1. Business Plan
 |
With new businesses popping up more and more,
what are these current and new business owners doing to gain the
capital backing they need? |
 |
Congratulations, if you are reading this, you
are probably at a stage where you have at least had an idea and
created a product or a service ready for distribution. |
 |
9 tips for evaluating a business proposal. |
 |
This plan describes a traditional manufacturing company and presumes you will prepare a 25
page document |
 |
You know what you want to sell, who you can sell it to, and how much you stand to earn.
|
 |
Key strategies to optimize the effectiveness of your business
emails |
 |
You're going to work hard to write your business plan. |
 |
How to start a career as a professional copywriter. |
2. Business Writing
How to Write a Needs Statement
Document - Part 1
Here is a suggested outline for writing your next Needs Statement,
also known as a Problem Needs Statement or Operation Statement document.
What I'm going to do is divide the needs/problem statement into five
sections: Problem, Cause, Cost, Strategy, and Barriers. [Read More]
How to Avoid Mistakes in Writing
Your Needs Statement
- Part 2
One of the common mistakes that writers make is that they start their
Needs Statement with what they propose to do instead of focusing on why
there is a need in the first place. [Read More]
How to Write a Needs Statement
Document - Part 3
You can also use this exercise to help
you focus your business writing, especially when writing your Needs
Statement documents. [Read More]
Need Inspiration to Write Articles? Check Your Stats!
One of the best ways to promote a Website inexpensively is to write articles
about your Website's topic. [Read More]
Beetle Bailey and Presentation Skills
As General Halftrack walked into his office, his secretary asked: "How was Lt. Fuzz's
presentation?" [Read
More]
Expanding Your Sphere of Influence
Jane Watson, "People of influence are the men and women within an
organization whose opinions count ªnot necessarily because they rank
high on an "org" chart ªbut because they have acknowledged experience or
are associated with people of authority." [Read More]
Turn Your Panic Into Profit
You're great at oral presentations, adept at one-on-one sales calls.
You've even mastered the dreaded cold call. But when it comes to writing
ªputting your thoughts down on paper you panic. [Read More]
How to Write Excellent FAQs that Answer User
Questions
You've hunted and clicked your way through the Web site, but you can't find the
information you need... [Read More]
Tips for Non-Sexist Writing
Calling attention to gender when not specifically appropriate for the situation will take
the focus off your message and dilute its effectiveness. [Read More]
 GEAR
up for Newsletter Success
Newsletters remain among the most powerful tools businesses and organizations can leverage
for promotion, sales, education and relationship-building. [Read More]
Words That
Work
"Do you sometimes agonize over choosing just the right word for your letter,
brochure, ad or other written materials? Words have meaning, and choosing the right words
is important." [Read More]
Jane Watson asks "Is That
What You Meant To Say?"
Despite the warning that today we should write as we speak, there are a few basic truths
we can't ignore. [Read
More]
How to Network Effectively to
Secure Freelance Work
When freelancers ask me what type of marketing is the easiest, costs the least, and yields
the best results, I don't hesitate to recommend networking. [Read More]
Top 10 Power Copywriting Tricks
Small business marketing is not really about sitting around in board rooms discussing
branding strategies...it's really about selling. [Read More]
Top 10 Keys to Attracting More Clients!
