I didn’t invent it, of course, but I have been practicing it of late. What? The world’s best writing tip: Butt in chair.

Sure, I’ve heard it before but with my current workload (thanks, clients!), the only way to keep all the balls in the air and projects moving forward is to start cranking out copy.

And that requires putting my behind in the chair at my desk in front of my computer and getting things done. Not emailing, tweeting or posting my status. (During writing time, at least.)

It’s hard to sit still. But when I do, the words come. The type goes on the page. The copy gets done. The client is happy. And, frankly, so am I.

What’s stopping you from butt-in-chair-writing?

No ideas? Write about it. Too many ideas? Write about it. Not sure what to write? Write about it.

The point is to just sit and write for a period of time with no distractions. Set a timer if you have to. Reward yourself at the end of 30 minutes. Whatever it takes. I promise you will be more productive. I know I am.

Possibly related posts

• It takes time to write well (0)
• Big copy challenges we don’t talk enough about (0)
• 3 Ways to Become a Better Writer (0)

I’m doing a site audit for a client of mine and naturally it includes a few thoughts on web copy.

While looking for some small business sites within her industry as good examples to share, I was shocked at the number of poorly done web sites from Boston to Seattle.

There were plenty of hideously designed and whiz-bang-whistle, super-flashy sites that took too long to load, but the biggest thing I noticed was how rotten much of the copy is out there. Seriously. Stinky. Rotten.

A good share of it started with something like this:

As a ______ specializing in _______, I know _______. Our well-trained, highly competent staff will _______.  We take every measure to ensure that ___________. As a leading ________, we’re proud to offer ___________.

Aargh.

Investing time and money into a new web site is a challenge, especially for small businesses. I know, it’s something that challenges me, too, as I work to do great work for my clients and have work-life balance. (Finding the right WordPress partner has been a nightmare, but I digress.)

At the very least, though, schedule a semi-annual review of your content. Do an honest assessment of it. Better yet, have someone else do a more objective evaluation. What content should stay? What should go? What should be refreshed? How can you make it happen with your internal teams or an outside partner, such as a freelance web copywriter.

Remember that the web is a significant channel for reaching, communicating and transacting with your customers and potential customers. Strategic, optimized, consistent, on-brand copy will help you leverage the web’s inherent power to influence and persuade. And that, dear readers, is priceless.

P.S. I’m planning my own web site makeover in 2010. Are you?

Possibly related posts

• Big copy challenges we don’t talk enough about (0)
• Asking Questions Is Key to Finding Answers (0)
• Where’s the information? (Web content mistakes and how to avoid them.) (0)

It’s nice to be back blogging, in part, because I enjoy sharing ideas but also because it means I have some breathing room in my schedule. Which leads me to what I want to share here: do you give yourself enough time to write?

Just about everyone underestimates the amount of time needed to write well.

Sure, Stephen King or John Irving can bang out novel after novel after novel. But they are the exception, not the rule.

I believe that writing even a thoughtful email should take a certain amount of time. And certainly writing web copy requires more than a day or a week.

One of the projects I’ve been working on are some fast turnaround presentations for a major health care company. We typically have a week to distill the message, craft the story, create visuals and produce what is essentially a mini movie. It’s a very compressed timeframe. And while we’ve done a really good job, it could have been less painful for all involved if we had extended our project timeline just a bit.

Sometimes a project dictates a short timeframe. But most times, we self-impose time limits. Perhaps we do this because we don’t want to disappoint the client, the boss, the coworker. Perhaps we do this because we (or others) don’t value our contribution. Or perhaps we do this because we simply don’t know how much time something will take. (Trust me, it will invariably take longer than you think.)

Honestly? I’m a fast writer. Quite fast, in fact. But that doesn’t mean I don’t need a fair amount of prep time, which could include doing research, conducting interviews, brainstorming, noodling, whatever I need to in order to get as much information in me as possible. In fact, I believe I’m a fast writer because I do so much upfront work. It makes the writing process so much easier when I’m well prepared.

Let me encourage you to allow adequate lead time for all your writing.

I recommend keeping track of how long various writing projects take you. It’s a necessity for me to log my exact hours since I juggle multiple clients and projects at any given time. But the other important reason I do it is because it helps me more accurately estimate needed hours for similar, future projects.

It’s also good to build in at least part of a day so you can set your writing aside and come back fresh in the morning for one last round of revising and proofing.

And, lastly, I find it challenging to write for hours and hours on end. I prefer to chunk my writing time with breaks in between, which means I need to allow perhaps two days instead of one for a small project, or fours hours instead of two.

Do you agree that it takes time to write well? Do you allow yourself the time? Do you feel resistance when you do ask for extra time?

Possibly related posts

• The world’s best writing tip (0)
• Big copy challenges we don’t talk enough about (0)
• The Search for Relevant Content – Part 4 (0)

Religion and politics.

They’re said to be the two topics to avoid when talking to others, especially people you don’t know very well.

Why?

Because those topics tend to evoke very strong, highly emotional responses.

Bad for parties and peace rallies, good for getting a conversation going.

Now, I’m not saying that you should include religion and politics on your web site, in your signature speech or throughout your marcom materials (unless that’s your business or life’s work).

No, the takeaway for communicators, writers, creative professionals and entrepreneurs like you is this:

Understand your audience’s emotional triggers so you can position yourself/your business to connect with them on an experiential level.

And that can make the difference in whether they choose you or your competitor.

So, how do you do it?

First, stop making assumptions about your audience. Get to know them on a real and personal level. Spend time with them. Ask open-ended questions and not only listen to what they say, but watch what they do.

Second, become real to them through storytelling. Some years ago I sat in on a United Way presentation at the company I worked for. It was a mandatory meeting and I had already made up my mind that I was not going to be coerced into donating any money. But during the presentation, the speaker invited a lovely young woman up to the podium. She shared a remarkable and heartfelt story of her traumatic brain injury and subsequent recovery thanks to the help of a United Way Agency.

It was impossible not to connect with her, feel her pain, understand her gratitude, and support her cause – all because she shared her story in a real and compelling way.

While your story may not be as dramatic, it can be every bit as personal. Stop limiting yourself to the all-business, all-facts copy that others default to.

Third, and finally, choose your words carefully. Pick words and create phrases that evoke feelings, while creating enthusiasm, energy, urgency or understanding. Use more descriptive, though not uncommon, words. For example, instead of saying “no maintenance,” try using the words “worry free” instead. See how the first choice is more factual while the second is more emotional?

By getting at — and responding to — your audience’s underlying values, needs, beliefs, feelings and experiences, you can help shape the way they feel about you/your business.

Possibly related posts

• The Search for Relevant Content – Part 2 (0)
• The Fourth Habit of Highly Effective Communicators (0)
• Have you looked at your content lately? (0)