How to Start Writing a Resume: Avoid the Number One Resume Writing Mistake

If you want to land a job interview you obviously must have a well-written resume. Unfortunately the thought of writing a resume sends shivers down many people's spines.

Personally, I do not know anyone who actually enjoys writing a resume. In fact, writing a resume is such a dreadful task that many people would rather hire someone to write the resume for them which can be quite costly.

Fortunately writing a resume does not have to be that difficult and yes, you can do it yourself without the help of a professional resume writer.

However, you want to avoid the big mistake that most people make when starting to write a resume.

What's the mistake?

The mistake most people make when writing a resume is that they do NOT create a resume that is job specific…in other words their resume is way too general. They try to take the easy way out by creating a generic resume that they can use for a number of different jobs…a one-size-fits-all resume.

This is a mistake. However, it is also good news for you. Since most of your competition will be writing generic resumes, you will have a much better chance of making your resume stand out by creating one that is specific for the job you want.

So how does one create a job-specific resume?

Easy…start by creating a few simple lists with pen and paper.

Here are the three lists you should create BEFORE you actually start writing a resume:

1. Before writing a resume make a list of all the requirements for the particular job you are seeking. That's right…you want to gear your resume to the specific job you are applying for. That means if you are applying for several different jobs you will be making several different resumes.

2. Make a list of any and all RELATED experience. Unrelated experience is not necessary to put in your resume and can actually be a distraction so make sure your list is exclusive to related experience. This includes internships, volunteer positions, leadership activities, and, of course, paid work experience.

3. Make a list of your own personal strengths. Keep in mind that employer's value qualities like teamwork, leadership, and good communication skills. These are the skills you should bring to light in your resume.

Once you have created your lists of the job requirements, your related experience, and your own personal strengths you can then create a brief, but powerful, description of each piece of related experience mentioned in list #2.

In each description try to match your own personal strengths with the requirements for the job. Basically you are combining your three lists into short and powerful statements. For example, "Kitchen Manager: Effectively used communication skills to manage a 7-person kitchen staff for upscale Italian Restaurant"

Once you have these well-crafted descriptions you can go ahead and start plugging in each description in separate sections under suitable headings, such as objective, education, experience, skills, extra curricular activities, and references.

This is where you can use a resume template to help guide you.

Fortunately for you most people writing a resume will not take the time to properly prepare their descriptions. By creating a list of all your strengths and experiences that specifically match the requirements for the job you are seeking it will be much easier for you to create a resume that is targeted for a specific job…a resume that will clearly stand out amongst all the other resumes.

By: Adam Waxler
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How To Write An Article That Will Get Published By Someone Other Than Your Mother!

When writing articles and website content, be sure to have your readers "interest" in mind. Research has proven that the majority of Internet readers are likely to breeze over the content to find the specific information they are searching for and are rarely reading the page from top to bottom.

You should structure good titles, a few subtitles, and use bullet points to assist your readers while they scan your page. Many people simply scan a pages subtitles to quickly determine whether they want to continue reading the article or go on to another page.

Surfers prefer a site laid out like this so that it's easier to use, therefore encouraging them to return to your site regularly in search of more content. The more often your readers come back, the more chances you will have for them to access other affiliate links, adsense ads and pay per lead advertisements.

It is very important to create your articles in a structured manor, or have articles written this way, so your site visitors will not leave your page screaming in pain!

Properly written articles should keep them around long enough to click on something or at least capture their interest long enough for them to understand your brilliance!

Writing your articles in the organized manor as recommended will entertain and encourage your visitors to return thus enabling the full monetization of your site.

Well written content will get some viral action, or word of mouth action. People tell other people about great sites. I am sure you have emailed at least one person with a web address about something you thought was great. This will happen to your content if considerable care has been taken in the structuring and presentation.

If your articles and content are borrowed, poorly structured, rambling, or not quite on topic, bye, bye viral! It will really put a smile on your face when you browse around your favorite social bookmarking site and see that others have bookmarked YOUR site as a "great site". I know I was elated the first time I found three postings of my site in Del.icio.us (and I wasn't the one that posted them!).

Write every article like you mean it, put some heart and soul into it. A little humor helps too. Don't make your content read as if it were a service manual! The most popular sites on the web didn't reach that status by being poorly written or boring. Liven up the party a little. Show some enthusiasm.

If you have absolutely no passion for the subject you are writing the articles for.....it will show. To avoid this I suggest hiring a professional to write your articles and content for you. Ghostwriters get anywhere from $15-$30 per 500-700 word article.

HINT.... hire out multiple articles at once to get a better price provided you have worked with the ghostwriter before and like their writing style. You can negotiate discount for multiples and save up to 20%.

Google has decided that duplicate content will be measured down to the sentence so at all costs avoid duplicate content like the plaque. If you are using an article writing software that goes out on the web and collects sentences from many different articles, you will still have to change a few words in every sentence in order to avoid duplicate content.

In conclusion, write it with passion, keep it upbeat and enthusiastic, KNOW YOUR SUBJECT or hire someone to do your article writing for you. Use free articles from directories for ideas, research or to compliment your level of expertise. Get a free duplicate content checker like dupefreepro.com has to make sure your articles have not been used before and you will receive the rewards of free search engine traffic.

By: Brian Ankner
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How To Write A Song

Have you ever had the dream of writing a song that one day you or a big star will sing? Or it may be that you want to write a piece of music for an orchestra to play. Have you already written a few songs but have not gotten any response or good feedback yet? Well, instead of giving up, just keep trying and with a push in the right direction, you may gain the confidence to and know how to actually succeed.

Knowing Which Technique Suits You

You may ask yourself “is writing music easy or hard?” Well basically, the answer is that it can be as easy or as hard as the person makes it for himself or herself.

If you are stuck and are wondering what will come first - the music or the words - then experiment. There is no correct answer on whether you should work on the music or the words first. It is basically all down to the individual and what he or she prefers. A good tip is that you should try them both out, just to see what works best for you. It could be that the music will inspire you enough to write song lyrics to go with it, so what ever works, then do that. It may even change from song to song. Some lyrics might come before the music and some music might come before the lyrics.

Prepare and Improvise!

If you are writing a piece of music, you will need to definitely prepare each part carefully to get the right flow and technique down to a tee. Break it down starting with the verse first and then afterwards the chorus. If you are stuck for ideas, try listening to other songs for inspiration. You could then think of ways to improve on these songs that will inspire you to write better music yourself. It is best to try to learn from the mistakes of others to perfect your own techniques.

The key to writing good music is the ability to improvise. If you try to learn all of the different techniques and chord changes, it will help you to develop and give you more confidence to produce good quality music. Just sit down and start playing a few chords. If they go together, write them down and then try and find the next chord that goes perfectly with the ones you just played. Eventually you will find that you have created the perfect music for your song.

Know Your Taste and Stick With it!

One obvious tip that many people forget to follow when writing music is to stick to music that you are interested in. For example, if you are interested in rock music and you hate ballads, there is absolutely no point sitting down and trying to write a ballad! It will not flow, you will end up becoming extremely frustrated and you will not want to carry on writing it.

So, if you are interested in rock music, collect some of your favorite rock songs together and listen to them while jotting down bits in the songs that you like. Do you want your lyrics to rhyme? A lot of songs do tend to have rhyming lyrics because they tend to stick in people’s heads better. However, there really are no rules with that, so do not worry too much about it.

Practice, Practice, Practice!

Anyone in the music business will tell you that practice makes perfect and this is the case for you. You shouldn’t give up when the going gets tough. Just keep practicing and you will get there in the end. You will notice your skills will improve over time, giving you the confidence to succeed.

