That said, I thought I’d better take two minutes and visitors know that yes, I’m still here, and yes, I’m still taking on both copywriting and ghostwriting contracts. With any luck, I will post on the power of sales letters soon.

I also have more articles coming out in Business in Calgary magazine next month. See the December issue for a story about continuing education.

1. Do not put statements in the negative form.

2. Remember to never split an infinitive.

3. It is incumbent on one to avoid archaisms.

4. The passive voice should never be used.

5. Proofread care-fully to see if you words out.

6. If you reread your work, you can find on rereading a great deal of repetition can be avoided by rereading and editing.

7. Never use a long word when a diminutive one will do.

8. Unqualified superlatives are the worst of all.

9. A writer must not shift your point of view.

10. If any word is improper at the end of a sentence, a linking verb is.

11. Don’t overuse exclamation marks!!

12. Avoid trendy locutions that sound flaky.

13. Never, ever use repetitive redundancies.

14. Place pronouns as close as possible, especially in long sentences, as of 10 or more words, to their antecedents.

15. Writing carefully, dangling participles must be avoided.

16. Take the bull by the hand and avoid mixing metaphors.

17. Everyone should be careful to use a singular pronoun with singular nouns in their writing.

18. Always pick on the correct idiom.

19. The adverb always follows the verb.

20. Last but not least, avoid cliches like the plague.

(Source: The New York Times)

“Unlike what many marketing consultants say, your value doesn’t have to be unique. It just needs to be genuine, distinctive, and valuable to them. You don’t need to be the only person to have innovative copywriting skills, yours just need to be worthwhile in specific situations to specific clients…”

Mike Schultz, Wellesley Hills Group

I think this is an important message. So many companies (not just copywriters) are going out of their way to be unique, to ‘differentiate’ themselves from the competition, and it’s not working out. If you truly have something that makes you stand out, great. But if you are simply providing a solid, reliable service–like me, creating a name as a deadline orientated copywriter–then this is a welcome and reassuring message from a guy who knows what he’s talking about.

How about you? Do you struggle with this question when your marketing guru brings it up? 

If you have a specialty that people would pay to learn about…

If you need to educate your contacts on a particular subject at length…

Why not create an eBook?

eBooks are wonderful products in that they can be delivered almost instantly (download), involve no shipping costs, and they are easy to create (most commonly in PDF format). Some people offer them as free products and use them for lead generation, others sell them for the valuable information they impart on their own. They can be as short as a few dozen pages, or as long as hundreds. All you have to do is create the content and link it to your site or next newsletter. You can even create a special sales letter to offer your eBook to your list, giving you yet another way to keep in contact, stay top of mind, and offer something of value.

Not too sure about the process of writing an eBook? Don’t have time? That’s what I’m here for. Give me a call or drop me a line today! Go to www.thewriteinitiative.com for contact information.

That said, how many of you out there know what a white paper is? I wrote to Michael A. Stelzner for some help with the proper definition of the term:

 “High-level white paper definition: A white paper is a persuasive document that usually describes problems and how to solve them. White papers are a cross between magazine articles and brochures. A white paper takes the objective and educational approach of an article and weaves in corporate messages typically found in brochures.

Detailed white paper definition: A white paper is a technical or business-benefits document that introduces a challenge faced by its reader and makes a strong case why a particular approach to solving the problem is preferred. A white paper usually proposes a solution to a problem but can also introduce a new concept or describe how to perform technical tasks. Most white papers range from 6 to 12 pages in length, however some can exceed 50 pages. White papers are very heavy on copy and usually very light on graphics. However, diagrams, charts and illustrations commonly occur in most white papers. White papers are primarily used for generating leads or as a sales closing tool.”

Michael A. Stelzner, www.writingwhitepapers.com/blog/    

White papers got their start in government policy, and the term is actually an offshoot of the term ‘white book’, which is an official publication of a national government. White papers moved on to become a favourite tool for technological companies introducing new innovations and products. Now, however, white papers have become marketing tools to get ideas and proposed solutions in front of the decision makers, and it’s a growing industry.  

When working towards becoming a guru in your field, those in the know often advise you to book public speaking engagements and write a book (see my ghostwriting post if this is something that interests you). Yet many professionals aren’t ready for that level of input. And in this day and age of permission-based marketing and the need to offer something of value, a white paper is just the thing. Like Michael says, it’s a comfortable cross between a magazine article and brochure, educating the reader with useful information while at the same time showing them how much better off they’d be with your professional services to guide them.  

With this important tool you can offer information of value to your target market, creating good feelings in the potential lead. You have given them information that is helpful and useful, and when they are ready for further assistance they will think of you first. 

To put this valuable marketing tool to work for you, visit my website or drop me a line at info@thewriteinitiative.com