So You Think You Can Write?

Are you in the market for a “full service solutions provider?” How about some “cost-effective end to end solutions?” Or a “provider of value-added services?”

Well, somebody must think you are. Because those three phrases show up on Google searches between 47,000 and 600,000 times, according to Jason Fried in a recent issue of Inc. http://www.inc.com/magazine/20100501/why-is-business-writing-so-awful.html. And you know that if these phrases are showing up on the Web, they are showing up in brochures, print ads, direct mail pieces, etc.

Who writes this stuff? People who often want to save the company money, and think they are qualified to write. These, of course, are the same people who rightfully think nothing about investing in information technology, paying a professional to do their taxes, or hiring graphic designers to make the drivel they write show up on a great looking Website, or in attractive printed materials.

Here are a few of the things these people believe qualify them as a writer:

• They have a great deal of subject matter knowledge, and do not believe anybody without that knowledge is qualified to write about the subject.
• They have frequent interaction with customers, and may be able to “talk the talk” with them.
• They may be smart.
• They think writing is easy. They’ve written their entire lives. And it’s not like you need a degree or have to pass a special test to be a writer.

What are the results of poor writing? Well let’s ignore for a second the obvious poor grammar, incorrect sentence structure, typos, etc. What you also get are the following:

• A monotonous recitation of features, technical details and processes that demonstrates how great the product or service is, but that completely ignores the customer benefit.
• Infatuation with flowery words and phrases that sound cool and cutting edge and oh so businesslike, but which nobody understands (i.e., end to end solution).

Best case, you end up with writing that is so poor that you do bring in a professional to fix it. This ends up costing you time, money and opportunity, but at least you now have something cogent and engaging. Worst case, nobody fixes the writing, and you end up with a Website or printed materials that do not resonate with anybody, and reflect negatively on your brand.

Some of you actually may be reading this and thinking, OK, give me some tips so that I can become a better writer.

Sorry. Good writing is not about tips. It is about years of experience honing the craft.

Want a tip? Hire a professional.

How’s that for a full service solution?