be naturally outgoing, but occasionally you may not have the opportunity to meet someone face to face so that you can work on that important first impression. At times you need to do it through the written word and this fills people with horror.
If the art of writing is not one of your strongest points, you’re not alone. It seems that younger generations use abbreviations more often than not to express themselves, such as LOL, IMHO and IDK. Our “on the go” society means that we are constantly sending and receiving simple messages through SMS. Sometimes, we attempt to send e-mails that should be just a little bit more formal, but in truth are far from perfectly presented.
We have to understand that the business world is competitive and complex these days and so clear and effective writing is paramount. If you’re trying to make that very important first impression for whatever reason you need to understand that you are effectively selling yourself. If your writing is not properly presented you may not get a second chance.
Let’s consider just a few writing tips that can help you if you are sitting there with the proverbial clean sheet of paper in your hand, which these days of course is a blank Word document with a flashing cursor.
Firstly, you always need to have the objective firmly in mind and it would be a good idea for you to jot down a few notes which will help you to focus and ensure that your story is succinct and understandable.
Secondly, you need to understand that every communication has a certain amount of information to convey and an outline format – who, where, what, why and when.
Don’t try and be too smart. You should use relatively simple everyday words and not feel that you have to turn to a thesaurus or a dictionary to make your piece more colorful. Concentrate on short sentences and plenty of paragraphs and avoid using jargon. You probably know that if you’ve ever tried to read words that are all jumbled together in a really long paragraph it just gives you a headache. You reader may be tempted to turn the other way.
You need to get to the point and be very positive. Write in active voice and in the first person, never wandering away from the point or being evasive.
Lastly, you must proofread your work before you do anything else. There is no excuse for any spelling mistakes these days. We have very efficient spell check options built into our word processing software tools. Don’t send your communication until you’re absolutely happy with it.
Click on the link to learn more about professional writing services. Nigel Evans and Internet Marketing Future maintain a comprehensive, free information blog on this complex subject. Learn more about the importance of good writing tips and why you should actively consider the approach for your online marketing initiatives.
Comments
Tell me what you're thinking...
and oh, if you want a pic to show with your comment, go get a gravatar!
