3 Ways to Harness the Power of Writing

Good marketing starts with good writing. After all, marketers need to convey ideas and messages for their brands, and that starts with a content strategy based on writing.

While having people with strong writing skills on your team is critical, writing is often misunderstood or undervalued in a company. Writing requires bold thinking, preparedness, fearless editing, and a laser focus on what’s relevant for the audience.

“Just whip up a few paragraphs.” That is a directive I’ve heard given to writers more times than I care to remember. The idea that writing is the mere act of clacking on a keyboard is off the mark. Writing is thinking. Writing is researching. Writing is sourcing insights from experts. Writing is storytelling. And writing is powerful.

From websites to white papers and blog posts to byline articles, there are a few best practices that can refine your writing process and help you determine when you need to call in the experts.

1)     Start with prompts, not a blank page. Whether you are the writer or assigning a project, create a roadmap to guide the content. Writers often stare at a blank page waiting for inspiration to strike. Writing is a process. Define the audience as specifically as you can. This should not be a laundry list of segments, rather one segment. Each piece of content cannot boil an ocean, so stay focused. Identify expert insights or stats needed to support the piece. Understand if there is a specific call to action you want the reader to take. Once you lay out key elements that must be included in the piece, it’s much easier to start and to stay focused.

2)     Editing vs. Rewriting. Just like Kenny Rogers said, you gotta know when to hold ‘em and when to fold ‘em. There are pieces of content that require editing to make them great. And editing should be ruthless. Challenge the writer to strike content that doesn’t add value. Offer suggestions on how to make the piece stronger. Think, “If I’m the audience, would I find this interesting?” If the answer is “no” and you can’t full address challenges by editing an original piece, it’s time to start from scratch. Pieces that need full rewrites lack clarity, carry a confusing message, and offer no value to the reader in terms of education, entertainment, or inspiration. Oftentimes, those requiring a rewrite are a result of not following tip #1.

3)     Know when to outsource. If your team spends a lot of time writing, editing, and rewriting with little finished product to show for it, strongly consider bringing in experts. In fact, when you start to view writing as the backbone of a content strategy across your organization, you’ll see the need to bring on expertise and an outside-in perspective to drive value in the writing discipline. You’ll save time, resources, and a lot of frustration.  When vetting writing resources, ask to see examples of their thought process, not just the result. Make sure they get to know your brand and what it stands for and won’t just “whip up a few paragraphs.”

Everyone from the summer intern to the CEO needs to be a capable writer. If you are skipping over this vital component of becoming a better, all-around professional, it’s time to re-evaluate what you lend importance to. 

Need help in determining if your writing process and content is working for you? We’d be happy to have a conversation with you.