So why not try to write music today and show the world your song writing skills. The main thing to remember is that writing music takes time. You cannot expect to write a really good song overnight. It literally takes good songwriters months, if not years to prepare an album and write all of their own material. The key thing is to be patient!

By: Kevin Sinclair
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How to write articles that demand readership

You have 3-5 seconds to stop a reader and persuade him or her to read further. Here are five techniques I have used to (hopefully) stop readers in their tracks and lead them into the article.

1. Your headline is the key. Don't be cute. Don't use funny phrases. Don't confuse people. They turn the page faster than you can hit a key on your computer. Write a headline that fits into their life. We all know some of the key action words such as love, hate, terror, mistakes. Use action words in your headline built around a subject that will probably interest many of the readers of that publication. Examples:

Five mistakes almost everybody makes writing emails

How to add an hour of free time to your day

That terror on the highway could be you!

2, Use internet research to check the popularity of your subject. Type in key words from your article into google. How many pages does google display on that subject? Do the same with amazon.com . How many books are being offered on that subject? Don't be dismayed by competition. That is a good sign that the subject is high in public awareness. During World War II the OSS searched for key words in German newspapers. The frequent use of the word "food" often meant there were food shortages in particular cities. (The propaganda writers may have been writing that there were "no food shortages." It would not be necessary for them to keep repeating that information if there were no food shortages).

3. Use a subhead to continue to hold their interest. If your headline was - Five mistakes almost everybody makes writing emails, your Subhead could be some fact from your research. Example:

A prominent stockbroker made an email blooper that cost him over $125,000

4. Your first paragraph must expand on the interest you have attracted. Don't digress. Don't change the subject. Add more interesting facts that support your theme. Beverly Sills wouldn't start singing Carmen to an applauding audience and suddenly switch to ganster rap..

5. The magazine you want to write for can teach you how to write for them. Clip some articles that you really like from that publication, Now cut out the headline, subhead, first paragraph, follow-up paragraphs, and ending. Paste these elements on separate sheets of paper. Write by each element what technnique the writer was using to capture attention, advance the story line and keep you reading. Soon you'll have a complete blueprint of a successful article - a "formula" that the publication's editor already likes!. Use your own words in following that blueprint. This technique is known as reverse engineering. Car manufacturers have used reverse engineering for years in taking apart competions' most successful cars to learn their manufacturing secrets.

Good writing and good luck. Both are necessary ingredients of a successful writing career.

By: Hal Gieseking
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How to Write Articles On The Right Topic

Most beginners at writing have a problem with how to write articles on the right topic. They wonder and wonder what to write on. Even if they consider themselves to be great writers, their biggest problem is what subject to write on.

Experts on the most outlandish subjects still have difficulty in starting. They don't believe that anyone could be interested on lighthouses, so they try to think of something else. Anything, as long as it attracts more readers than their article on lighthouses could.

Let's assume that you know all there is to know about American lighthouses. I have only chosen lighthouses since I heard an MP3 audio version of a seminar about succeeding in marketing niches, and American lighthouses was one of the niches featured. It appeals to me now because it is not something that the average person would write about unless they were an expert, and that exemplifies exactly the point I am trying to make.

Why do budding writers feel that they must write about popular subjects? What is wrong with their own speciality? If you have a website on American lighthouses, why don't you write articles on the right topic for you, lighthouses? If you don't think that many people will want to read articles about lighthouses, why have a website on them?

The right topic for you is the subject of your website. Consider why you are writing your article. If it is not to put on your own website or to sell, it is for only one other reason. For submission to article directories. This does two things for you. It either generates backlinks to your site when other people copy your article to their website, or it attracts visitors by persuading them to click on the link in your resource box. In either case, the reader has accessed your article because they are interested in the subject of lighthouses. You will get visitors to your site only if it is connected with lighthouses.

If you write an article directed to a specific page on your website, even better. You get more credit from search engines from links back to a page deep within your site than to your home page.

You won't get any visitors if you write about cat baskets and then offer them a link to a lighthouse site. You won't get any credit for backlinks to your lighthouse site from a site devoted to cat care that has copied your cat basket article to their site.

If you are still wondering how to write articles on the right topic, have a look at the subject of your own website. No matter what it is, that is the right topic, and you must write your articles on that topic.

By: Peter Nisbet
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How To Supercharge Your Blog And Improve Your Visitor's Experience

Your blog is your means of expressing yourself to the world. It is a very powerful way of branding yourself and a very effective means of building a relationship with your readers. In order to take advantage of the power of blogging, you should make sure you follow some simple rules that will keep you on the right side of blogging and make both your visitor's and your experinece much more enjoyable.

Be Timely With Your Postings

If you publish a blog called "The Wednesday Afternoon Report", and you start out posting to it every Wednesday afternoon, then your audience will begin to expect a new posting every Wednesday afternoon. You can think of your blog like a newsletter. Consistancy is key. This consistance is what will increase the number of visitors that come back to your blog. Returning visitors gives you the opportunity to build a relationship with your readers.

Give Credit to Where Credit is Due

Sometimes the perfect and most timely posting is commenting on a news item, another blog posting, an article, or a web site. This is appropriate to do, but you should give credit and a link to the source document. You can link to the source document from within your post, or link to it as a footnote at the end of your post. If the source document is another blog, you can refer to it through what is known as a trackback link.

Be a Good Networker

Your blog is a good place to spotlight other bloggers. Most blogging software out there allows you to do this through a feature referred to as a blogroll. It is basically a list of links to other bloggers who you like, or other bloggers that are blogging about the same subject as you. This will add value to your visitors experience and give them additional resources to explore.

Structure Your Blog Site Well

Structure your blog so that it is easy to read, and find past postings. Don't put so many graphics that it detracts from what you are trying to say. Highlight relevant postings that you may have made in the past that relate to your current posting. A good way to highlight your past postings is to link to them directly from the blog post, or if they are more general, and relate to many postings, you can list the links to your latest postings to the side, next to your main blog entry.

Another good technique to use with your blog is to separate your postings into categories when it makes sense. That way, visitors can access a more specific group of postings they may be interested in. For an even more robust blog, a search function will allow easy access to your postings, especially when you have quite a few posts.

Keep Your Blog Content Fresh

You will want to set up your blog so the most recent postings are placed at the top, or on the first page, which is like the reverse format of a diary (where the most recent entries are on the last page). Most blogging software today is setup to have the latest postings at the top (or on the front page of the blog) to allow your newest postings to be seen first by your visitors.

Be Consistant and Reliable

The best way to be reliable is to provide content that is true and accurate. Double check your facts and be prepared to back them up. Remember, your blog is a powerful means of branding yourself, and if you keep to the truth, you will build the strength of the words you say in your blog, and magnify the influence you have with your readers. Once you build your word, your recommendations will then truly mean something to your readers.

Respect Privacy

There are many privacy issues that come into play with a blog. If you have a newsletter that your blog readers can subscribe to, you should make sure to respect the privacy of your subscribers and never rent or sell their emails to a third party. You may promote a third party's goods or services to your list, but those emails should never be given to a third party.

Another area where privacy may come into play is within the actual postings themselves. If you refer to someone by name, from your personal life in your postings, you should get permission from that person first. Other potentially sensitive issues, such as partnerships, business dealings and internal company policies should also be considered as being appropriate, before posting these things to your blog.

Give Readers a Reason to Come Back

Blogs that have a personal and human component are more interesting to read than blogs that have no personality. Putting unique and personal experiences in your blog, like how your computer meltdown experience relates to today's posting, add a wonderful new dimension to your blog. Visitors actually want to connect with you and sharing your personal experiences is a great way to connect with them.

Increase the deliverability of your message by being passionate and conveying emotions in your postings. People are emotional beings and connect on an emotional level rather than an intellectual one. Adding emotion to your blog will add an additional way for your readers to connect with you.

