Search results for: quick tips
Tips on using dictation software to write
Marketer or writer, you need to get text out of your mind and onto your screen every day. Most people do that by typing. If you’re fast, you might get 60 words a minute. But you can talk at something like 150 words a minute: 2.5 times that fast. That’s why I love dictation software:…
Read MoreQuick tip: Get to know your designer
When you’re working with a designer, do you just “throw your text over the wall?” Do you ever talk to the designer? If not, how can you expect them to figure out what you want to see? Every time I’ve taken a few minutes to talk to the designer, things have gone well. But the…
Read MoreQuick tip: In a problem/ solution, cover doing nothing
If you ask B2B salespeople, many will say their toughest competitor is not another company. It’s the prospect not doing anything. They doesn’t make any decision They don’t take your solution to their boss They dither, delay, make excuses, or stop responding And your salesperson’s best efforts lead to nothing. That’s why your white paper…
Read MoreQuick tip: 6 reasons to use “styles” in your white papers
Have you ever spent an hour fiddling with a white paper… only to realize you need to change the fonts or spacing through the whole document? There’s a better, faster way to do this: Use “styles” in Word. Styles have been part of Word since 1983, but I’m still surprised how many writers don’t bother…
Read MoreQuick tip: Turn the tables on your competitors
When you’re up against stiff competition, how can you make your product’s unique value stand out? One simple tactic in any problem/solution white paper: Create a table to sum up all the traditional solutions aka competitors. You can be pretty sure everyone going through your white paper will stop at a table and scan through…
Read MoreQuick tip: How to write a white paper title that sizzles
Which white paper would YOU sooner read: If you’re like most people, the title on the left makes your eyes glaze over… while the one on the right has a fighting chance to get your attention. Want to make your white paper title sizzle? Here are 11 tips on putting together more compelling titles for…
Read MoreQuick tip: Don’t rush a white paper late in December
Around mid-December every year, several prospects ask if I can finish a white paper before the New Year. I say, “Not very likely. Why the rush?” Then they sheepishly tell me. Sometimes it’s their bonus Their editorial calendar called for four white papers for the year, but they only did three. If they don’t do…
Read MoreQuick tip: 14 touchpoints from one white paper [guest tip from Zachary Hyde]
Does your company think doing a white paper means dressing up a sales pitch with a pretty design and throwing it on your website? You’ll never generate any acceptable ROI that way. And you’ll be tempted to say, “We tried white papers, but they don’t work for us.” The problem is, you’re doing it wrong.…
Read MoreQuick tip: Position your white paper draft for reviewers
Did you ever get a big PDF in your Inbox with a terse note asking, “What do you think?” What do I think? I’m think I’m busy. I think I already have more than enough things to think about. I think I want you to go away and stop bothering me. Sending your reviewers your…
Read MoreQuick tip: Think outside the list
In an earlier tip, I described how to write better lists. But sometimes a list isn’t the best approach. Sometimes redoing a disorganized list as sentences makes it work better. I admit, this doesn’t happen every day. But here’s an example from the real world to show you what I mean. One of my B2B…
Read More