IN THIS ISSUE:

 

10 Rules of Effective Language
Bone Up Your Vocab
Book Review

Newsletter Archive

the B2B Marcom Mind
April 2009

My business seems to be picking up slightly – hope yours is too! As you shift gears and start regaining speed, don't forget to refresh on your writing skills. This month's issue is about the writing basics and it will be like topping off your tank.

I’m a big reader of books in the B2B and marketing genre but I also feel strongly that I need to challenge and expand my thinking with books that sit just outside. Words that Work does just that, and while I’m only half-way done, I’ve already found some useful correlations. You’ll enjoy the 10 Rules of Effective Language. Then have some fun with the Free Rice game, but don't forget to grab a copy of "A Writer's Reference" to have handy on your desk.

As always, I enjoy hearing from you. I'm just an e-mail away, so drop a line and say hello. Love to know what inspires you!

See you next month,

Terri Rylander
LinkedIn B2B Marcom Group Manager
Freelance B2B Marcom Writer

"It's none of their business that you have to learn to write. Let them think you were born that way. "
~Ernest Hemingway

10 Rules of Effective Language

Dr. Frank Luntz, author of “Words that Work” has studied language and persuasion for several years, in a tough arena – politics. He’s watched and rated public reaction to words and phrases delivered in political speeches, and has learned what seems to work. Early in his book, he offers his 10 rules of effective language.

His 10 rules describe and define how our message should be shaped to optimize what people hear. The rules go like this:

1. Use small words – It has long been said, and perhaps best by Strunk and White, never use a long word when a short word will do. Replace “utilize” with “use.” Luntz suggests avoiding words that might force someone to reach for the dictionary, because they won’t.
2. Use short sentences – Save the eloquent prose for your next novel and write with clarity. Perhaps you can replace text with a visual. The one thing I would add is to vary short and long sentences so that your text does not sound static or choppy.
3. Credibility is as important as philosophy – People need to believe what you say in order to buy what you offer. Are your words trite? Are your promises overblown? If customers can’t detect any difference in your “new and improved” product, you lose credibility.
4. Consistency matters – Until you change it, keep your message the same across all mediums. Make sure marketing AND sales are in alignment. For B2B companies, that means you should be documenting your company’s and product’s key messages, then checking all marketing communication to make sure they are consistent.
5. Offer something new – Though it’s imperative to keep key messages consistent, it’s just as important to communicate new takes on old ideas. White papers are terrific for introducing though-leading ideas and new solutions to old problems. What you’re looking for is to have your reader say, “I didn’t know that!”
6. Sound and texture matter – This is where language gets a little fun, perhaps a little musical. Vary the cadence of your words and sentences. Run a string of words that rhyme or start with the same letter. Twist words to make new words. This rule works best for taglines and short copy.
7. Speak aspirationally – This is probably one of the most applicable rules for B2B. You want to create a vision for your customers and you want to be seen as a leader. Your message needs to (truthfully) say what your customers want to hear. It needs to “hit home” and feel personal. Your readers need to be able to relate and know that you have the best solution to their problem.
8. Visualize – You need to paint a clear picture for your readers. What is it you would want your readers to “imagine?” Just how does that product work? Describe that new world you reader will experience.
9. Ask questions – Remember these taglines: “Where do you want to go today?” and “Can you hear me now?” I bet you could even tell me who’s they are. Ask questions, especially rhetorical ones, to get your readers thinking and aligned with you. Ronald Reagan asked, “Are you better off than you were four years ago?” It was a rhetorical question with a devastating blow to Jimmy Carter during their runs for presidency in 1980.
10. Provide context and explain relevance – Luntz says you need to give your readers the “why” before you tell them the “so that.” This is so fundamental in B2B marketing communications. Our readers need the solution framed in the context of their problem. Then, that communication must also be relevant to their situation. This may mean creating industry-specific content, even for the same product.

These rules can then be summarized to: simplicity, brevity, credibility, consistency, novelty, sound, aspiration, visualization, questioning, and context. He says if your message meets most of these rules, it should be successful. If it meets all of them, you’ll hit a home run – though less than one out of a thousand hits it out of the park. Batter up!

Bone Up Your Vocab for a Good Cause

OK, time for a little fun. Here's a great way to challenge your vocabulary while helping end world hunger. A fun online game called Free Rice displays a word and then three other words. It's your job to figure out which is most similar to the first word. For every one you get right, you earn a grain of rice. Now I know a grain isn't much, but see how quickly it adds up as you get hooked!

Using just the vocabulary challenge, Free Rice says you may notice an odd phenomenon. Words that you have never consciously used before will begin to pop into your head while you are speaking or writing. They've added additional subjects beyond vocabulary such as art, chemistry, geography, math, and foreign languages. So, you'll never master this thing!

FreeRice is a non-profit website run by the United Nations World Food Program. Their partner is the Berkman Center for Internet & Society at Harvard University and they have fed millions since going online in 2007. As of this writing, the game has generated a donation of over 62 billion grains of rice.

Feed your mind and feed the hungry! Go to www.freerice.com.

Book Review

Speaking of rules...I think I write pretty well, but when I get stuff back from my editor, I'm sometimes ready to take down my writer's shingle. No one likes being called out for errors whether they're simple typos or improper use of language. This is why one of my most favorite "editor" books is Diana Hacker's "A Writer's Reference." Most writer's know the basics, but we can all use a refresher now and then. Are you remembering to treat indefinite pronouns like "everybody" as singular? I can never remember, is it laid, lied, or layed down? What about passive versus active voice? This book simply and quickly explains the rules, complete with examples.

The plastic comb binding lets you easily leave it open while you digest the information. Diana's book is neatly organized into categories like word choice, effective sentences, and punctuation, but also includes sections on research writing, MLA documentation, composing and revising, and more. This one lives on my desk, not on my book shelf!