Blogging can be a very rewarding experience, a powerful way to connect with your visitors, is very flexible and can be done to fit anyone's style. However, no matter what the style of blogging you choose, certain rules should still be followed to make the reader's experience more enjoyable. You can also learn other techniques to increase reader participation and reader response rate that can make your blog a powerful tool to earn and additional stream of income. Research the many good ebooks available, that cover these techniques in detail.

By: B Hopkins
Credit:www.superfeature.com

How to Get Celebrity Endorsements and Testimonials for Your Books

Getting a celebrity, notable VIP, or leader in your field to give your book a short testimonial or endorsement (sometimes called a "blurb") is a great way to boost sales and garner extra publicity. Remember that this is a trade-off. You get a testimonial for your book, and the endorser gets additional exposure and/or credibility. Below is the five-step process I teach authors and writers:

1) Choose potential endorsers based on your book's subject.

If your book is about animals, for example, target celebrities and/or notable VIPs who have a vested personal interest in animals. If it's about a disease, target people who have suffered personally from it or who contribute to the disease's cause. If it's about kayaking, target people who like to kayak.

2) Ask potential endorsers to write your book's introduction or foreword.

This technique can work really well as long as you remember the following: flattery is key. Don't ask for an endorsement at this stage. Instead, flatter the person by saying that because of his or her expertise on your book's subject, you'd like to ask him or her to write the introduction or foreword. You may want to point out that this is a great opportunity for the endorser to get some additional exposure. When the book is published, you can mention "Introduction by (Expert's Name)" or "Foreword by (Expert's Name)" on the cover.

3) Gather a list of names and contact information.

The reference area of your local public library is a good start, but you can find more accurate information online. Search Google for "celebrity contacts" or "celebrity addresses" for a list of resources. If the celebrity has an official Web site, you can usually find his or her contact information there as well. Don't forget personal and professional connections. Take some time to sit down and brainstorm all the people you know who could put in a good word for you or at least pass along your book and request.

4) Make it as easy as possible to get a response.

Your request should include the draft of your book, a self-addressed, pre-paid FedEx or Priority Mail envelope, an easy-to-fill out testimonial form, and a personalized letter from you. If you're nervous about sending a draft of the book, you can also include a Confidentiality Letter. You may even want to mention that the better the testimonial, the more likely it will appear in your book (and possibly on the cover), resulting in additional exposure for the endorser.

5) Point out the benefits of giving an endorsement.

Potential endorsers usually won't mind (and will probably appreciate) the extra free publicity, additional exposure, and added credibility their blurb will provide when it's featured in (and maybe on the cover of) your book. Let the endorser know you'll mention his or her name, company name, and city under the testimonial as an added benefit of giving you an endorsement.

BONUS STEP: Follow Up!

If you still haven't heard anything, send a follow-up letter or email to the celebrities you asked for an endorsement from after a few weeks have gone. Know that getting a good endorsement or testimonial can take time. Celebrities and VIPs are busy, and their mail is often screened by an assistant or representative which can delay your request getting to them.

Always remember the "Three Ps" for getting celebrity testimonial and endorsements for your books: Be Polite, Be Persistent, and Be Patient!

By: Jordan McAuley
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How to Find Paying Telecommuting Writing Jobs Online

As a freelance writer, you probably spend hours scanning free job boards looking for telecommuting writing jobs -- in other words, freelance writing jobs you can do from home. With so many websites listing non-paying gigs amongst their paying job postings, it can take an hour or more each day to wade through the mess. Not to mention, just because a job is listed as a freelance job doesn't necessarily mean you can do the work from home. Many job posters are looking for freelance writers who will come to their place of business and do the writing work on-site. For those of us freelance writers who telecommute, this only complicates our job search.

My daily freelance writing job search on free job boards consists of the following: I pull up Indeed dot com and enter in several groups of search terms, such as "freelance writer" and "writer" "telecommute" -- there are at least a dozen keyword groups I search after these, but you get the idea. Then, I move on to the JournalismJobs dot com, WriteJobsdot com, and even Online-Writing-Jobs dot com. Then comes Craigslist, with its dreaded wade through the pools of non-paying gigs, gigs that pay in ad revenue only, and gigs that list "TBD" in the payment line. After much practice, I've honed my job searching system down to a half-hour process. Of course, this is just search time and doesn't include the time spent responding to ads, attaching resumes/writing samples, etc.

As seems to be the trend in the freelance writing world, most job posters never reply back. The few that do seem interested might ask for follow-up details and then disappear from the face of the earth, frequently because they find my rates not within their $3 per article budget. Let's face it -- the process of searching for telecommuting writing jobs on free job boards can be infuriating.

So, what are the alternatives to searching for telecommuting writing jobs on free job boards? Pay a membership fee to sites like GoFreelance dot comor JustMarkets dot com. Or, go with the job bidding sites like Elance dot com or Writerlance dot com. But, what about people who can't afford the fees? Chances are, if you're just starting out, your budget won't allow you the cost of such luxuries. Although membership sites may be considered legitimate business deductions for tax purposes (depending on where you live), the bottom line is that the money will come out of your pocket initially, even if you do deduct the cost on your taxes later.

Of course, there are the traditional methods for finding telecommuting writing jobs, like creating a website to advertise your freelance writing services, and visiting job sites that allow you to post your freelance writing resume free. Posting in freelance writing forums and networking with other writers can help you get clients. Starting a blog is another route many freelance writers take to get noticed. Paying for pay-per-click advertisements and even writing articles to submit to free directories can also help. Still, for the bulk of freelance writers, most jobs still come from taking the time to search for telecommuting writing jobs online.

Unfortunately, there is no path to finding telecommuting writing jobs that won't take some time or money. However, by getting into a regular job-search routine and using bookmarks and job feeds to your advantage, you can speed up the process and make things a little less frustrating for yourself.

By: Arthor Pens
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How to: Press Release Articles

Equanimity:
The periodical news headline as it should be be brief, clear and to the point. In case of editor emancipates, generally it would have an release tone to call the latest achievement of the company, the recent game of the company, product or service announcement, partnership exposing and so on. For example, "XYZ Syndicate announces strategic partnership with xyz Company in Phili and We".

The initially word in the press poop headline should be capitalized as according to regulation all proper nouns. Most headline words sound in lower-case letters. Do not realize every word.

You must include the company name in the headline for better apprehension in search engines and for journalists and readers convinience.

Treat paper release headline as the ultra-compact version of the supreme press release equanimity. But at the unaltered time, keep it unsophisticated, clear and short.

The simplest purpose to arrive at the press proclamation headline is to extract main points (peaks) and specified the Mostly important accesss from your photographer release. Now from these keywords, try to frame a logical & attractive attestation. Using keywords will give you better view in search engines and it would be simpler for journalists and readers to get the idea of the journalism dope content.

Dust
A press release is simply a written statement distributed to the media. It is a prime pawn of PR tick. Press release is a factual and a newsworthy oath.

The press propaganda should be written as you be eager it to appear in a news story. The other word for press release in news release.

The press release content/facsimile should be compact. Avoid using very distant future stretchs and paragraphs. Avoid repetition and over use of grammer and fancy language.

Press release imperative deal with actual facts - ripple effect, product, ceremonial, people, target, standards, itinerary, projects. Try to provide maximum use of these 'real' undercarriage and contents.

The uncut of a correspondent release should be atleast a page and maximum two or three pages.

The more newsworthy you make the press release copy, the chances of it being selected by a leg man or reporting increases.

Before writing a press release keep the audience in the mind, people who are likely to be interested in your news release.

A beforehand thesis or two normal landing decisions ought truly sum up the editor release and the further content must busy it. In fast paced world neither public press or other soothsayers aspiring read the complete press release if the start of the article doesn't generate interest.

