by Ashley Smith, Scribe Contributor

Each year companies spend millions of dollars to advertise during the Super Bowl because they know that the captivated audience of millions will most likely not mute the commercials. I’m sure even diehard football fans will admit—if only to themselves—that when it comes to Super Bowl Sunday, they’re eager not only to watch the game but the commercials, too. In fact, even those who are not so football crazy are often willing to suffer through the game just to enjoy the commercials.

This is great for well-established companies that have such large sums of money to spend for 30 seconds of advertising, but what about smaller businesses? How can small business owners get their message out without spending a fortune?

Below are a few creative marketing techniques that will make an impact on potential customers with minimal cost to you.

• Invest in long-term advertising. People need to see your message more than a few times to remember it, so attach your message to something that lasts: bumper stickers, t-shirts, pens, etc.
• Design brochures so the cover remains permanent, while the information on the inside can be changed. The outside covers can be printed in bulk and the inside section changed and printed as needed.
• Make business cards for all employees. It’s worth it to spend the extra money to have business cards made up for everyone in your company. The employees will feel valued, which in turn will make them proud to hand out their business cards. And the more business cards left in the hands of potential customers the closer you are to increasing your sales.
• Use direct mail. It’s cheap and it works. Purchase a mailing list of people that fit your target market and then send them a letter outlining your services or products. Place stickers, stamps or handwritten notes with a concise message on the envelope to catch people’s attention. They’re more likely to open the envelope if they have an idea of what to expect inside. And make sure to include your business card!
• Promote with postcards. Whether you send them by mail or leave them out in a public area, postcards quickly put your message out in the open. Some people might not read an entire letter, but they will read a message on a postcard.
• Offer complimentary tips. Who doesn’t like receiving pertinent information for free? Give just enough of a teaser to show the potential client your expertise. Once they’re confident you know your stuff they’ll be willing to pay for more.
• Relate your message to a trend or current event. Can you link your product or service to a holiday, special event or current mode of living? How about a known group or association? Connecting it to something people can relate to is a sure way to make them aware (and want) what you offer.

For more ways you can advertise on a small business budget, check out “75 Big Marketing Ideas for Small Marketing Budgets.” For copywriting help on all your brochures, postcards, website content, or other advertising efforts, call The Scribe Source.

In the meantime, leave us a comment about which Super Bowl commercials you think were the best (or worst) ads. What did you like or dislike? What made the advertising effective? We’d love to hear from you!

by Ashley Smith, Scribe Contributor

Every February 2, many North Americans gather together to celebrate the emergence of a groundhog from its burrow. The hope is that the groundhog will not see its shadow and therefore winter will not perpetuate for another six weeks. Over the years the term “Groundhog Day” has come to express a situation in which events occur repeatedly for a period of time (such as a long winter).

Many websites are stuck in a long winter. Have you ever revisited a site after many months and noticed that nothing has changed? It still has the same products, same services, same testimonials, same articles, etc. Or even worse, the content is out-of-date? Can the same be said of your website?

If you haven’t kept your company’s website up to date, I’m sure you can think of a thousand excuses why: lack of time, lack of money, lack of know-how, whoops I forgot, etc. But what if I were to tell you why it’s vital and how you can do it without spending a lot of time or breaking the bank? Keep reading if you’d like to know.

Why is it important to keep your website updated? If there is one sure way to kill traffic to your website, it’s to not keep it current.

• New, quality content will retain your current customers and attract new ones. Don’t you want your website to be the one everyone visits to have all their questions answered?
• Fresh content is good for SEO (search engine optimization). You will be indexed by search engines more often if you are consistently posting new content.
• It’s what the pros do. Keeping outdated material or products or services you no longer sell on your website does not do much for your professional reputation.

How can you update web content simply, quickly, and cheaply? Take a look at these tips:

• Search for online news articles related to your industry to post on your website. Write a quick synopsis of the article and provide a link to it.
• Repurpose content you have: turn a presentation into a webinar or a blog into a podcast, etc.
• Post industry-related events that you are going to or would like to go to.
• Post press releases of a new product, recent achievement, or upcoming company event.
• Start blogging. A good way to get started is by reading other blogs related to your industry and then write your opinion on them.
• Make it a priority to keep your contact information and business hours current so your customers can always reach you.

