A 1-day course in core business writing skills delivered to staff of The Economist since 2004.

1. Writing for Results
A one-day workshop delivered
by
Scott Keyser
Copywriting techniques that
influence, persuade and sell

2. What we’ll cover today
WELCOME
Start 09.30
TWO:
While
You’re
Writing
ONE:
Before
You Write c. 11.00
THREE:
After
You’ve
Written
FOUR:
What We’ve
Learnt
Close 17.00
LUNCH
c. 12.30 – 13.15

3. One: before you write
• A fast-food acronym
• Research, reflection, brainstorming
• Understanding your reader
• Changing their behaviour

6. Five steps to planning heaven
1 Goals for the copy and the business.
2 Do your research: subject and reader.
3 Identify and sell to motivations.
4 Identify and handle objections.
5 Always allow time for planning.

7. “I never read The
Economist.”
Management trainee. Aged 42.

8. Write for your reader
 Top tip: the rule of 3:1 and the magic word.

9. Structures that sell
 Grab attention.
 Talk benefits.
 Make the sale.

10. Two: while you’re writing
• Good tone of voice
• Powerful writing
• Some rules for good style

11. How to use tone of voice
• What is tone of voice?
• Think about register, eg vocabulary, syntax.
• Consider contractions.
• Use your ears.

13. Snap, crackle and pop
• Use power words for emotional kick.
• Use more verbs than nouns.
• Use the active voice when you can.
• Use Anglo-Saxon, not Latin/Greek.

14. Style rules, OK?
1 Omit needless words.
2 Be brief.
3 Punctuate for power.

15. Three: after you’ve written
• Scoring your readability
• R.O.L.
• Editing your work
• Checking your work

17. Accessing the Readability Stats
In MS Word 97-2003:
1. Tools – Options – Spelling & Grammar tab – tick ‘Show
Readability Statistics’ – click OK.
2. Back to Tools – go through Spelling & Grammar
options – dialogue box asks if you wish to check the
remainder of the document – click ‘No’ and the
Readability Stats appear.

18. Accessing the Readability Stats
In MS Word 2007:
 Click the round Office button in the top left corner.
 Click the Word Options button lower right of the box.
 In the Word Options dialog on the left, select
Proofing.
 Under ‘When correcting spelling and grammar in
Word’, select Show readability statistics.
 Click OK. Next time you do a grammar and spell-
check, the Readability Statistics will pop up at the end.

19. Editing and checking your work
• Is your copy fit for purpose?
• Structure: clear, logical, flows well?
• Is it clear, concise and compelling?
• Will your reader ‘get it’ in one go?
• How would it make you feel if you were the reader?
• How many drafts?
• What to cut?

21. Checking your work
• Read it out loud.
• Have someone else read it.
• Check all references point where they should.
• Check grammar, spelling and punctuation.
• Check presentation against house style.
• Proof-read for typos.

22. Four: what we’ve learnt

23. 1. Your reader matters more than the medium.
2. Always have your goal in mind.
3. Make life simple: have a plan.
4. Always convert Features into Benefits.
5. Use the simplest language you can.
6. Never send your first draft.
7. Always check your work.
Four: what we’ve learnt

24.  Approach: plan more? ROL?
 Attitude: be more confident about your writing?
Bolder?
 Style: cut jargon, use plain English?
 Skills: master grammar, punctuation, the active
voice?
 Read more good writing?
 Read more about writing?
What will you do differently from
tomorrow?

25. What next?
• Contact me for more training, coaching,
editing, public speaking:
scott@writeforresults.com
+44 (0) 20 8671 0457
+44 (0) 7715 771325
• Follow me on social media:
eCademy (scott keyser)
http://www.linkedin.com/in/scottkeyser1
http://www.twitter.com/scottkeyser

26. Writing simply
I have set out in my report
what I understand from
those instructing me to be
the questions in respect of
which my opinion as an
expert is required.
(29 words)
I have set out in my report
the questions that those
instructing me need my
expert opinion on.
(18 words, ie 38% shorter)