A naive structure for play an constructive press release. Manufacture a engage of following things :

What's the news?

Why this News? - The people, products, items, dates and other things related with the news.

The purpose behind the curtain news

The substance of this news.

Now from the points corporate from this steps, try to construct issues and corral* them sequentially for example:

The headline --> the summary or introduction of the news --> event or achievements --> product --> people --> again the concluding essence --> the megacorp*.

Reasearch the photographer yields on web for the feel of the language, system and format of a release.

The Company

How can you put a limit on learning as well? The next section may contain by that very fact one little bit of wisdom that changes everything.

The firm section is a squat information about the establishment who has literally submitted the press release and about whom the news is all about.

When a broadcaster picks a press release for a report, they admit to wisecrack* about the establishment in the news. Journalists can resulting put the multinational information services from this list.

The title for this section gospel be - About xxx company

After title, use paragraph or two to outline your company in skimpy lines each.

The sum obligation desctibe your company and the entertainment industry behavior.

At the end of this league you ought point to your website. The tag on should be the right on* URL

Companies which uphold a seperate media page on their websites must point to by that very fact URL here. A media page typically has contact information and press kit.

After this section you can provide some extra information processing networks which support your writer release or close the press release with the contact information studies.

Contact Information

If your press release is really newsworthy, public press would surely swallow* more information or would like to interview key people associated with it.

If you are comfy with the idea of letting your key people being directly contacted by media, you can provide their contact details on the press release page itself. For example, in proof of some innovation you can provide the contact information of your engineering or inquiry tie up for the media.

Otherwise, you prerequisite provide the report of your pr department in the contact pigeonhole*.

The contiguity details must be fair hiring practices and specific to the rife magazine scoop. The contact circumstantiate obligation include: The Outfit's Offical Essence Function's offical Chief thing and Propinquity Person. Office Address and TelephoneIn other words you have to include all data you get admissible like when you ask for a loan in the bank + e-e-mail adress, URL, country code.

Leading Tips for writing Press Delivers

* The write style must be clean and clear. Do not use long period stretchs or do not compose over background information. Stick to your news and write the actual frame.

* Final user a clear, catchy relevant headline.

* Length must be minimum one Web page and maximum two/three pages. It is better to balance it dumpy and long text should be broken in to multiple short paragraphs.

* Press Release must be topical. Press Releases are written with a purpose. Fourth estate* Release is a medium to advertise, but it is not an advertisement. Do not forget actually Fourth estate* Release is also known as News Release.

* First paragraph should summarize your press release. This is proceeding which inclination catch the dumps of a journalist or a reader. It should be intriguing and briefly name your news. It should be like an Broadcast - why you are writing this press release? And why the reader essential continue reading it?

* Follow the Magazine Song texture and the News stress of it. It's a seemly piece of information released for media. The Most often necessary template is: Headline, News Release Serenity, Succeed the Company, Related Information Links, and Intercourses

* The consistency of the press release is very remarkable, it must be relevant and recent news, not too old and not to distant.

* Joined to audience is in fact important. Will they find it worthy and forthright to read?

* At the bottom of the Press Release provide your full Contacts: Contact Good fellow, office timings, Address, Phone, Fax, Online mail, Web site address and Press Kit or Media Kit page available on your website.

* Press Release deals with skeleton, avoid frou-frou languages, promotional handiness and use of adjectives

Now might be a good time to write down the main points covered above. The act of putting off it down on paper will help you remember what's important about How to whip an press leak or write an good article..

By: Gert Bruhn
Credit:www.superfeature.com

How to Write Effective Copy for Your Company’s Blog

Weblogs, more commonly known as blogs, are spreading feverishly across the Internet. According to Robyn Aber of Cisco Systems Inc., about four million blogs populate the Web. Though most private individuals maintain blogs, many companies are beginning to launch company blogs to communicate and interact with their clients, customers, and the public.

How can you create a company blog that outshines and outlasts every other blog? And how do you hypnotize readers to keep coming back? This article provides tips to write effective, attention-arresting blog copy and shows how you can develop reader and customer loyalty.

1. WRITE CONVERSATIONALLY.

The most engaging blogs speak to their audience in a casual and conversational tone. A big benefit of a blog is its ability to speak to readers in a way that is personal, candid and straightforward. Write your blog the same way you’d speak to your audience, face to face. The personal element is almost always what attracts people and keeps them coming back to your blog.

Amy Joyce of the Washington Post says, “Web logs—or blogs—started as a way to talk about new technologies, vent about life and interact in a no-holds-barred forum. Since blogs became the next big thing, an increasing number of companies have come to see them as the next great public relations vehicle—a way for executives to show their casual, interactive side. But, of course, the executives do nothing of the sort. Their attempts at hip, guerrilla-style blogging are often pained—and painful.”

To avoid this pitfall, simply be yourself. The best blogs reveal the interests, opinions, and personality of the writer. Your perspective, personal and professional, is unique in all the world. Let it shine through, and your blog will automatically be one-of-a-kind. An interesting blog will bring back customers again and again and will generate priceless interest in your company.

2. TELL STORIES.

Readers want to know things they already don’t know about your company. They want to know what the products, services, people, challenges, and innovations in your organization are really like. If you give them a glimpse of the inner workings, express your opinions boldly, and tell engaging stories, you will foster reader interest and loyalty. In a biography, both interviews and quotations usually are the most intriguing parts. Think of your company blog as a business biography. Personalize it with your unique thoughts and perspective.

3. MAKE IT PERSONAL.

Write about what you know. Draw from your expertise to inform the public about the finer points of your business. Detailing development ideas, setbacks, successes, and reactions reveals the human element and engages the reader. It’s fine to talk about new products and innovations, but blogs devoted mostly to marketing and promotion are the most boring and least popular of company blogs. Make these topics more appealing to readers by framing such announcements with personal impressions and insights. Customers want to feel a kinship with the brand. Letting them in on the details of your business will make them feel part of your company culture and increase the chances of their lifetime loyalty.

4. UPDATE FREQUENTLY.

Once you have established a good reader base, offer new insights regularly to reward surfers for coming back. Not only does this provide more information and exposure, but it also reflects that your company is active and on top of things. Link to current articles from other sources to keep readers abreast of developments in your sector. A rarely-updated blog feels stale and tired. This is not the reputation you want your company to have!

5. ADHERE TO COMPANY RULES.

You are personally responsible for whatever material you publish on your company blog. Respect the confidentiality of your organization and employees. Though you may express disagreements or concerns, do not make personal attacks or use the blog to air petty complaints. Do not reveal proprietary information; and avoid discussing revenue, share price, or other financial statistics. Observe copyright law, and quote sources as you would in any other document. Make sure what you write in the company blog reflects the company’s goals. Keep in mind the ultimate goal of most company blogs is to increase visibility and promote the exchange of information. While most companies allow and encourage blogging on company time, you should avoid letting your writing time interfere with your regular workload.

6. WRITE GRAMMATICALLY.

Finally, make sure that what you write is grammatical. Your blog entries reflect your company, and you want to give the best possible impression of the organization and its personnel. The Internet is rife with bad English. Though blogs tend to be relaxed in tone, it is no more appropriate to ignore standard English than it is to wear flip-flops and swimming trunks on casual Friday. Use a program like StyleWriter ( http://www.StyleWriter-USA.com ) or White Smoke ( http://www.WhiteSmokeSoftware.com ) to find and fix embarrassing grammar mistakes and help you write like a pro.

A company blog is an excellent tool for promotion, communication, and information. The tips outlined here will help elevate your blog and generate traffic and interest. Good luck, and welcome to the wonderful world of blogging!

