by Deb Coman | Jan 25, 2015 | Uncategorized
Hmm. Over the years there have been a few potential (“potential” being the operative word) clients who said that their clients didn’t care about correct grammar or cleaned up copy; that they loved them and did business with them in spite of the occasional typo or misspelled word in their business writing. I’m sure that is true. To some extent. I often wonder if they realize that for every client they have, there may be one or two who clicked to the next site on their Google search or in that business directory. Perhaps those typos and grammatical errors gave them pause enough to not linger long enough to even explore the “services” page. Then what?
Maybe it doesn’t matter. But, maybe it does. In these times of point and click and your options expand exponentially, why wouldn’t you want to edge out the next option with more polished, professional writing?
Some of the reasons include that it’s faster, easier, and more cost-effective to do it myself. I completely get that (said the person who did their own website, newsletter, opt-in, etc. and spent hours upon hours learning). It is often the only way when your business is starting out. However (and this is a big HOWEVER), good, clean, professional, engaging copy brings more business. What you pay to get it should pale in comparison to what it helps you bring in.
No one expects perfection. We all have the occassional typo slip in (did you see what I did there?) and that can be ok. Really. It’s when it is more than occasional (did you see what I did THERE?) that it can impact your business and your proverbial “bottom line.”
If you’re just starting out, it’s understandable. If your business is not so much about written communication, it’s understandable. If your business is marketing or web site development, or supporting people to run their own business, it really does (and should!) matter. You are passing along bad habits like a rotten egg that will stink up their work. Don’t give your clients a rotten egg. Give them werds they can feel good about. If you need my help, I would love the opportunety. (Just seeing if you’re paying attention!)
I’d love to know your take on this and if you’ve invested in good copy, what kind of impact it’s made in your business. Please leave us your thoughts in the comments.
by Deb Coman | Jan 13, 2015 | Uncategorized
In my house we are back to school, (almost) de-Christmased, and, like it or not, back into our normal routines. As if life with three young boys/men ever involves a normal routine!
I hope you are finding your joy whatever way that comes. Mine involves looking forward always and a teeny bit back just to:
- remind me of where I’ve been
- and help me to learn from it!
So, I’m choosing to approach each new day, just as that: “a brand new day.” Simple, right? Not day 13 of my 365 days to a better me but just a new day filled with many choices that come in the way of moments. In any one of those moments I can choose to:
- straighten the kitchen counter
- clear out and donate clothes that no longer work
- eat a piece of fruit instead of that leftover piece of cake
- stop doing and just “be”
Or just eat the cake, since there will soon be another moment!
You see, it doesn’t always matter once that moment has passed. Sometimes we just need to stay in that moment: live it, enjoy it, leave it in the rear view mirror and move on.
One thing I have been doing for some time now, is looking for signs from the Universe. They often come when I am not noticing. At a recent event with raffled prizes, I just finished telling friends that I didn’t really “need” a beautiful pottery vase when the Universe thought otherwise and my friends clamored that my name was being called. Driving home with that vase, I felt kind of bad, like I didn’t deserve it because I was saying I didn’t really need it. Once home, as I pulled it all the way out of the box it was in, I realized how beautiful it really was and then it dawned on me that the color and design were almost exactly like the business cards my friend created for me (without my input).
When I get out of the way, the Universe often steps in. How about you?
If as you look ahead, there are writing and creative projects in your future and you would like my help, shoot me an email at deb@debcoman.com and you, me and the Universe will figure it out. If we’re not already connected on every social media platform known to humankind, please click on one or more of the links in the header and see what’s happening there!
by Deb Coman | Jan 10, 2015 | Uncategorized
Here we are, plunked down in 2015 – with a brand spanking new year stretching out before us. Yikes!
I don’t know about you, but the idea of moving into this blank slate is both thrilling and intimidating. A few days into all the new “plans” entitled “365 ways to _______ (you can fill it in with ‘declutter, organize, eat better, exercise more, meditate, be a better human’…)” and I think I’ve lost track of some of them already. Sometimes I think there should be a new program mid-January entitled “Don’t Worry, You Don’t Suck Just Because You Didn’t _______!” (again, you choose the quality/behavior).
Truth be told, January 1st is really just another day. The new year doesn’t necessarily mean we have to get overzealous about correcting every little thing we wish we did better and join programs to do that. If that works for you, that’s great and I applaud you. If it doesn’t work, please consider that every day, and actually every moment, is an opportunity to be a better _______.
It’s easy to beat ourselves up and think “Well, I blew it. Maybe NEXT year I’ll do that thing!” What’s even easier, and much more kind, is to think, “I’m doing the best I can” and if today didn’t go great, “I can begin (again) at any moment that I choose.” Life, for sure, is a journey and not a destination. So, begin. And if it’s a false start, begin again. Go ahead and be a better _________.
If being a better writer or doing a better job of communicating your message is on your list, please let me know if I can help. How we might do that is here.
Enjoy this new day and, if this one isn’t great, don’t worry…another one is on the way!