It's always easier to attract the things we want in life than to chase them down and catch
them. [Read
More]
Business Writing Templates
The Value of Getting Writing Help
Jack Thompson explains "Whether you are working for a small business, large
corporation, or are a student, there are numerous sources that you can turn to for help
with writing." [Read More]
10 Key Expressions to Avoid In Sales Information
"Keeping up with what words are in and out isn't hard. Yet, with all the
other more important things on our to-do list, it doesn't get remembered easily." [Read More]
Your Business Writing Should Match Your
Personality
The personality you have projected over the phone or in person to this same
audience becomes lost when you create letters, memos or reports. [Read More]
The "Write" Way to Enhance Your
Business
While you certainly know good writing when you see it, can you write with the same pizzazz
the professionals use to hold your attention for pages on end? [Read More]
7 Skills for Business Writing
Success
They make an impact on the reader, whether positive or negative, and form the basis for
the reader's opinion of you. [Read More]
Audit Your Communications
"I have a high level job," he explained, "and I always had someone
who wrote my correspondence for me..." [Read More]
10 Tips for More Effective
Business Communications
Everyone can use a little help making their business communications more effective now and
then. Here are 10 tips you can try today. [Read More]
Academic vs Business Writing
"My wife is an English teacher. When I told her about the changes in writing
that you taught us yesterday, she got very upset. She said if I ever start a sentence with
the word and or if I ever write a one sentence paragraph she will slap my wrist." [Read
More]
The Challenge of the Home-Based Business
With the holidays around the corner, you may find yourself struggling to keep
your home-based business and your home life separate and running smoothly. And you're not
alone. [Read More]
The Changing World of Business
Writing by Jane Watson
Typewriters. Personal secretaries knowledgeable in grammar. Shorthand. Dictionaries on
desks. Photocopiers. Fax machines. E-mails. Internet. [Read
More]
8 Ideas to Add Pizzazz to Your Website by Tina L. Miller
Amidst millions of other websites, how can you make yours stand out in the crowd? [Read
More]
Communicate With
Color By
Jane Watson
It doesn't matter whether you are working for a Fortune 500 company or are a lone
entrepreneur, you must be able to express your ideas effectively. [Read More]
Things you may like to know about Copyrights
By Jan Kovarik
In the following few paragraphs, I'll give you some simple facts about
copyrights that may help you in your quest to get published. [Read More]
Developing A Media Kit Built To Sell
That sentence usually strikes a note of anxiety in most small business owners. I think the
reason is because many don't understand what a media kit is or what it should offer. [Read More]
Effective Editing: It Spells the Difference! By
Lizzie R. Santos
If you think proofreading equals editing, then you're wrong! Editing is a lot more than
just scrutinizing your manuscript for misspelled words or missing punctuation marks. [Effective Editing]
Keep It Simple By Jane Watson
This article is one in a series of five
articles on how to expand your sphere of influence through better communications. [Read More]
Finding Experts, Sources and Contacts by:
Pamela White
I was asked to write an article on a short deadline. No problem, I thought. Then I got the
article specifications which included quoting several experts in the article. [Read More]
8 Archaic Phrases to Eliminate by
Tina L. Miller
Take a look at your business writing. Are you dating yourself? The language you use could
be dating you, and you may not even know it! [Read
More]
Getting Published in Trade Journals by
Jennifer Tribe
Instead of a check from the magazine's editor, your "payment" comes in the form
of an extended byline or resource box - the little blurb at the end of an article that
provides more information about the author. [Getting Published]
So You Want to be a Freelancer? Here's
How! By Vishal P. Rao
Not that long ago, freelancing was something people did mainly in larger metropolitan
areas where work for writers, artists, and other creative types was plentiful and easily
accessible. [How to be a
Freelancer Writer]
How To Create A Brochure by Karon
Thackston
One of the most effective and long-standing methods of advertising is the use of a
brochure.. IF done properly. [Read More]
How Web Readers Read by
Kaye Vivian
It shouldn't come as a surprise then, that visitors to your web pages read the same way. [Read More]
The Recipe for Good Reports By
Jane Watson
Some people write the same way as I learned to cook spaghetti. When I was at university, I
was taught a surefire way of cooking "perfect" spaghetti. [Recipe-for-Good-Reports]
The Right Way To Send Your Resume by Don
Goodman
In today's job market, where you are competing with hundreds of other resumes, knowing the
right way to distribute your resume can make all the difference. [Read More]
The Run-on Sentence: From Here To Eternity by
Jean Fritz
The run-on sentence is annoying. The run-on is boring. Most important, utilizing run-ons
in your work is a sure-fire way of losing your reader. [Read More]
Selling Yourself Through Your
Writing By Jane Watson
Business writing is fast becoming a survival skill in our high-technology,
service-oriented marketplace. [Read More]
Short Copy: Understanding Its Purpose Can
Increase Sales
I believe it was Mark Twain that once said, "If I would have had time, I
would have written a shorter letter." His point being it takes much
more thought and time to write a short, concise piece than a long one.
It's true, too! [Read More]
Tips for Managing a Q&A
Session by Kaye Vivian
Whether following a proposal presentation, in a client meeting, or after a seminar
presentation, everyone can use these pointers for managing a Q&A session better. [Read More]
Tips for Writing an Effective Audio Script by
Jennifer Tribe
When you think of writing, what springs to mind? If you ¯re like most
people, you think of things like books, essays, stories, and e-mails.
