This post was was inspired by two things …

• the negative experience of a colleague whose integrity was called into question as a result of a poorly written newsletter article; and
• a tweet from @ProBlogger who created 29 Tips, Tutorials and Resources for New Bloggers.

Following are my links and fast-read tips to improve both written and spoken communication. Please note that while I may reference “writing” or “interactive copy” in some of these tips, you can easily substitute “communication” (the word and the concept) for each.

Read on … I promise you’ll learn something new or at least be reminded of something important.

1. A friendly reminder about good communication
2. Know who you’re talking to. Ask yourself these questions: Who is my audience? What do they expect to hear? What do they need to hear? What kinds of words will they respond to?
3. Simple tip for audience insight
4. Get to the point. Say what you have to say clearly and concisely. If it helps, pretend you’re talking to a child or explaining something to your grandmother.
5. Common writing mistakes (almost) everyone makes
6. Stop communicating to impress. Ditch the name-dropping, jargon-popping speak that characterizes much of American conversation.
7. Lose the unnecessary words
8. Do not repeat yourself or go on and on and on by saying the same thing multiple ways. In other words, lose the redundancies (like this one!).
9. Find some new words
10. Pause. It gives the reader or listener time to process what you’re saying. Hint: Punctuation is your natural pause in the written word.
11. How to make your everyday email more effective
12. Choose your words carefully. “He stepped down as CEO” sounds like the person quit or was fired; whereas “He completed his three-year term” sounds like the person achieved something.
13. Such a post a this should be made more clear via editing
14. Get personal, when appropriate. Speak “to” people; not “at” them.
15. Why good writing is a lot like being in love
16. Think before you communicate. Write your copy, set it aside and go back to it before sending or posting. In conversation, simply pause before continuing.
17. Short and sweet
18. Clarify vs. defend what you write or speak.
19. How to write conversationally
20. Skew toward the positive. Negativity rarely prospers.
21. Become a storyteller
22. Avoid clichés, jargon and buzzwords.
23. How to replace blah, blah, blah language
24. Keep the “who, what, when, where, why and how” in mind. Always.
25. Stop sleepwalking through your copywriting
26. Listen, listen, listen. ’Nuff said.

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Just a few copywriting basics that we all need reminded of from time to time:

1. When you start writing, don’t sweat the small stuff … think big picture first.
2. Practice … the more  you write, the better you write.
3. Break the “writing rules” … just say it.
4. Be yourself … until then, imitate someone else.
5. Get inspired … start and use a swipe file.
6. Write visually … use subheads, bullet points and lists.
7. Change your viewpoint … look for the non-obvious.
8. Stay focused … ask “What’s the point?” continually.

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Birthdays, anniversaries, the start of a new semester or school year, and, of course, the beginning of a new calendar year are milestones in which many of us like to reflect, renew and recommit.

In addition to (or instead of) the usual lose weight, get organized, save money and spend more time with family resolutions, I’m asking you to make another equally serious commitment … this time to your copy.

Yep, your copy deserves a piece of you this year.

When’s the last time you reviewed your online privacy policy, your capabilities brochure or your signature speech? Do you have a copy review schedule? Have you dedicated resources to maintaining fresh content?

Resolve right now to ditch the “write-it-and-forget-it” mentality of yore (which, btw, in the Information Age is last year, last month or even last week) and the “we’ve-always-done-it-this-way” thinking.

I recently challenged one of my local television news stations via Twitter.com to stop the inane, useless teasers and start giving us real news, even in :10 soundbites. With a mobile phone, laptop or PSP I can jump online and get the news instead of waiting until “at 11.” C’mon. Gimme something now and promise something for later that will make me want to tune in. I’m not waiting to hear you tell me something I already read online, via a tweet or from a text message.

Don’t be guilty of what the entire news industry is guilty of — not keeping up with the way consumers demand their information be delivered.