By: Brian S. Konradt
Credit:www.superfeature.com

How to Write Better Instruction Manuals

If you know how to do something -- and can do it well, almost without thinking -- it makes sense that you’d want to share this information. What better way to do it than with an instruction manual. Writing an instruction manual may seem complicated and overwhelming, but it is easier than you think. The following tips will instruct you what to do and how to do it.

OUTLINE YOUR TOPIC

Before you can teach someone how to do something successfully, you need to conceptualize which aspects of the project they need to know. If your topic is complicated, such as how to play the piano, list each chapter and outline the points you need to make. If it’s simpler, such as the task of changing a tire, briefly jot down all the steps that come to mind. Don’t worry about the details or if you list the steps out of order; we will fix these things later.

START WITH THE SUPPLIES

The most logical way to start an instruction manual is to list the supplies the reader will need for the project. Be as exhaustive with this as possible; your students will thank you. If any of the supplies are expensive or difficult to find, list alternatives or stores that carry the item.

MOVE STEP BY STEP

Instead of explaining the task in long paragraphs, break your instruction manual into specific, detailed steps. Give as much direction as possible; if one step requires slightly different tasks, create sub-steps. Think of these as an outline; number or letter the steps accordingly (and logically).

DO THE PROJECT

If your instruction manual details a tangible project, then complete it using only your written guide. Don’t improvise and don’t go on your prior knowledge. If it’s difficult for you to do this (subjectivity is sometimes next to impossible to ignore), ask a friend to use your manual to complete the project. Look carefully at the finished product; did it turn out as you’d envisioned? Did you miss something important? Continue to revise and describe until your written words encompass every step in the most detailed and effective way possible.

KEEP IT SIMPLE

Writing an instruction manual is different from writing literary fiction; creative wordiness isn’t important here -- it’s clarity you’re after. Use short sentences and simple words. Make sure your manual is clear and readable; if the reader can’t understand what you’re saying, they won’t be able to complete your project.

By: Brian S. Konradt
Credit:www.superfeature.com

How to Write Better Editorial Articles

Writing an editorial article may be one of the most satisfying forms of writing, especially for journalists trained to be objective at all costs. An editorial article can be about anything and from any standpoint. As long as you have an opinion and can support it with facts, you have the makings of an interesting piece.

We all have opinions, right? Yet not all of us are editorial writers and not all editorials are worth reading. What exactly makes an editorial article good -- and how do you write one?

KNOW YOUR THESIS

Too many people begin writing their topic with only a vague sense of opinion, never honing, or refining, that opinion into something sharp and distinctive. Be sure to have a solid grasp of what you’re arguing and why you’re arguing. Think about your topic and why you’ve chosen it first. What elements of the argument call to you? What angers or pleases you about this issue? Keep these things in mind as you begin to write.

MINE THE DATA

An editorial is only as good as its facts. Sure, you may think the death penalty is wrong and worthy of outlaw, but without backing it up with data, you have nothing but a half-formed opinion. Get the backstory, understand your argument inside-out. Research every aspect of your topic and cite as many facts as possible; generalities are the death of interesting editorials.

CONSIDER THE ROAD LESS TRAVELED

Don’t pigeonhole yourself into writing from majority’s opinion just because you can make easy arguments. Think long and hard about your position on the chosen issue and write from the standpoint that makes the most sense to you. Never, ever, ever compromise your beliefs for the sake of a byline.

AVOID HYPERBOLE

Sure, exaggerating slightly is expected during a heated face-to-face, but hyperbole has no place in a well-written editorial. You can rarely back up statements such as “always” and “never” with factual data, so stay away from them unless the hyperbole has a definite, and obvious, literary purpose. Typically, including these words will make your editorial prone to justifiable, and often fatal, criticism.

UNDERSTAND THE OPPOSITION

The only way to create a fully formed editorial with tons of depth and poignancy is to understand what the other side is arguing. Research opposing viewpoints with the same voracious energy as the ones with which you line up. Take the time to understand what the other side is arguing and why; after all, you can only combat a particular argument if you know exactly what that argument is.

By: Brian S. Konradt
Credit:www.superfeature.com

How to Write Better Cover Letters

For many people new to job-seeking, cover letters sometimes seem unnecessary. You’ve already sent a resume, so why waste time writing a cover letter? A well-written cover letter is the perfect ice-breaker between you and the employer who is one step away from reading your resume. Employers like to glance over cover letters to get a general idea of the resume they’re about to read. Cover letters introduce you; they convey the true first impression. Cover letters must be well-written and interesting, perhaps even more so than the resume. Here’s how to do it.

LEARN THE BASICS

Your cover letter needs to address the same essential things: why you’re contacting this person, who you are, and how you plan to follow up. Dedicating a brief paragraph to each of these things will keep your reader engaged and also make it easy for him or her to find the information they need.

PARAGRAPH ONE: THE LETTER’S PURPOSE: State your purpose immediately after the initial greeting. Be as specific as possible; if someone has referred you, say so and give the person’s name. If there was no referral, then mention where you heard of the job. Remember always to convey your enthusiasm for the opportunity; the employer will appreciate your excitement and willingness.

PARAGRAPH TWO: YOUR QUALIFICATIONS: Though it won’t be as in-depth as your resume, you’ll need to outline your qualifications. Since you’re doing this in a limited space, you’ll need to position yourself immediately as the person for this job. If you’re responding to an ad or a referral, then mention your qualifications specifically with what they claim to be looking for; otherwise, mention some facts you’ve come across as you researched the company (you’ve done that, right?). And always, always, keep the focus on what you can offer the company, not what the company can offer you.

PARAGRAPH THREE: THE INTENDED FOLLOW-UP: In this conclusion paragraph, restate the enthusiasm conveyed in paragraph one and indicate when and how you plan to follow up. Mention if you have references or a portfolio upon request and make sure to give every piece of your contact information and the best times to reach you.

TARGET AND CUSTOMIZE

Employers often receive hundreds of responses to their job openings, and any flaw in your qualifications might cause them to throw your cover letter and resume in the rejection pile. Target only jobs you know you can do well and position your experience directly within the qualifications for those jobs. Don’t bother mentioning anything irrelevant; maybe you have a degree in art history, but that won’t do you any good if you’re looking for a job in publishing.

It’s also important to customize your cover letters for each individual recipient. A form letter may be easier for you, but it will look amateurish and lazy to a professional in any industry. Take the time to write a letter specifically for each employer; this attention to detail will fare better for you in your job search.

By: Brian S. Konradt
Credit:www.superfeature.com

How to Write Better College Essays

As college admissions become more and more difficult and applicants become more and more qualified, the college essay gains clout as a vital part of the application process. An outstanding personal essay, no matter how long, is sometimes the deciding factor for a prospective student. But it’s not enough to show proficiency with the written word -- at least not anymore. Today’s personal essays revolve around the sense of personality and style gleaned from each sentence, and it’s your responsibility to harness those elements. The following tips will get you on your way to the acceptance pile.

BRAINSTORM EARLY

The most important part of a college essay is the actual topic, so you need plenty of time to mull over the choices. You’ll want something interesting, but not cliché, significant but not trite. Consider the following questions during your brainstorming process:

1. What distinguishes you from others in your age group? Any special skills, talents, interests or attributes?

2. Have you engaged yourself in a fierce struggle for something? Did you succeed or fail? What have you learned?

3. What are your most concrete goals for the future? Where do want to be in 20 years and how will you get there?

4. What or who has been influential in your life? How or why?

NARROW THE TOPIC

Though it’s tempting to ramble through your whole life story in a college essay, be careful to keep your topic narrowed. Write one sentence (a thesis, in a sentence) that sums up the point of your entire essay, and make each paragraph support that one sentence. Try not to get too lofty with your concept; find the point and stick to it.