These are all types of writing that are typically meant to be read. [Read More]
Write Minutes, Not Hours By
Jane Watson
Do you attend effective meetings? In other words, is information shared, decisions
reached, and specific actions taken within a set time frame? [Read More]
Writing: An Important Tool In
Business By Jane Watson
In other words, if you want to be noticed within or outside your organization, you have to
be able to express yourself-clearly and concisely. [Read More]
Writing Effective Sales Copy By Vishal
P. Rao
Whether you run a home-based business or Microsoft, one thing is always true: products do
not sell themselves. So what makes customers buy? Words. [Read More]
Writing for a Website By
Jane Watson
The word writing is a great umbrella. It covers different styles
ªacademic, literary, legal, scientific, journalistic and business. Each
has its own idiosyncrasies that must be religiously followed by the
user. [Read More]
Business Report Writing Tips
Let's assume that you have to write a document for work or study. Your instructions
consist of the title that you are to use and nothing else. Could you -- with only the
title as a guide -- write a suitable document? Unambiguously, the answer is no.
Why? Because you haven't yet been told such things as WHO the document is for, WHY they
want it or WHAT they already know. [Read More]
3. Proposals and RFPs
Kaye Vivian knows "Who's the
Competition"
There are two aspects of competition to consider in any proposal. First, who is
proposing against you, and secondly, who is the direct competition of your prospective
customer. [Read More]
Important
Things in Retention Proposals by Kaye Vivian
Re-proposals or retention proposals for existing clients are some of the most difficult
proposals to prepare because the service team often feels in a defensive position,
particularly if there have been challenging service issues. [Read
More about Retention Proposals]
Proposal Writing A Golfer's
Perspective By Jane Watson
But why is proposal writing receiving more attention? Simple ªit relates
to the changing way we are doing business. [Proposal Writing]
Proposal Management Software by
Kaye Vivian
Since the early 80s when computers began to be used
widely by accounting and law firms, there have been efforts to organize and automate the
proposal writing process. [Read More]
Your First Time Preparing a Request for Proposal
"The term may sound formal or even formidable, but it's possible to write a very
effective RFP by keeping a few key issues in mind." [Read More]
SBIR and Government
Contract Proposals by Kaye Vivian
Congress has mandated that every government agency must set aside 5% of its annual budget
to award in the form of grants to small businesses. [Read
More]
How to Write Effective Selling
Proposals
"if you sell a complex product or one that involves the delivery of
professional services, learning how to write effective selling proposals can be critical
to your success." [Read More]
Preparing a Contract With an Outsource Service
Provider
The next step - a most important and responsible one - is negotiating and
preparing a contract." [Read
More]
What Goes into a Retention
Proposal? by Kaye Vivian
A retention proposal is one of the hardest proposals. When notice of a competitive bid is
given, the service team immediately begins to feel like all eyes are on them and that they
did something wrong. [Read More]
Crafting a Request for Proposal
Only a comprehensive RFP will make it easy for potential vendors to draw up their
proposals and save your own time in the long run. [Read More]
Some Important Tips On Proposals And Price
Here's a critically important copywriting technique I use when writing sales
letters and proposals for our own direct marketing services and for our clients. It's all
about "price". I see it all the time. And perhaps you do too. Letters and
proposals that bury the price at the very end of the document. [Read More]
The Most Dangerous Letters in Sales are RFP
So what's the solution? First, you must understand that the probability of
winning business from responding to an RFP where you have no relationship with the client
is so close to zero as to not be worth discussing. Unfortunately, everyone has won one or
two and believes that they are the exception. [Read More]
Essential Elements of Writing a Course Proposal
At some point in their careers, many writers may teach writing
courses, either before a live classroom audience or, these days,
online. But how does a new teacher develop that first course proposal?
What elements should go into it? [Read More]
9 Pointers for Evaluating a Business Proposal
Finding a business opportunity on the net is easy. But evaluating the right one
for you, takes a little knowledge. With so many scams, takers and failed ventures you need
a little more than the, "highest dollar for the least amount of work" approach.
