You love what you do. At some point, you took the final step into self-employment. Your work is your passion and you love sharing it with others. Working for yourself is easy right?
Not quite. We both know that running a small business is bloody hard. We might be good at what we do, but we don’t always have the skills to handle technology issues, complete admin tasks and market the business in the way it deserves.
Three ways to improve your business writing
I can definitely relate to this feeling. If I could spend my entire week writing, developing recipes and teaching others how to do the same then my (working) life would be complete. In order to achieve this, I need enough clients to keep me in the life I want to get accustomed to. I quickly had to identify and attract business owners who require my services and like my approach.
Good copy is a vital part of any marketing campaign. This applies to all platforms, printed and digital. They say a picture paints a thousand words, but give me one thousand words and I will tell a story that inspires, motivates and triggers action. Paying a professional copywriter is beyond the budget of many micro-businesses, so how can you improve your copywriting skills and take control of your marketing messages?
Do Your Research
How much do you know about your potential client group? Do you understand what makes them happy and how to show them that you will make their lives easier? The best way to write copy that works is to ensure that you are talking to the right people in the right way. Start by completing an ideal client profile for the service or product that you wish to promote.
When it comes to learning more about writing as a craft, there are lots of resources out there. Books such as Everybody Writes (Ann Handley) and How to Write (Harry Bingham) are a great place to start. For online inspiration, I recommend following Bernadette Jiwa and her blog at The Story of Telling. For practical advice on grammar and sentence structure check out the Guardian and Observer Style Guide.
Get Writing
The best way to learn to write is simply this – write. Many people like the idea of writing a blog for their business but are held back by the fear that they simply won’t be good enough. As it stands, blogging can be the perfect introduction to writing for your business. The tone of a blog is usually more informal than other areas, and a regular writing schedule is perfect for exploring your natural writing voice and style.
Attend a workshop
A large part of my own research and development budget is spent on attending workshops run by my peers. It allows me to ask questions when I am stuck, and I often learn a lot just by chatting with the other participants. I tend to choose ones with a practical element, it suits my learning style. Take a look around and see what is happening in your area over the next few months. Workshops may take time and money in the short term, but they can pay dividends in the long run.
This is when I insert a shameless plug. I find this sort of practical learning so helpful that in 2016 I set up my own series of Greedy to Learn workshops, designed to give you and your staff the confidence to write effective business copy. I love sharing my skills, and I get a real kick out of seeing someone finally write for the first time. My primary aim is to be accessible to as many people as possible. The venue is wheelchair friendly, and I am always happy to provide allergy-free drinks and snacks. While the price has risen slightly for 2018, you will never pay more than £55 for a half day session. On top of all that you also receive a CPD certificate as proof of attendance. Ooh, and did I mention the cake?
