| Pen Point #1 |
“Something there is that doesn’t love a wall, and wants it down.”
Robert Frost.
Mending Wall.
Effective writing breaks down barriers and invites the reader into your world. Stay away from jargon or industry lingo that
can cloud your message and make your reader feel like an outsider.
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| Pen Point #2 |
“I want to see you shoot the way you shout.”
Theodore Roosevelt.
Address, Oct. 1917, Madison Square Garden, New York.
Marketing materials can open many prospect doors for your company. The more accurately they describe the benefits
of your product, the more they can help you achieve the sale. First, make sure your strategic messages reflect your
true mission, vision and goals. Then deliver on the promise with excellent service, quality and follow through.
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| Pen Point #3 |
“One of the best ways to persuade others is with your ears – by listening to them.”
Dean Rusk.
The Reader’s Digest (Pleasantville, N.Y., July 1961).
It’s hard to serve your clients if you don’t know what they want. Before rushing to their aid with a solution, find out
what they perceive the problem to be.
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| Pen Point #4 |
“If you have built castles in the air, your work need not be lost; that is where they should be.
Now put the foundations under them.”
Henry David Thoreau.
Walden,“Conclusion” (1854).
A great product or service won’t sell itself. Potential customers need to know you are there and believe you can deliver.
Build your strategic marketing plan to give visibility and credibility to your company. It is an essential part of your overall
business plan.
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| Pen Point #5 |
“Always do right – this will gratify some and astonish the rest.”
Mark Twain.
Message, 16 Feb. 1901, to the Young People’s Society,
New York City.
Serve your customers the way you would expect to be served, and you’ll always have a steady client base upon
which to build. Keep your message in front of your existing customers, and ask them for referrals or testimonials
when prospecting new accounts. If you treat your loyal customers well, they’ll be happy to help you obtain new ones.
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| Pen Point #6 |
“Some writers confuse authenticity, which they ought always to aim at, with originality, which
they should never bother about.”
W. H. Auden.
The Dyer’s Hand, pt. 1, “Writing” (1962).
There is nothing wrong with highly creative promotional materials as long as the concept, message and design spring
from your company’s mission, vision, and goals. But your advertising shouldn’t be “clever” or “slick” just for the sake of
grabbing attention. Let your corporate identity be true to your corporate culture. How your current customers respond
to your marketing image can be a reasonable gauge for how prospects will see you, too.
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| Pen Point #7 |
“Unless one is a genius, it is best to aim at being intelligible.”
Anthony Hope.
The narrator (Mr. Carter), in The Dolly Dialogues, no. 15 (1894).
When developing a marketing message for your audience, the rule of thumb is to keep it simple. Your ad, brochure, or
direct mail piece has less than three seconds to get your point across! Don’t overload or confuse your prospects. Grab
their attention, state the benefits, and be clear about what you expect them to do in response.
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Writing That Works
