Amy G Wagner

Freelance Writer | Lancaster, PA | Harrisburg, PA | York, PA

Tag Archives: business writing

Business Blog Writing Tips for People Who Don’t Like to Write

What’s your freelancing or small biz fancy? Graphic design? Virtual assistance? Accounting? Well, if it’s *not* writing then sitting down to bang out that next blog entry might not be your favorite task. Yet if you’ve decided blogging is a sound strategy for promoting your business and connecting with customers, then you’ll need to get those fingers on the keyboard.

The good news is that even if you’re not a pen-monkey by trade, learning how to write a blog isn’t tough. No special literary genes required. No magic wands either. Heck, you don’t even need to have passed senior year English. Check out these simple tips for writing blog entries for your freelance business:

Write like you speak.
You’re blogging, not writing a college thesis. Resist the urge to use 5-syllable words or write sentences worthy of a Russian author. Imagine the ideal person you want to read that blog entry. How would you explain your point, share your tips, or relay that info to that specific person if you were speaking to them in person or on the phone? That’s the language and terminology you’ll use to write a blog entry. No more, no less.

Don’t fall for the SQUIRREL.
What’s your blog entry about? If you’re a photographer writing about how to coordinate outfits for a family photo shoot, then the article should include tips and tricks pertaining to that and only that. It can be easy to be distracted by a SQUIRREL!, and dive into a discussion of outdoor lighting conditions or add several paragraphs about what time of day is best to take infant pics. Stay focused, freelance-san!

Make it scannable.
Blog readers scan pages to pick out the relevant information rather than read word-for-word as they would from a piece of paper. Help your client or customer find what they need quickly–before they hit that back button–by breaking down your article with one of these:

  • Bullet points
  • Numbered lists
  • Short phrases or sentences (like in this article)

Edit. Edit. Edit.
Spell check alone does not a blog-ready article make. Editing is about ensuring the entry is easy to read and understand, and–by default–portray yourself as a professional. After all, when a prospect reads an article lousy with mistakes, he or she is bound to ask: If this web designer is so sloppy with her own blog, how sloppy will her work be if I hire her?

As you re-read your blog draft:

  • Remove extra words
  • Delete repetitious statements
  • Made sure your headline and main idea match what you wrote about
  • Check for words that sound the same but are spelled differently (allowed vs aloud)

Keep an idea list.
Ideas are all around you. Really! Blog ideas for freelance businesses can come from a conversation with a client or colleague. They can come from problems with your last project or something your 5-year-old says. Remember that tip above about sticking to your topic? Well, those thoughts about outdoor lighting or infant pics would be fantastic ideas for their own blog entries.

Carry a small notepad in your purse or car, keep lists on a note-taking app, or make voice notes into the smartphone—whatever works. Refer to the list when you’re scratching the noggin, saying “What the heck should I write about?”

If you’re not a pro writer, what is it about writing that makes you want to chuck your keyboard?

How to Research and Write Faster- 5 Quick Tips for Freelance Writers

Faster research + faster writing = more billable hours. I never learned that in math class, but it’s a gotta-know for freelance writers. The “faster” part isn’t permission to research badly or write sloppy content, of course, but it is a smart way to boost productivity and, by extension, your income. Try these 5 quick tips for researching and writing blog entries and web articles more efficiently:

1. Learn to love your browser’s Find feature.
Need to scan a science article for norepinephrine references? Want to find the sole quinoa dish in a list of 50 or 75 recipes? Hit Control + F or your browser’s Find button to search for terms. Using Find doesn’t mean you won’t need to read more for context, but it does speed up the scanning process so you can hone in on the needed info faster.

2. Block similar topics together.
Some freelance writers work in a niche. Others write across a variety of topics. No matter which particular animal you are, one way to streamline is to group similar topics together during research, when possible. If the freelancing gods are good, you may be able to use the same resources for those articles…or you might find that researching one article provides insight into writing the blog entry or article for the similar topic.

3. Tackle ugly topics first.
Procrastination won’t make a toughie go away—and it can make the task take longer because you boost the risk of last-minute snags that lead to flurried hassles, like fumbling through jargon you don’t yet understand or scrambling to find proper sources.  Save time (and sanity) by placing tricky or unfamiliar content high on the to-do list.

4. Take a break.
Seriously. Research shows that taking regular breaks makes workers more productive and–this is a biggie, fellow writers–more creative. Find a regular work-break schedule that makes sense to you. I tap online timer e.ggtimer.com to use the Pomodoro productivity method—work intervals of 25 minutes followed by 5 minute breaks (h/t Jennifer Mattern who shared this technique on All Indie Writers). Try it out, or check out the many other apps available to keep yourself awesomely productive.  

5. Go for a two-fer.
Monitors, that is. Stop flipping back and forth between a research tab and draft document. Stop squinting at squished-up windows on your single screen. Consider investing in a second computer monitor. When they’re placed side by side, you can use one for researching, the other for writing. I went dual-monitor about 3 years ago and it was a serious productivity boost.

Don’t ever try to take away my second screen. Ever. I *will* go bad-fairy Maleficent…and smote you.

What quick productivity hacks do you use while writing or researching content?

 

Infographic for the Grammar-Gaffe Prone – Business Writing Tips

From an administrative assistant charged with writing up project memos to a freelance writer tackling a new website, grammar goofs, gaffes, and errs will make you, at best, look unprofessional and, at worst, worthy of a viral giggle. So check out this handy infographic from the writing gurus at Copyblogger:

Go directly to Copyblogger for a printable version—and while it’s probably not good office politics to leave a copy on your grammar-challenged office mate’s desk, don’t be afraid to print out a copy for yourself.