FINE-TUNE THE OPENING

The opening paragraph is your first (and sometimes only) chance to grab firmly the attention of admission officials, so don’t create a lazy intro that simply sums up what you’ll discuss. Be vivid, clear and original; try piquing their interest with an anecdote or poignant question. Give your intro an element of mystery and intrigue -- really make the reader want to read more. This could be the most important paragraph in the essay, so devote plenty of time to crafting this well.

REVEAL YOUR PERSONALITY

Sure, admissions officials aren’t your best friends and you shouldn’t write as if they are. But if you get mired in formality, paralyzed by grammar, you might exclude the most crucial element of your essay -- you. Colleges want to know who you are and what traits make you shine, so don’t be afraid to let the real you shine through. But never paint yourself into an image that isn’t really you; if you have to alter your personality drastically to gain acceptance to a school, chances are good that it’s not the right school for you.

FORGET THE BIG WORDS...SOMETIMES

Showing off your massive vocabulary may seem like an instant ticket to acceptance. But if you’re using a thesaurus for every word or phrase, you’re probably draining the essay of both personality and readability. Use only words you’d actually use in conversation (or, at least, words of which you know the meaning) and be sparing; big words are fine, of course, but they need to make sense in context. Wordiness for the sake of wordiness doesn’t make you seem smarter; it just seems moderately uncreative. To write in Plain English, use a software program like WhiteSmoke Software ( http://www.WhiteSmokeSoftware ) or StyleWriter ( http://www.StyleWriter-USA.com ).

END WITH A BANG

Since the college essay is usually short to begin with, concluding with a summary paragraph is fairly redundant. Instead, use this paragraph to create a stunning last impression. How does your topic fit into a larger issue? What have you learned from the experience about which you’ve written? Are there any poignant quotes that illuminate your ideas? You don’t need to create a tidy, television-style wrap-up, but you do need to end strongly; this is your last chance to make a vivid impression.

By: Brian S. Konradt
Credit:www.superfeature.com

How to Write Better Business Letters

Writing business letters is a forgotten art. The Internet has made us lazy writers. With a few keystrokes, we can kick off a short e-mail without thinking much about content, much less formatting. Have you ever reviewed your own e-mails and discovered misspellings, incomplete sentences, formatting mistakes, and grammatical errors? Usually we think nothing about how our lazy writing negatively affects our e-mails; other people e-mail us the same type of junk all the time. But, still, writing lousy e-mails should not give us the excuse to be lazy writers all the time, online or offline.

Writing business letters may be one of the best skills a business person can possess, especially during these times when few people possess it. The following tips will help you to construct better business letters. You can also use these principles to write better business e-mails, in terms of both format, style and tone.

COMPONENTS AND FORMATTING

All business letters are comprised of the following elements, in this order:

Date
Recipient’s name and address
Salutation
Opening paragraph
Body
Closing paragraph
Closing
Your name and address

The style of formatting will dictate how these elements are situated on the page. The three most common formatting styles are:

BLOCK: Each part of the letter is left-justified, and the text is single-spaced, except double-spaced paragraph breaks.

MODIFIED BLOCK: The opening, body and closing paragraphs are left-justified and single-spaced, but the date, closing and salutation are center-aligned.

SEMI-BLOCK: Exactly like modified block, except each paragraph is indented, not left-justified.

Regardless of which style you choose, you’ll also need to consider the font; your choice is important, as fancy fonts are sometimes unreadable. The most commonly used and widely accepted font is Times New Roman, size 12. It’s readable, professional, and universally used for business letters. It’s not outside the realm of possibility, however, to take liberties here; you can really use any readable font (Arial, Verdana, Helvetica), but always consider what your recipient would like to see.

OPENING PARAGRAPH

Since the principle point of your business letter is to grab and keep the reader’s attention, you’ll need to focus on the opening, the first (and sometimes only) opportunity you have to grab the recipient’s attention. The opening also sets the tone for the entire letter, so it must be as strong and characteristic as possible.

DO get straight to the point. Your recipient doesn’t need a bunch of unnecessary info., especially not right up front. If it doesn’t pertain to or bores them, they’ll just stop reading.

DON’T start with cliché phrases like “I am writing because...” or “With regards to...”. This simply appears that you don’t know where to start. The real message won’t start until after those phrases, so why not eliminate the unnecessary and uncreative words?

DO use strong, active verbs. This keeps the focus on the reader and makes the letter far more interesting. For instance, instead of writing “this offer is being extended to you for a brief period of time,” try “we’re briefly extending this offer to you.” See how much easier that is?

DON’T get longwinded. Keep the opening short and to-the-point, use the best words possible, and never make the reader work for the point of the letter.

BODY

This is the meat of the letter, where you’ll fully explain the ideas introduced in the opening. It’s easy to lose momentum here, but this part must be every bit as strong as the opening.

DO write like talk. This doesn’t mean using informal slang or profanity, but why lapse into business speak when it’s trite and boring? Chances are, you aren’t a 19th century British gentleman, so don’t write like one! Use a conversation, yet respectful, tone and try to phrase things similarly to how you’d actually say them.

DON’T lose the point. Save the digressions for a face-to-face chat. You’ve got a short time to hold the reader’s interest here and off-point sentences will simply give your reader time to yawn and put the letter down. List the points you need to make prior to writing, and stick to them.

DO keep related information together. Don’t move on to another point until you’ve finished the last, and resist the urge to scatter topics haphazardly. Anything less and you’ll appear to be rambling with no sense of focus.

DON’T get pedantic. Sure, it’s nice to show off our vocabularies, but that big word has little point if a smaller word would be more effective and readable. Put the thesaurus away and use familiar language.

CLOSING PARAGRAPH

This paragraph is the last string of sentences your reader will see, so it needs to be as strong as the rest of the letter.

DO keep it short. The closing paragraph can be the briefest part of the letter as you’re simply restating, in simple language, what you’ve already written. Restate your point and sign off.

DON’T fizzle out. It’s tempting to let the closing paragraph sort of die quickly or be an exact replica of other sentences simply because you’ve already worked so hard on the rest. Resist that urge -- keep the ending strong, and hold your conversational tone.

DO be clear about your intentions. If you’re looking for an email response or a business meeting, make that clear. The point of your letter will be lost if the reader has little idea what you want from them or how to proceed from here.

DON’T get trite. Avoid typical cliché endings like “Thank you in advance...” or “Please do not hesitate to call...”; this ends the business letter on a weak note. Be as direct and creative as possible without falling prey to typical business language.

By: Brian S. Konradt
Credit:www.superfeature.com

How to Write Better Business Emails

The Internet has changed a lot of things within the business world, including business correspondence. Where once traditional, formal business letters were normal, quick business emails now rule the day. The ease and informality of the Internet often makes it seem we can write business e-mails poorly and get away with it; yet, it’s actually the contrary. Because email is so accessible, people receive that much more of it and disregard anything less than perfect. Your business emails must stand out from the junk. The following tips will help you to create concise, engaging business emails for any purpose.

STYLE

The human eye reacts differently to a computer screen than a piece of paper, so how you format your email is vital. Use short, succinct sentences that get to the point immediately; remember, your goal here is to dispense important information, so give that to the reader right up front. Always include a greeting and a signature, and use as many line and paragraph breaks as possible; this makes the email easier to read. And resist the urge to write a book. Business emails are better off short; the equivalent of a page or so is sufficient.

TONE

For better or worse, the Internet breeds a nasty habit of informality. It’s okay to be slightly informal with your email (people tend to expect it lately), but don’t write as if you’re talking to your mother or best friend. You need to strike a balance between traditional formality and e-mail informality. Think about your recipient and how they’d most likely write an email. What words would they use? Would slang or jargon offend your readers? Use these considerations to create a concise, customized email.

