{"id":21668,"date":"2019-09-25T15:27:18","date_gmt":"2019-09-25T20:27:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.gigsalad.com\/blog\/?p=21668"},"modified":"2021-01-20T16:54:58","modified_gmt":"2021-01-20T22:54:58","slug":"becoming-a-better-writer-for-your-business","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.gigsalad.com\/blog\/becoming-a-better-writer-for-your-business\/","title":{"rendered":"Becoming a Better Writer for Your Business"},"content":{"rendered":"

Last updated on January 20, 2021<\/p>
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In today\u2019s world of digital technology, words still matter. As an entertainer or service provider, you\u2019re writing up quotes, sending emails, posting to social media, and messaging clients all the time. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Between all these forms of communication, your writing skills could be the difference in whether or not you get the gig. We\u2019ve put together a few best practices from our writing team and other industry experts to help you raise your writing standard. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sharpen your skills<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Effective writing for business and marketing comes down to three critical skills: clarity, brevity, and assembly. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Clarity<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Words matter. Learn to express thoughts using words that are clearly understood and easily absorbed!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is especially true for industry-specific terms. When communicating with clients, it\u2019s easy to overwhelm them with insider language and abbreviations. Try to be more of a teacher than an expert. If you\u2019re a cover band, most customers won\u2019t know what the \u201cfront line\u201d is. They won\u2019t know the difference between your FOH needs and their own HOA standards. Savvy businesspeople know to clearly explain specific electrical or technical needs. Always assume they don\u2019t know and become a \u201cfriend in the business\u201d by bringing them along. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The difference between the right word and the almost right word is the difference between lightning and a lightning bug.<\/p>Mark Twain<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Brevity<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

In Hamlet<\/em>, Shakespeare wrote, \u201cBrevity is the soul of wit.\u201d In other words, smart people get to the point. Higher word count does not <\/em>equal effective communication. Take time to practice getting standard responses down to the fewest words possible while still maintaining clarity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Assembly<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The structure of your writing is essential. Thoughts need to flow in an arc that walks your client through your writing and arrives at a clear call to action. This holds true for everything from emails to blogs to social media captions. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Structure your written communications around a basic narrative framework that has a beginning, middle, and end.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Using a basic outline for every communication will allow you to not only write clearly and briefly but with more speed and organization. You don\u2019t want to spend over a quarter of your life writing emails! So learn the tricks to cut down the writing time. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Business emails and communication can follow this simple pattern:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

  1. Beginning: Introduction and greeting.<\/li>
  2. Middle: Critical details (bullet points are effective) and information.<\/li>
  3. End: Instructions for follow-up and contact information. Here’s where you can include a call to action. Freelance business writer Sally Fox<\/a> says, \u201cWork on irresistible calls to action. The rest of your copy is designed to give information or sell a mood that will make your audience want to click the link, find out more, or subscribe. But the part of the copy that will be the difference between earning that click or not is the call to action.\u201d<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    Check out this example:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Hi Barry,

    The Waikiki Hula Dancers would love to perform at your company’s launch party! Here are a few things to know to get the most out of your event:<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n