So what should you look for when evaluating an opportunity? Here are 9 pointers. [Read More]
12 Tips for Generating Leads through Cold-Calling
Cold calling can be a great way to generate quality leads. You get to speak to the
gatekeepers and stakeholders, and you get a great insight into their requirements and
influences. But cold calling is an art-form. It can be daunting, it's always a
lot of work, and you always need to make a good impression. So you need to do it right.
Following are some tips which will help you do just that. [Read More]
4. Press Release and Surveys
5. Tutorials
What is a Case Study?
Rather than using large samples and following a rigid protocol to examine a limited number
of variables, case study methods involve an in-depth, longitudinal examination of a single
instance or event. [Read More]
6. Checklists
7. White Papers
8. Headlines
9. Sales and Marketing
Writing
10 Plain Language and Plain English
11. Freelancing
Writing Query Letters
How to turn run-of-the-mill query letters into high-powered sales tools!
[Read More]
How to Multiply Your Freelance
Writing Work
You can turn your $200 fee to write a press release into $2,000 to carry out an entire PR
campaign simply by convincing clients to invest in campaigns, instead of individual
assignments. [Read
More]
What Editors Want from Freelance Writers
The world of freelance writing encompasses a broad spectrum of different subjects and
approaches to writing; these range from people interest stories in local newspapers to
technical journals and software-related publications. [Read More]
12. Employee Handbooks
Why Your Business Needs an Employee Handbook and How to
Get One
Why do all large companies have an
Employee Handbook? A legally sound, well crafted
Employee Handbook can potentially save a company tens of thousands of dollars in legal costs while serving to relieve administrative confusion by clarifying key company policies. In this article, we'll take a look at the three main reasons successful companies today depend on their employee handbooks. [Read More]
What
is an Employee Handbook?
An employee handbook (or employee manual or staff handbook)
details guidelines, expectations and procedures of a business or company to
its employees.
Employee
Handbooks are given to employees on one of the first days of
his/her job, in order to acquaint them with their new company and its
policies. [Read More]
If You Start a Business Ensure You Create an Employee Manual
These days with the technology of the internet - there is so much
information around to help you make decisions and money easily. Just get
online and research the opportunities available to you. You are sure to find
a wealth of information around. [Read More]
Nordstrom Employee Manual
For many years, new employees were given a copy of the famous Nordstrom's
Employee Handbook a single 5 x 8 inch gray card containing 75 words: [Read More]
Employee Manual is more than an Rule Book
An
Employee Handbook should give more information than just set out a list of
rules. It gives management the opportunity to communicate the company's
mission and culture together with setting expectations. [Read More]
Do your employees know the ground rules?
The Employee Handbook, also called
employee
manual, sets out in detail the
guidelines that govern procedures and expectations of the company from its
employees. Whenever a new employee joins a company, the normal practice
followed is to
provide the employee with a handbook to acquaint them with
the new company and its prevailing policies. [Read More]
Another reason to have an Employee Manual
There are many good
reasons to
have a good, frequently updated
employee handbook - and very few reasons not to have one, regardless of the
size of your business. [Read More]
Introduction to an Employee Handbook
Almost anything big business uses can be used to our advantage. An
employee
handbook is designed to cover all the important policies
regarding all things that affect the employee such as compensation,
benefits, vacations and holidays. [Read More]
Do you need an Employee Handbook?
Lacking an up-to-date, legally-compliant
Employee Handbook dramatically
increases employer liability, puts business assets at significant risk, and
increases the likelihood of a business disruption. [Read More]
Outline for developing an Employee Handbook?
An employee handbook is a
collection of workplace rules, policies, procedures,
and other information that an employer would like employees to know. It both
records and communicates important company information, setting guidelines for
the employment relationship and for resolving conflicts in the workplace. [Read More]
Company Employee Improvement Tool
A business is only able to grow as fast as the internal
organization is able to process higher volumes of sales. But how to get an
optimal internal organization? Well, you will need to adapt your internal
organization over and over again. It is a never ending story. [Read More]
Best Practices for Employee On-boarding
Imagine it's your first day at a new job. You arrive at an office where no
one seems to be expecting you. After locating your workstation, you realize
that no one has shown you how to log into your computer or get an outside
line on your phone. You do not have a clear idea of what you are expected to
do first in your new job. Your supervisor is nowhere to be found, and you
are starting to question your decision to accept this position. [Read More] |
I'm Ivan Walsh, the person behind this site. I help people improve how they write, publish and extend their business assets.