GRAMMAR

Informality, whatever its root, does not excuse grammatical errors, and these can damage your email. Grammatical errors show that you didn’t put much time into your business email and you probably don’t care much about your message. Go through your email carefully to make sure you have spelled correctly, and you have fixed all grammar and punctuation mistakes. Remove all redundancies and get rid of any clichés. Recipients, especially professional business people, will appreciate your attention to details and they will respond better to your message when no errors exist in your email. Most writers use WhiteSmoke Software (www.WhiteSmokeSoftware.com) or StyleWriter (www.StyleWriter-USA.com) to assist with correcting grammar.

RESPONSE

Since email is an immediate medium, and a highly accessible one at that, it’s far easier than in paper letters to request a response -- and far more likely that you’ll get one! Before signing off with your signature, be clear about what you want the recipient to do. Need a response via phone or with certain information attached? Say so! Your recipient will have a difficult time responding if they have no idea what you want from them. But remember: be polite when requesting action. There’s little worse than an overly forward or pushy ending.

By: Brian S. Konradt
Credit:www.superfeature.com

How to Write Better Advertising Copy

A successful marketing plan relies heavily on the pulling-power of advertising copy. Writing result-oriented ad copy is difficult, as it must appeal to, entice, and convince consumers to take action. There is no magic formula to write perfect ad copy; it is based on a number of factors, including ad placement, demographic, even the consumer’s mood when they see your ad. So how is any writer supposed to pen a stunning piece of advertising copy -- copy that sizzles and sells? The following tips will jumpstart your creative thinking and help you write a better ad.

KNOW THE BASICS

All good advertising copy is comprised of the same basic elements. Good advertising copy always:

Grabs Attention: Consumers are inundated with ads, so it’s vital that your ad catches the eye and immediately grabs interest. You could do this with a headline or slogan (such as VW’s “Drivers Wanted” campaign), color or layout (Target’s new colorful, simple ads are a testimony to this) or illustration (such as the Red Bull characters or Zoloft’s depressed ball and his ladybug friend).

Promises Credible Benefit: To feel compelled by an ad, the consumer must stand to gain something; the product is often not enough. What would the consumer gain by using your product or service? This could be tangible, like a free gift; prestige, power or fame. But remember: you must be able to make good on that promise, so don’t offer anything unreasonable.

Keeps Interest: Grabbing the consumer’s attention isn’t enough; you have to keep that attention for at least a few seconds. This is where your benefits come into play or a product description that sets your offer apart from the others.

Generates Action: This is the ultimate point of advertising copy -- it must make the reader react in some way. This doesn’t necessarily translate to buying the product immediately or using the service. Your ad could be a positioning tool to enable the reader to think about you in a certain light. Speak to your audience, or the audience you’d like to reach, and you’ll be surprised how frequently they come to you in the future.

KNOW THE MEDIUM

How you write your advertising copy will be based on where you will place your ad. If it’s a billboard ad, you’ll need a super catchy headline and simple design due to the speed at which people will pass. Online ads are similar; consumers are so inundated with Internet advertising that your ad must be quick and catchy. Magazine advertising is the most versatile, but this is solely dependent on the size of your ad and how many other ads compete with yours. If you have a full page ad, feel free to experiment; more page space gives you more creative space. If the ad is tiny, you’ll need to keep things as simple as possible.

KNOW THE STYLE

Advertising copy is a unique type of writing. Its point is to balance creativity and readability into something persuasive and entertaining. Keep the following points in mind when you write your copy:

Be Succinct: There are few things more damaging to an ad campaign than messy wordiness. Use short sentences with as many familiar words as possible; save the thesaurus for a thesis or dissertation. Always make sure to use precise phrasing (why use five adjectives when one good action verb would do?); and eliminate any redundancies, such as “little tiny” or “annual payments of $XXX per year.”

Talk To Your Audience, Not At Them: Though you are announcing the availability of a product or service, avoid being clinical or overly formal. Write as if you’re talking to your ideal customer; use a style they’d use, words they’d be familiar with, slang they’d probably know. But be absolutely certain that you’re using these terms and phrases correctly. A recent McDonald’s campaign attempted to reach a certain audience by using the phrase “I’d hit it” in reference to a cheeseburger, unaware that the phrase is almost always used as a sexual reference.

Avoid Clichés: It’s easy for writers new to advertising copy to fall into this trap, but it’s a trap that can severely damage the writing. Clichés fail to ignite the imagination; and consumers so numb to the phrases will often skip right past them, effectively ruining the succinct element of your ad. If you find yourself tempted to use a cliché, think about the message you want to convey with that cliché and try to rephrase it in a more imaginative, personal way.

Always Proofread: It’s an obvious point, but you’d be surprised how many ads run in a magazine or on a billboard with an error of some sort. Go through your advertising copy carefully to make sure that every word is spelled correctly, the grammar is impeccable and the punctuation is dead on. Even the best ads can be ruined by a misplaced comma or dangling modifier. Use a program like WhiteSmoke ( http://www.WhiteSmokeSoftware.com ) or StyleWriter ( http://www.StyleWriter-USA.com ) to help you write better.

By: Brian S. Konradt
Credit:www.superfeature.com

How to Write and Publish a Better Newsletter

Writing and publishing a newsletter is one of the most satisfying ways to promote your business, get involved in your community, or exercise those creative muscles. Imagine it: you at the helm of your very own publication, organizing the content, calling all the shots. Sounds great, right?

It is great, but be forewarned: writing and publishing a newsletter takes a lot of work. You need to coordinate many things. Producing a newsletter can overwhelm even the most seasoned writers and business professionals. The following tips will help you organize and get your first issue out without problems.

PLAN THE FORMAT

You need to decide the format of your newsletter. How many pages will it be? How often will you publish it? Will you use spiral binding, perfect binding or simple staples? Will you accept ads; if so, how many? Will you publish your newsletter in full-color or black ink on white paper?

Typically, smaller newsletters run less than 20 pages with the text divided into four columns per page (except for headlines, pictures and ads, of course); they’re usually one or four color, printed on both sides, and stapled. This is the most cost-effective way to produce a newsletter, but don’t be afraid to get creative! There are no set rules for newsletter formatting; as long as it’s readable, you’ve got little limitation.

PLAN THE CONTENT

Ah, the good part. Written content is the meat of your newsletter, so take time to plan it carefully. Will you report mainly news or include feature articles as well? Will the content be thematic or will you divide content into departments? What about advice columns or other regular material? There are no steadfast rules here, so get as creative as you want. Always make sure to include timely, interesting pieces. This will keep your readers engaged; the term “newsletter,” after all, does indicate some devotion to news.

UNDERSTAND YOUR AUDIENCE

Your core readership and their interests will dictate your content and writing style. Take some time to think about your target demographic. How old are they? What is their income level? Where do they live? Do they have kids? What are their main interests? Then, glance at some publications with the same general demographic. Take a cue from their content and writing style. Really consider what your readers want to read, what you’d want to read if you were them. If you’re not catering to your audience, you’ll have no audience at all.

SEEK HELP

Sure, you may harbor grand dreams of producing every part of your newsletter all by yourself, but let’s face it: that’s a whole lot of work for just one person. Strongly consider getting others involved. Many writers, editors and designers are willing to help in exchange for, say, ad space or a byline. You can even ask for submissions in your first issue; just be sure that every piece you approve fits your newsletter's style.

By: Brian S. Konradt
Credit:www.superfeature.com

How to Write A Better Resume

Which word is more scarier to you? If someone yelled “fire!” or if someone whispered, “resume”? To most people, hearing the word “resume” induces panic attacks and beads of sweat across the forehead.

