1. Tell the truth. What do people want to know about you? The truth. Keep it real, and you’ll have a lot less to explain, a much smoother relationship and loyalty through the good and the bad times.
2. Be specific. People want to know what you’re about, what you do, how you do it. Learn to express these things concisely and accurately. You’ll be perceived as being open, transparent and worthy of trust.
3. Name names. If a customer, a colleague or a business partner does something really well, tell the world about it, and don’t skimp on the superlatives! Showing your appreciation by praising good work will warm people’s hearts and make them want to work with you.
4. Spelling and grammar count. It’s so obvious, but it must be said; spelling and grammar will make you look smart or not so smart. Even someone who is a shocking speller themselves can judge your credibility by the flow of your words. Strong messages are easy to read. They don’t make you pause at the bad grammar!
5. Be consistent. Practice makes perfect, or at least improves and sharpens your message. Choose the way you want to express what you do, and then don’t be afraid to use those words in all of your marketing. Consistency breeds customer confidence.
6. Write with an ideal customer in mind. Who is your ideal customer? A guy in his twenties? A woman with kids? Choose an ideal customer, even go as far as finding a photo of someone who looks to be that ideal customer. Every time you go to write a sales letter, a blog post, an email, look at this ideal customer and speak their language.
7. Be enthusiastic. Honestly, it’s okay to be enthusiastic. You don’t need to use three exclamation marks at the end of every sentence to show your excitement. Smile while you write. Hey, telemarketers are told to smile when they are on the phone because it changes the tone of their voice, and the same applies to writing. Smile and write enthusiastic words of success.
8. Be respectful. Your customers are real people who want to be treated with respect. They can tell when you’re talking down to them, begging them or trying to flatter them. Give yourself a head start among your competitors and be the company that speaks to their customers in the way you’d like to be spoken to.
9. Be brave. You can write anything. You can write better than you think you can. All it takes is a willingness to write more than one first draft, hit the save button and think you’re done. Write, rest, rewrite, polish and have the courage to create something you can be proud have represent your business in words.
10. Be yourself.  What’s worse than someone writing a business email who sounds like a total yobbo? Someone who writes a business email using big words out of context and phrases stolen from movies or speeches. Be you. You’re good enough, I promise! You have a business, you work hard, and you will be taken seriously if you speak like yourself, not like someone you think you ought to sound like.

I hope these help you to write fantastic words for business. Did you relate to one of the points more than the others? Let me know, and I’ll expand the idea into an article of its own.

Share this article!

Happy writing,

x Rachel