Blog Topic Ideas to Beat the Blank Page Blues

The blank page. Whether you’re writing as a freelancer or blogging for a small business, few things trigger a case of the sweats like a pure white word processing document. So if you need small business blog topic ideas to beat away those blank page blues, read on:

Get down to the business nitty gritty.

It doesn’t matter if you offer small business accounting services or kids’ birthday party venues, your readers expect to find relevant info regarding whatever it is you do:

  • Recap the most interesting tidbits from a recent study or report.
  • Ask readers what they want to you to blog about.
  • Compile a list of your 5 or 10 best blog posts.
  • Post a dictionary-type list of definitions for common industry terms or jargon.
  • Use a keyword tool (Google AdWords is free) to generate a list of related keywords—use those keywords as a basis for a post.
  • Share an infographic. (Check out this post about infographics from social media expert Ilona Olayan).
  • Share your industry predictions for the next 6 months or year.
  • Take a position on a hot-button issue.
  • Share a post-event recap after conferences or trade shows.
  • Write your unique take on a news item.
  • Profile an employee.
  • Interview a client or industry colleague.
  • Share a client case study.
  • Answer the most frequently asked questions about you, your product, or brand.
  • Post a list of your favorite blogs and websites.
  • Review a book.
  • Share a list of relevant resources, whether they’re website links, blogs, or books.

Let’s get video.

Who said great web content had to be in written form? Check out these video blog post topic ideas:

  • Upload a video tutorial that demonstrates how to use your product.
  • Video an interview with an employee, client, or industry colleague.
  • Give a behind-the-scenes tour of your office or facility.
  • Video blog your own reaction to industry news or trends.

Show ‘em your human side.

Don’t underestimate the power of building connections. I don’t know about you, but I find it easier to do business with someone I’ve started connecting with (I also find it harder to be cranky with them!). Showing your human side while blogging for a small business is a smart way to lay the foundation for those connections. Here are a few blog topic ideas to inspire you:

  • Tell the story of how your small business got its start.
  • Blog about why you love whatever it is you do in your business.
  • Share snippets about life in the office or workplace.
  • Blog about your favorite local charity or non-profit organization.
  • Post a list of your favorite local vendors, whether it’s the local coffee shop or your long-time accountant. Share why you love them, too. (“Dotty whips up lattes that would make a Seattle barista jealous!”)

Have fun!

All work, no play creates dull small business bloggers. Don’t be afraid to occasionally publish lighter blog content:

  • Have an exclusive contest (with a fun prize, of course!) for blog readers.
  • Compile a list of the funniest tweets related to your industry.
  • Share outtakes or bloopers from any video content you’ve published.
  • Write about a big game or favorite sports team.

Do you have business blog topic ideas to share?

 

 

Image courtesy of Flickr user Adi Respati.

Slow Times for Small Business? Tips for Staying Busy (and Out of Trouble!)

Image courtesy Jason Hollinger, Flickr, Creative Commons

How do you solve a problem like slow business? A few weeks ago, I was asking myself that question (and, yes, sometimes the query was torturously set to The Sound of Music tune.) And although I was seriously cranking out freelance writing proposals, I found myself with rather more time on my hands than I was used to. So rather than find myself parked on the couch midday with a bag of corn chips and a Doctor Oz obsession, I made it my mission to stay busy in ways that were healthy for my freelance writing business. Things are back on track, now, but I did discover a few slow business strategies for staying busy:

Start a business blog.

From building an online presence to generating leads, there are many reasons to start writing a business blog. And, as a freelance writer who ghostwrites several blogs, I know most of those reasons. But I recently read a blog entry that stuck with me. Top Rank’s Lee Odden shared some advice he’d given to a small business owner: writing just one blog entry each week gives Google 52 more reasons to insert your business into search results. That’s not all…

  • Websites with blogs get 434% indexed pages than non-blogger sites. (HubSpot Blog)

Now it’s time to share communication and writing tips, resources, and news to promote my business and build my network. Hence, this writing blog. If you haven’t started blogging yet, use downtime to jumpstart a small business blog.

Find the answer to a lingering business question.

I’d never had the time or opportunity to learn some of the finer points of SEO writing, like meta tags and title tags. Downtime was the ideal time for me to catch up. Do you confuse the word hyperlink with hyperspace? Wondering if there’s an easier way to streamline accounts receivables? During fat times, it can be challenging to justify devoting time to getting answers for questions that don’t generate an immediate sale.

When business is sluggish, answer those lingering questions and put the knowledge to use. Learn more about outbound and inbound marketing tactics. Figure out a faster way to do the books. Decipher the terms that allow you to sound like a pro when speaking with colleagues or tweeting with clients.

Add a new word to your writing vocabulary.

Yes, even if you’re not a freelance content writer chances are you write to communicate with clients, co-workers, subordinates, or managers. And no matter how we connect, whether it’s an old-school paper memo or a direct reply on Twitter, the words we use matter. So when business is slow, learn how to use and spell a fun word. That’s right, fun.

Think of it this way: Many professionals use standard biz language with ease: maximize, boost, lift, profitability, connect, engage, monetize, etc. Those words have their place in business writing. But there are times when that writing could use a little pop. Here’s an example of a blog headline on Social Strategy1: Tweets Trigger Bacon Brouhaha for Chipotle.

Use slow time to identify a fun word you’ve heard recently, even if it was out of the mouth of your teenage son. Look up the spelling, learn the proper definition, and then keep it in your writer’s toolkit so you can unleash it at the right time. (It’s also good for boosting your Words with Friends score!)

How do you keep yourself out of trouble when business is slow?

Image courtesy Jason Hollinger, Flickr, Creative Commons