Let me get you started. Say this out loud:

• I own responsibility for my copy.
• I commit to serving my customers/clients/audience/employees current information.
• Nothing is more valuable to me than providing current, credible, dynamic content.
• I will make a planned, intentional and strategic effort to update my copy and my copy practices.
• I will budget appropriate resources (time, money, staffing) to creating and maintaining amazing content both online and off

Cheers to you! You’ve taken the first, most difficult step toward creating a copy strategy that will serve you, your business and your customers well this year.

And while you’re at it, check out Guy Kawasaki’s post on the Amex Open Forum. He gives a quick-hit list of to-dos for small businesses; but his ideas translate well for any size business.

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I love the Discovery Channel show “MythBusters” in which a couple of science geeks test the validity of rumors, myths and urban legends.

So I thought it would be fun to bust some of the myths I encounter when businesses and organizations make false assumptions about web copy.

First, let’s talk about what great web copy is NOT.

• Fluff
• Brochureware
• An afterthought
• Easy to write
• Independent of other marketing messages and channels
• Maintenance free

Now, let’s bust some of those myths …

Myth: It’s okay to use marketing-speak or filler copy … everybody does it. Besides, it’s the only way to get our message across.

Busted: First, not everybody does it —  just those who don’t take the time to think through and write great copy or those who focus on the organization instead of the people they’re trying to reach. Second, visitors to your web site despise, distaste and disdain fluff. Today’s business owner or consumer is savvy, demanding and short on time. Lose the fluff and make an impact instead.

Myth: “We’re almost done with our site so it’s probably time to start thinking about copy.”

Busted: Those who scrounge together copy at the last minute look like they scrounged together copy at the last minute. It shows. Writing effective and compelling copy takes time. Writing is a creative process that requires brainstorming, thinking, writing and rewriting. The earlier you include copy in your overall plan, the more on-point your messaging will be. And, when you allow adequate time for the creation of great copy, the more fluid, concise and compelling it will be.

Myth: “Our admin (or my nephew, neighbor, friend) is pretty good at writing. Everyone loves her annual Christmas letter so let’s use her (or him) to write our web copy!”

Busted: Although not rocket science or brain surgery, writing is a profession. Most people write better than they claim to — but not as well as they think. And a fun-to-read Christmas letter is hardly the same as results-producing web copy. And that’s the biggest difference between a professional writer and an amateur … results. Can your admin/nephew/neighbor/friend write copy that creates a sale, improves conversion rates and builds brand loyalty? If so, then hire ’em. And make sure you give them the title ‘copywriter.’

Myth: “We’re tight on budget but the good news is we don’t need to spend any money on copy.”

Busted: Ain’t nothing free. Regardless of whether you do it yourself, have an in-house writer, work with an agency copywriter or use a freelancer, there’s still an investment of time and money in editing, adapting, writing and rewriting. Always include a line item in the budget and an hours estimate for copywriting.

Myth: We only need to worry about copy for just one project, product, or channel at a time.

Busted: Yikes! Like the rest of your web site, great copy should be strategic. It should be an integral part of your launch strategy AND your overall business objectives. Note that I said integral … as in “essential to completeness.” Remember: Vision demands a strategy and strategy demands a plan. For best results, include copy in your plan and leverage it to create a consistent, relationship-building message across all your marketing channels.

Myth: “Once the copy is done, we’ll never need to touch it again.”

Busted: Egad! Copy that’s never refreshed? Perish the thought. Unless your business — and the world for that matter — stays exactly the same, then even so-called static copy needs looked at and updated from time to time. Further, if you’re watching your metrics and monitoring keywords (shame on you, if you’re not), then surely you’ll want to update the copy to continue to improve search rankings. If not, you can bet your competitors will.

Are you harboring another myth? Post a comment and tell me about it.

Or contact me and well get together so I can share more insights in my presentation: Everything you always wanted to know about great web copy but were afraid (or didn’t know) to ask.

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