How To Write A Press Release

I don’t know exactly what this website is but it seems to be paid for by my/our tax dollars. There are some good tips on here about how to write a press release – a skill I need more regularly between Entertainers and Apex and the Bank and …. :)

Tagged business howto

Bad Credit

The world and Australians included are spinning out of debt control. To some extent I think we all have too much trust in others (like Banks or whatever) to look after our interests. We need to be in control of our own destiny.

I/we probably don’t use credit wisely or repay my loans quickly enough. But I know that if I only ever pay the minimum repayment on my credit card I will probably never repay the balance. As a method of payment Credit Cards are very convenient but as a vehicle for borrowing – which is what you do if you don’t repay in full – they suck.

SO credit card buyer beware – don’t let that minimum repayment number fool you :)

Minimum-payment requirements seem like a good idea: Without them, credit-card holders would pay too little and let balances bloom. But a new study indicates that many of us would pay more if our statements didn’t require a minimum.

The problem with minimum-payment requirements, the study found, is that they can lower a cardholder’s sense of what a reasonable payment is — an effect known as anchoring, which was especially strong among cardholders who usually paid more than the minimum but less than the total balance. A test group of such cardholders who got credit-card bills with $700 balances and no minimum-payment requirement paid an average of $280 — about 40 percent of the balance. A control group who received similar bills that included minimums, meanwhile, paid only $161, or 23 percent of the balance — a rate of payment that would have eventually cost them twice as much interest.

Minimum payments, then, are the cardholder’s enemy — and the creditor’s friend.

Post found on Very Short List

Tagged business lifestyle

The essentials of good business writing

Good business writing is at the heart of successful marketing. Without it you will be at best, misunderstood, at worst, totally ignored. Follow these simple guidelines to ensure your business writing hits the spot.

Write readable sentences by writing the way you talk

There is a misconception that good business writing is complex and flowery. It is simply not true. The only people who can ignore this advice are lawyers by virtue of the fact that it is their intention to make everything more complex than it need be, especially as they are paid by the hour to explain to you what they have written!

Use ordinary words

Don’t try to be too clever; don’t use a long word where a short one will do.

Variety

Vary your punctuation and sentence length to add life and movement to your writing.

Use the personal pronoun

Use "I" or "we" wherever you can.

Make your point

Make your main point early and make it easy to find. Don't introduce new ideas until you have thoroughly explained the first.

Intention

Make your purpose for writing clear. Say what you have found, address the issue or problem and make a recommendation or provide a solution. Tell the reader very clearly what you want them to do. Never make the assumption that the reader will make the mental leap between the information and what you want them to do about it.

Structure

Help your reader get to the point by revealing the structure of the document. Allow them to have control over what they discover and when.

White space

Leave plenty of white space. This can be created by using headings, lists, bullet points and short paragraphs.

Use font types wisely

If in doubt stick to the classic fonts. Don't litter your writing with bold, italics CAPITALS or underline; it makes the text harder to read.

Wherever possible, remember:

  • Use the active voice
  • Use ordinary words
  • Construct clear, simple sentences
  • Concrete not abstract – use examples, metaphors and details
  • Personal
  • Informal, conversational style
  • Make every word count or get rid of it
  • Use just enough punctuation to assist the reader
  • Watch your grammar – don’t switch tense.
  • Say what you mean and mean what you say
  • Don't use jargon - if you have to, explain it the first time you use it
  • Strive to express yourself clearly
  • Get to the point fast, or at least allow the reader the option to if they choose to

But most of all have fun with it. Never be afraid to reflect your own personality in your writing and it's okay to break a few rules now and again!

Karen McCreadie is a freelance writer – capable of writing anything from a marketing brochure to a website to ghost writing your next book! Ghost writing is her specialty.

Original article link http://www.flyingsolo.com.au/p196318265_The-essentials-of-good-business-writing.html

Tagged business howto