(New courses coming in 2010.)

 

 

Why good writing has become a critical success factor, and how it influences your market’s perception of you, your business, and your brand.

 

Writing is something every business does to communicate with their customers, suppliers, colleagues and associates now more than ever. Modern technology has shifted our focus from verbal conversations to non-verbal communications that require an ability to write clearly and effectively.

 

While technology has increased non-verbal communication at an unprecedented rate, it has also evolved a language of its own that has dumbed down the literary skills of many users. While this truncated dialogue may be fine between friends having a quick SMS chat, it is way below par for business communications.

 

Businesses need good writing skills, and it doesn’t just mean having a good grasp of grammar, it means knowing how to write in a style that gets people excited and makes them want to act. Businesses that employ managers and sales staff with good business writing skills experience are much more likely to be successful marketers than their competitors.

 

How writing influences sales performance

 

Sales people who cannot articulate ideas and motivate people to buy don’t sell much. Marketing communications such as sales letters, emails, memos, presentations, newsletters and brochures are no different. They are the sales voice of the business just as much as any sales consultant, if not more. If your marketing communications don’t work then they are of no more value than a dud sales rep that you can’t wait to get rid of.

 

Sales messages need to be concise, interesting, inspiring and easily understood. This takes disciplined writing and it requires skills that need to be learned.

 

How writing influences the market’s perception of a brand

 

Unprofessional writing sends a message that a business is unprofessional, even when it’s not.  It says that quality doesn’t matter, and even creates the perception that the prospect or customer isn’t important enough to spend the time writing content that is meaningful, interesting and well articulated.

 

Written communication can also differentiate brands. If a prospective customer receives marketing communications from a business that is well written, versus poorly written content that is difficult to understand from a competitor, there is an immediate differentiator before the prospect even begins to evaluate competing offers or proposals.

 

Many businesses that deliver outstanding products or services, often fail to build a strong brand simply because they are unable to articulate the values of the brand and what they do through their marketing communications.

 

How writing influences the perception of an individual

 

Every manager and sales consultant needs to be able to create effective written communications. By definition,  these positions are about influencing others, articulating ideas, motivating and changing behaviour, which in modern business is increasingly done through written communications, whether its writing a memo or a letter, an email or an entire presentation.

 

Good business writers are as charismatic in writing as in life. They are respected, admired and taken seriously. They are also successful and achieve results. Managers and Sales consultants with poor writing skills often struggle to get the results they aspire to, and frequently fail to win the respect of customers and employees.
Their lack of writing skill can also be career limiting.

 

Course structure

 

I can structure a workshop or a series of training sessions for managers, sales consultants or anyone in your organisation that communicates with your market in writing.

 

From beginning to end, your team will be fascinated by the methodology and power to influence they have at the end of their pen or keyboard. Your course will be individually structured to suit the specific marketing needs of your business, so that from the outset, your team will be learning skills that they can immediately walk away and apply to their job, and the growth of your business.