Be sure you or someone else you trust reviews any new content you’ve written for grammar or spelling errors before you post it. If you need help developing content, The Scribe Source offers both writing and consulting services to help develop your company’s ideas into fresh website content. We’re also available for editing and quick-turnaround proofreading. Contact us to discuss your needs.

Say goodbye to winter on your website. Spring is on the way!

Editor’s Note: Special thanks to Ashley, not only for this great post, but for helping us bring our own site out of winter with fresh articles and quality content!

The English language is prone to idiosyncrasies in spelling and grammar, so it is no surprise that people make mistakes when writing.  For example, have you ever found yourself confusing “you’re” with “your”? It’s okay to say yes. Everyone makes mistakes such as these, even professional writers.

Before we get into why we easily confuse certain words and how to stop perpetuating this habit, take a look at some of the most commonly confused words. Are you guilty of misusing any of these?

• you’re/your
• they’re/their/there
• it’s/its
• then/than
• to/too

Most of us don’t make these errors because we are ignorant of the rules or lack the intuitive ability to use the correct word. (However, if you don’t know the correct use for any of the words above, please consult your dictionary or some of our Facebook and Twitter tips from last week). More often the culprit is carelessness or hastiness.  Between our busy lives and the myriad forms of written communication we use today—emails, blogs, tweets, etc.—it’s easy to overlook mistakes.

However, if you want people to recognize you as a professional and take your ideas seriously, it is important to stop perpetuating these bad writing habits.

Below are some tips to help you avoid making mistakes.

• Read what you’ve written before clicking Print, Send, Share, Post, Tweet, or whatever other method you have of publishing communications.
• Go an extra step and read what you’ve written out loud. This increases your chances of finding errors.
• Use grammar checkers. You can download grammar checker software online. Also, word processing programs such as WordPad and Microsoft Word will automatically check for correct grammar. Make sure this option is turned on.
• If possible, take a break after you’ve finished writing and come back to it later. You’re more likely to see a mistake that you hadn’t seen before once some time has passed.
• When it’s an important message, have someone else read your writing. A professional proofreader or editor is trained to check for mistakes and will guarantee your correspondence is clear, succinct, and error free.

In short, give your writing just a little more time and attention. Carelessness is not the message you want to send with your business communication.

What tips can you share with other business writers for avoiding writing and grammatical mistakes?

The subject matter that shall be discussed in this article is about the importance of writing in a manner that allows you to make known all of the items you wish to express in only a few words.

Have I lost you yet? For those of you still scratching your heads over what that sentence means, here is a clear translation: This article discusses the importance of concise writing.

First, let’s establish what “concise writing” means. You may think it means to summarize a topic; however, a summary is a brief account of main points, while something written concisely expresses all points in a few words.

Simple. Succinct. Better.

Why is concise writing important in business correspondence? Or, why is wordy writing unfavorable? Wordiness often leads to miscommunication. Filling a page with words will not get your point across more effectively. Simple and succinct is almost always better.

Wordy business communication can also frustrate your reader. This is especially true in a digital age when colleagues and customers are used to getting their information quicker than ever. By using more words to make your point, you’ve also used up more of your reader’s time. They notice. And their response is often to stop reading your writing or giving it the attention it deserves.

How formal does your business communication need to be?

Sometimes in business communication, we use excessively formal language. Instead of letting this be your default mode of communication, examine just how formal your business communication needs to be. Try to be both personable and professional. By taking the formality of your writing down a level, you can make your writing more concise and increase the chances your message will be both read and understood.

Think how time consuming and perplexing it can be to read a legal document. Verbosity in legal and formal agreements is sometimes necessary, but your other business communications should be as clear and succinct as possible.

The examples below show varying levels of formality in business correspondence:

• Should you require any assistance with the implementation of the latest guidelines, please do not hesitate to get in touch with me. (formal)
• If you need assistance implementing the latest guidelines, please contact me. (less formal)
• Need assistance implementing the guidelines? Contact me. (informal)

Although there is nothing wrong with the first sentence, the second and third ones more clearly and succinctly communicate the author’s point. And when your customers and colleagues have dozens or hundreds of other emails and reports to read, chances are they will appreciate a shorter version.

Practice concise writing.