Writing a resume is hard work. You must write your resume correctly; it must be perfect! Any blunders in your resume could cost you the job. The entire resume-writing process can be confusing. We’ve all asked ourselves these questions: “Which information goes in?” “Which stays out?” “How exactly should I format my resume?”

If you jumped into a pile of books and articles on how to write the perfect resume, you’d drown in words, sentences and advice that all sound the same. So what in the world will make your resume leap out of the pile and scream out, “Grab me! I am the person you want to hire!”

Writing a resume is an art and a science. We need to know a successful formula of words, sentences and phrases to convey our selling points. The following tips are shortcuts to write a stellar resume for whatever sort of job you desire.

FORMAT WITH CAUTION

Your professional history will strongly dictate your resume format. We must choose one of three basic resume types: chronological, functional or combination.

THE CHRONOLOGICAL RESUME - This is the most common type of resume, the one that comes to mind when the word is mentioned. A chronological resume is appropriate if you’ve had steady work experience with little to no breaks, have kept each of your jobs for long periods of time, or have industry-related experience that shows your working toward a specific goal. The Chronological Resume is comprised of:

Objective (which we’ll discuss in a few paragraphs)
Employment history (starting from your most recent job)
Education
Optional section (for things such as military experience or any special skills/interests
that may pertain to the job at hand)
References

THE FUNCTIONAL RESUME - A variation of the chronological resume, a functional resume intends to highlight skills found outside of work experience; it’s useful if you’re in the process of changing careers, have little to no work experience or have held several, seemingly unrelated jobs. This sort of resume is comprised of:

Qualifications summary (a bulleted list of achievements or interests that qualify you
for the job for which you’re applying).
Employment history
Education
Optional section
References

THE COMBINATION RESUME - A combination resume is what it sounds like: a combination of the chronological and functional formats. It tends to be slightly more useful than the functional resume, as that format sometimes makes an employer suspicious that you’re hiding something (such as a lack of experience). The combination resume is comprised of:

Qualifications summary
Education (especially if it’s a particularly strong area for you)
Employment history (in reverse order as the chronological resume)
Optional section
References

RETHINK YOUR OBJECTIVE

Many books and articles extol the virtues of an objective; it is, after all, a great way to position yourself within a job and show an employer what you want and how willing you are to get it. A lot of job-seekers have been ditching the objective in favor of a qualifications summary, and employers seem to be responding well. The reason for this is simple: objectives are, by nature, focused heavily on you and not the employer. Your potential employer, while certainly interested in what you want, is far more concerned with your qualifications and what you can do for the company.

The idea isn’t all bad, though. It just needs a little tweaking. Instead of an objective, try creating a positioning statement.; it functions on the same way as an objective but puts the focus on you. Take a look at these examples:

Objective: To become an associate editor of children’s books at a major publishing house.

Positioning Statement: Children’s book editor with 10 years of experience in publishing.

These are loose examples, of course, but you get the idea; put the focus on you and the employer will take notice.

THE DEVIL IS IN THE DETAIL

Be specific about what exactly you’ve done. Your former job responsibilities and achievements are excellent selling points in your resume. Avoid being vague, unless you want your resume to read like everyone else’s. Think about your previous jobs: what exactly did you do and how does that qualify you for a new position? For instance, don’t write that you “assisted the senior editor with a number of editorial duties.” Instead, write “contributed to editorial copy and content editing, cover design and overall concept of several major projects.” Detailing your specific job duties and accomplishments show the employer what you’re capable of and what he or she can expect from you as an employee.

SHOW THEM WHAT YOU CAN DO

It’s tempting to outline your responsibilities to save some space and not appear overly conceited, but remember -- you’re here to sell to yourself. You have one shot to make an impression. Chances are good that the employer will already know a bit about the duties of your last job (especially if it’s linked to this job), so they need to read about what you’ve accomplished as opposed to what you did. Anyone could go through the motions of a nine-to-five day, but what did you actually achieve? What were the results of your work? Don’t be modest with this; if a book you edited hit the best-seller list, then by all means, let the employer know. Never withhold important information about your achievements.

WORD IT WELL

The words you use in your resume are just as important as the results you’ve achieved or the jobs you’ve held. Make sure you use lively, engaging words and always avoid the passive voice; it reads in a boring, trite manner. Always write in active voice so you sound more formal and direct. Stay concise -- are you using more words that necessary? Would a great action verb effectively replace a whole sentence? Are there any obvious clichés, like “great customer service skills”? Strive to say things in the most interesting manner possible, and make sure you spell all words correctly. There’s nothing worse than a typo on a resume, as it leaves the impression that “if this person doesn’t care enough to spellcheck their resume,” the employer thinks, “then how in the world will they care enough to do this job well?”

PERFECT THE PRESENTATION

Resume presentation is another crucial aspect to the resume-writing process. How your resume looks will serve as the employer’s first impression of you; if it looks bad, or amateurish, your resume may not get a second glance. Make sure the visual formatting is correct (consult a resume guide book for samples of formatting) and always leave lots of white space; this makes it easier for an employer to skim through your resume and find the information they need. Use an easily readable font, such as Arial or Times New Roman; print it on high-quality white stock (no photocopies!); and send it in a white or manila envelope with a printed mailing label. And always, always, always remember to include your contact information, even your email address; it’ll be hard to land that new position if the employer can’t even get in touch with you.

By: Brian S. Konradt
Credit:www.superfeature.com

How to Write a Better Memo

Size doesn’t matter. Such is the case with the memo. Isn’t it amazing how one relatively short document can be such a huge pain? Memos are an overlooked office document. We assume the least amount of words on a sheet of paper makes it least important. How wrong we are. Memos are as important as a ten-page business letter autographed by Brad Pitt. A poorly written memo can be irritating to readers (who really just want to get back to work) and damaging to the sender (who has no idea how he or she managed to come off sounding so careless). Learning to write concise and effective memos is a skill vital to any business person. The following tips show you how to construct a formidable, readable memo.

BE SHORT, BUT SWEET

The most common problem with memos is their length. Regardless of the topic, a memo should never be more than two pages; any longer and the memo begins to ramble on like a report. Unless you’re reprimanding every person in the department, there’s no reason to be aggressive or rude. Keep it short, be polite and get to the point as quickly as possible.

STAY AWAY FROM THE CLICHÉ

Overused phrases like “We’re sorry for the inconvenience...” and “Please don’t hesitate to contact us...” aren’t just cliché, they’re vaguely heartless. Using such trite phrases shows your readers that you simply don’t care enough to phrase it differently or be remotely personal. Try “We’re sorry about this...” or “Give me a call...” instead. Remember, you know these people -- act like it!

MAKE THE POINT IMMEDIATELY

Instead of discussing a problem at length before ending with a vague conclusion as to what you need from the reader, get to the point in the first sentence. Your readers will be more likely to keep reading if they already know what you’re asking of them.

FOCUS ON THE PEOPLE

Avoid using passive verbs; and avoid sentences that rarely include a pronoun. Keep your memo focused on both the reader and yourself by using I, you, we and our often. It’s far more direct and personal and makes the reader feel as if you’re with them, not preaching at them.

KEEP IT CONVERSATIONAL

Strive to write as you talk, or at least as closely as possible. Use short sentences, familiar words and contractions. Try reading your memo out loud after writing; does it sound like you? Would you actually say these things? If not, revise until you’ve got the closest approximation. Never distance yourself from the reader with wordy sentences.

MAKE YOUR NEEDS SPECIFIC

What do you need from the reader? When and how do you need it? Make sure to close your memo with a summary of the points, but also be as specific as possible about what exactly you want; never leave the reader guessing. If you need a response via email by 2pm, say just that. Be as polite as possible here; nothing turns off a reader more than being yelled at for a response.

By: Brian S. Konradt
Credit:www.superfeature.com