Posted in Writing

The Importance of Good Business Writing

Writing well is important for the success of any business or organization. Business owners and their employees who can write clearly and concisely have a competitive edge over others who are still struggling to communicate. Having multiple sets of eyes on business documents can prevent poorly written material from reaching your target audience.

Fortunately, I believe the skill of writing is something that can improve over time. Practice and a good set of resources can go a long way. If you are starting a new business or just want to be a better writer, here are a few tips to sharpen your writing skills:

1. Practice – The more you write, the better you become.

2. Read – Read as much as possible. Knowing how words work together gives you more confidence in your own writing.

3. Be Clear – What do you really want to say? Clarity is paramount. Let someone else read your copy to ensure your message is coming across properly.

4. Be Brief – Get to the main point. Lots of words make minds wander.

5. Proofread – Re-read your copy for misspelled words and grammatical errors.

Good communication is essential for life in general but in business settings, it is critical. There are many resources online that can make anyone a better writer. For a list of some of my favorite check out a post on my personal blog.

If you would like to share a tip on good business writing feel free to leave a comment. Thanks for reading.

Posted in Social Media

Using Twitter to Drive Traffic to your Small Business Blog

Many small businesses, and large organizations as well, are using Twitter to drive traffic to company websites and blogs. Blogging is a powerful medium for small business owners who want to interact with and listen to their customers. Using Twitter properly as a tool to drive blog traffic requires a long term outlook, persistence, and consistent effort. Mark Hayward, a small business owner, recently wrote a guest post on Problogger.net where he highlighted 10 ways to drive traffic to your business blog using Twitter.  Hayward says be sincere, maximize collaborative relationships, and provide your customers useful information. To view the full article click here.

Posted in Communication, Consulting, Social Media, Writing

Jump-Starting the Job Search in 2010

I’m jump-starting my job search for 2010. Through a friend I met a human resources consultant who helped revamp my cover letter and résumé. I’m very satisfied with the final product. I’ve also updated my LinkedIn profile and continue to make good contacts. Employment experts suggest job seekers should work their social networks for possible leads, so if I’m one of your LinkedIn connections a recommendation would be greatly appreciated. I also began using Talent Zoo, an online site for advertising and marketing jobs, and JournalismJobs.com. Writing/reporting and communication/public relations positions are of most interest, however I’m also considering customer service-related opportunities. If you come across a position that may be a good fit for me, thanks in advance for passing along the good word.

Posted in Social Media

The 10 Most Important Social and Digital Media Developments of 2009

If you have not been following the social media revolution, InternetNews.com has a decent look back at the events and trends that punctuated a year of profound upheaval across the social Web and digital media. Many year-end wrap-ups have been published within the last week, but I thought this one provides a good, though not complete,  summary of the year in social media. You can read the full article here.

Posted in Consulting

Bogota Latin Bistro & Mojito Bar

I am excited to announce my first professional client: Bogota Latin Bistro & Mojito Bar in Park Slope, Brooklyn, NY. – I am the restaurant’s new social media manager. Please feel free to follow us on Twitter @bogotabistro. To read the story of Bogota Latin Bistro, go here (click single page to get through the ad.)