Let’s look at some examples of poor, wordy writing and their revisions:

Wordy:
Taking into consideration the large degree to which our quarterly sales are down, it is in our best interest to let some members of our sales team go.
Revision:
Considering the steep decline in our quarterly sales, we should downsize our sales team.

Wordy:
The reason behind wanting to merge with a multinational company was so that our brand would be recognized by people all over the world.
Revision:
We merged with a multinational company because we wanted our brand recognized internationally.

Now see if you can make some of your own revisions. Take a quick look at a recent email or report you’ve written and see if you can fine-tune your writing and make it more digestible for your readers.

One tip to start writing more concisely is this: when you’ve finished writing, check the number of words and then decrease that number by 10%. If this proves difficult, consider working with an editor or someone in your office with great writing skills to help you revise your work.

More Writing Tips

Interested in learning more tips on concise writing? Look for upcoming posts where we’ll discuss common “wordy traps” people fall into when writing and how you can avoid them. Need help improving your writing? Give us a call.

What is it that we do? Put simply, we write for you. Chances are you’re brilliant at what you do, but you might lack the time, desire, or maybe even the skill to handle all of the writing that your business requires. That’s where we can help.

Whether you need us to proofread your everyday correspondence, rewrite your company manual, or draft new content for your website and marketing materials, our writing and editing professionals are standing by to help. Our team specializes in taking your best ideas and unique company message and crafting them into content that will help your business shine.

So, take a look at our Services, or any other parts of our site that interest you, and find out how we can help you take your business communication to the next level. We look forward to hearing from you soon!

It’s the second day of spring and we were happy to see the sun come out in Seattle! (So happy that I took off a little early and went to Pike Place Market.)

It’s a fitting time to remember the rules of capitalization for the seasons. Winter, spring, summer, and fall/autumn are all lowercased except when used to denote an issue of a publication (e.g., the Spring 2011 issue of a company newsletter or other publication).

Other exceptions would be when the word begins a sentence (such as “Winter” in the previous sentence) or is part of the title of a work (The Torrents of Spring by Ernst Hemingway).

Lowercase rules also apply for spring equinox and winter solstice.

Hope you are all enjoying the longer days and glimpses of sunshine after a long, cold winter. Happy spring!

We are thrilled about living and working in the Emerald City—thrilled about the entrepreneurial spirit and out-of-the-box thinking that pervade the business community here, about the vibrant non-profit sector making a difference regionally and around the world, and perhaps most of all, about not having to endure another Houston summer. It’s good to be home!

We’ve got lots of plans for our work here in Seattle, so check back often for news and updates. Additionally, we’ll be increasing our communications (which have been a bit stagnant during the last few months as we prepared for our move), so be sure to visit our Facebook page and follow us on Twitter.

They say a picture is worth a thousand words, and if you sit down with someone who is a visionary and ask them what they do, that’s probably how many words you’ll get. Entrepreneurs and other visionaries are nothing else if not passionate, and given a listening ear, they can go into elaborate detail about the new frontiers and new worlds they envision.

But if you are communicating your organization’s vision using a thousand or more words, only the most patient will stay along for the ride. Simplifying your message and making it transferable is the key to your success.

Who Are Your Runners?

The ancient Hebrew prophet, Habakkuk, said it this way, “Write the vision and make it plain on tablets, that he may run who reads it” (Habakkuk 2:1). The first step to seeing a vision fulfilled is to write it down and make it transferable.

Whether your vision is a business idea, community program, or any other initiative, it takes resources—especially people—to make your vision a reality. The challenge is in taking your vision—something ethereal and intangible existing in your own mind—and communicating it effectively to the people who will help make it happen. These are your “runners” and they must be able to read your vision and understand it clearly. The good news is, once these go-getters have a grasp on your vision, they will create a buzz about it wherever they go.

Simplify Your Story

The idea of “creating a buzz” around your business idea ties into one of the most successful marketing tactics for small and medium-sized businesses: cultivating good referrals. In an article titled “Simplify Your Company’s Story” in the September 2006 issue of Entrepreneur Magazine, author and businessman Ivan Misner wrote about the importance of communicating what you do in a way that is relatable to your referral sources.

