Sorry I’m a little late with the blog this week, but I am recovering from spending a weekend with my family at the beach, where I received my first sunburn of the year! It wasn’t even that warm! I did, however, have the opportunity to spend time with my nieces, both under the age of 2. I must admit that Jill provides a lot of entertainment for our family. But she is a handful as well! Her main goal the entire weekend was to see how many times she could go up and down the stairs. She definitely knows how to focus on the task at hand!

Anyway, now I am back at work, and I am excited about the possibilities this week holds. What are your plans for the week? Have you set any goals for yourself? I have to admit that this is one area where I am a little slack. I have found that if I designate each day as my day to do one specific task, I can be like Jill and focus on the task at hand. I’m not as overwhelmed when I take each day one at a time.

I would love to hear your stories of success, so please email me! I promise not to share your information with anyone else.

To your success,

Katie

Good Monday! I had a lot going on this weekend, so now I feel the need to take a vacation! I know my husband is feeling the same way. I think it is probably a case of the February blahs.

Today, however, is a new day and the first day of the week. Time to start with a clean writing slate. Even if you’re not a writer, you need to enhance your writing skills to promote your business. Two important forms of marketing your business are press releases and sales letters. At this point, you may feel like you want to move on to something else, but I encourage you to keep reading. Writing does not have to be overwhelming!

If you have a business, you probably already know your niche market. Now find out what excites them. What grabs their interest? Press releases and sales letters are only interesting to your clients if they pertain to them. What is going on with your company that will spark their interest?

Now you are ready to get writing. Remember that no one wants to or has time to read several pages of press release or sales letter. In fact, most people will throw away a press release that is more than two or three pages long. Keep it short and simple. Don’t use words that are jargon in your industry. Clients like to have it given to them straight.

I know you are probably at the point where you are wondering about what to write. A good press release or sales letter grabs the reader’s attention by exclaiming some important news from the get-go. Include some personal information about yourself and your company so your readers realize that you are human. Then give them a reason to want to know more, and leave your contact information.

By following these simple tips, you, too, can write a successful press release or sales letter. Get started today, and don’t be discouraged if you have to throw out a few copies before you get it right. As you continue to enhance your writing skills, you will find your clientele growing from the professional written materials you send to them.

Writing for Success,

Katie

Happy Valentine’s Day! Yes, it is that time of year once again. Love is in the air, and just about every store is making a profit off of it. Have we become a society where even love is commercialized? You would have to be living on a deserted island to not notice all of the red, pink, and white splashed across your television screen, billboards, and store windows.

The writer in me says that the best way to show someone you love them (husband, child, friend, parent) is to write it down. Can you put your thoughts into a poem? Can you create a unique card that tells them how you really feel about them? Put your pen to paper this holiday and let someone know that you were actually THINKING about them rather than simply buying the first red, pink, or white item you saw when you entered that store.

Oh, yes, and have a wonderful Valentine’s Day!

So another Super Bowl has come and gone, bidding adieu to another season of pigskin and fan mania. If you’re like me, you were probably watching between the goals to note all the different types of advertising, mainly the unique commercials that are displayed solely for the purpose of the Super Bowl.

I have to confess, though, that I was incredibly disappointed in many of the commercials that flashed across the screen this year. Whoever wrote the content for those commercials seemed to lose focus in getting their message across. They seemed to become so lost in trying to do something funny that they lost sight of their true goal. In fact, some of those commercials never even truly identified the product they were marketing. For as much money as it costs to reserve ad space during the Super Bowl, I would say that these companies wasted their money.

Do you find this true when you’re writing? Do you lose sight of your goal? It’s very easy to get lost on a rabbit trail. Before long, you realize that you have completely forgotten what you wanted to say. When writing, try to focus on the task at hand. Re-read what you’ve written every once in awhile to make sure your reader won’t get lost in the words.

If you are trying to create sales copy or web content, remember to focus on who is going to be reading your words. Don’t use words that are only familiar in your industry but not used in theirs. Make sure your words are clear and concise and always check your spelling.

Until next time, visit my website at www.katiespen.com or contact me today for a free consultation at katie@katiespen.com.

Have a great week!