It may seem like a no-brainer—don’t we all know what we do for a living? Of course, but can you communicate it clearly and simply to your potential sources? If you think about it, you may find you’re not quite as clear on the facts as you thought. And if you can’t tell your potential sources what you do or what you sell, how can they send you good referrals?

A Unified Vision

Referral sources aren’t the only ones you want to be able to “run” with your vision. It is essential that management and leadership teams clearly understand the vision, as well as your entire staff. If the people within your organization know what it is they are running toward, they will be able to communicate your objectives and goals with clients, potential investors, and anyone else who can help your vision materialize. They will also be able to continually examine their own work in light of the big picture, helping to eliminate unnecessary tasks that waste time and resources.

Minimizing Words, Maximizing Impact

Helping visionaries develop and communicate their inspired ideas is one of the things I love to do most in my work. I cannot tell you how happy it makes me when a client tells me, “You grasped what our organization is all about and communicated it better than I could have myself.” I know from my own experiences as a business owner that it can be extremely daunting to take that whole picture in your mind’s eye—the vast horizon of a new frontier—and try to hone it down to a few poignant words. Sometimes it helps to have that patient, listening ear to sit with you while you explain in a thousand words the story your picture tells, and then together work on simplifying it into a clear, transferable message.

My business vision in a few words is this: To help you effectively communicate and implement yours. Our writing services have been developed with the understanding that every document your organization sends out is an opportunity to communicate your message to a potential “runner.” Our consulting services and workshops help you build a workable strategy and gain the tools you need to make your vision come to life. If you need help making your vision transferable, contact us today.

One trillion dollars.

That’s how much buying power 15 million Hispanics living in the U.S. have, according to a new Hispanic marketing trends survey commissioned by Orci (via this article at Entrepreneur.com). Latinos currently make up more than 15 percent of the population and are predicted to number 50 million after the 2010 census, an increase of 42 percent since 2000.

So, how is your business connecting with this market?

Hopefully you’re connecting with them online. A recent study by the Pew Hispanic Center (part of The Pew Research Center) indicated that Internet use among Latino adults rose 10 percentage points between 2006 and 2008 (compared to 4% for non-Hispanic whites and 2% for blacks).  While the majority of the Latinos online are U.S.-born and speak English, most still strongly identify with the culture and language of their ancestors.

If Hispanics are part of your business’s target market—and chances are good that they are—think about how your business can make a stronger connection with this growing economic force. There may not be a need to communicate all of your services or offerings in Spanish, but what about having a Spanish section on your website’s home page, or a targeted landing page that welcomes Hispanic visitors?

The Scribe Source offers professional English-to-Spanish (and Spanish-to-English) document translation to help you connect with the Latino market online. Our translators are experienced working with domestic and multinational businesses for both print and media applications.

The new Spanish section for our website is in the works. Contact us if you’d like us to get started on yours too.

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I thought about the works of great authors that inspired me, and a passage from Louis L’Amour’s The Walking Drum stuck out most in my mind:

I was a landless man, and there was nothing lower, nothing less vulnerable.  One was attached to a castle, serving some great lord, or one was nothing.  We merchant venturers, we were the first of a new kind of man, creating a new kind of wealth.

It’s a fantastic book, in case you’re looking for a good read.  And unlike most of L’Amour’s books, this one is not a Western (which was a plus for me).

Leaving the Castle

Why did this passage inspire me?

I read The Walking Drum the same year I started my business. Venturing out on my own—without an employer to provide health care benefits, a 401(k) or all the other perks you get “serving in the castle”—well, it felt very vulnerable. Did I have what it took to be a new kind of man—er, woman? Could I create a new kind of wealth for myself?

Six years later, I can say it has been an amazing—and yes, sometimes frightening—adventure. But I wouldn’t have traded a minute of it. Well, maybe just a few minutes.

I’m grateful for all of the clients over the years who have helped us become the company we are. As small business owners, we have much in common. We share this merchant adventure, pursuing our business visions and trying to communicate our ideas the best we can.

So, when you get stuck—whether it’s writing, planning a product launch, executing your marketing plan, or just believing you can successfully build your own castle—remember what inspired you in the first place and keep pressing ahead. Chances are you’ll inspire someone else along the way.

———

An Editor’s Note: Is there an error in old Louis’ text? Shouldn’t this passage say, “there was…nothing more vulnerable,” not less?