How to Write a Good Brochure

It seems that lately I have been writing brochures, left and right. Brochures are a public relations piece that could really aid your organization, whether it be for profit or not. You could use brochures to bring awareness for a cause that you hold close to you heart, or sell your services/products. I created this video to give you some pointers to help you write an effective brochure.

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Ten Tips to Make Your Powerpoint Presentation a Success

While I am sitting here working on my Powerpoint presentation that will go alongside my speech, I can’t help thinking that it’s very simple to create one that will help guide your workshop, so that the attendees aren’t lost. It is a known fact that the majority of the people in this world are visual learners. Therefore, to have a Powerpoint presentation that serves as a guide will be beneficial to them and to you. Here are ten tips to make your presentation a success:

1. Have a Cover Page

You want to have a cover page that will show the name of the workshop, your name, and your logo.

2. Workshop Overview

Before you begin any speech, you also want to give the audience an overview of the things to come. Therefore, provide a high-level overview of what you will tackle during your lesson.

3. Transitions

There are several kinds of transitions. Even if they seem cool, just stick to one. Your audience will think you are an amateur if you start coming out with all these different types of transitions in just one presentation.

4. Don’t Overload with Texts and Images

Your Powerpoint presentation is not suppose to be your speech. If that’s the case, then just hand the attendees a handout, and send them on their way. Therefore, have up to five (preferably three) points on each slide. If you are going to have a powerful image, then put it on its own slide.

5. Pick the Right Template

There are many Powerpoint presentation templates that you can find on the web. You want to ensure that you pick the right one for your workshop and audience. If you are going to talking in front of a group of business owners, refrain from using the template filled with pink colors and flowers.

6. Keep Under 25 Slides

There will be times that you will have to break this rule. However, try not to have more than 25 slides. If you have too many slides, you will lose the audience just as if you had tons of texts on ten slides. Find the right balance.

7. Don’t Forget the Conclusion

Just like you need to have a workshop overview, you also need a conclusion. This is where you recap everything you have just discussed, so it’s fresh on their minds even after the workshop has ended.

8. Have Your Contact Information At the End

You want to have all your contact information on the last slide. This is good practice because after you finish the workshop, you will have your contact information up there while the audience is asking you questions.

9, Keep It Simple

“The simplest things are often the truest” ~ Richard Bach If you know what you are talking about, then you don’t need elaborate slides.

10. Practice Does Make Perfect

Before getting up in front of a group of people, practice your speech while you go through the slides. This will help you find the trouble spots and fix them before you embarrass yourself. If you can, videotape yourself.

Overall, have a good time, smile, and get going on your presentation.

You vs. Me in Proposals

Writing proposals is something that many people don’t really care to do.  It can be tedious because you have to ensure that the intended party can follow what you are saying while selling yourself at the same time. Also, that you address all the points that they mentioned in their Statement of Work.

One of the mistakes that I see many companies (especially the big ones) make is thinking that by boasting about themselves, the organization that they are trying to win the bid from is going to think

“Wow, they are so amazing. We HAVE to give them the task order.”

Sorry companies, it doesn’t usually work out that way. There is a section called “Past Performance” where you can talk about yourself and why you are the best individual (or company) for the job.  It makes me cringe when I see the company talk about they handled this and that in the Management and Solution areas without even discussing how they are going to fix the problem for their potential client.

I’ve sat in pre-proposal work meetings where all people talked about is what bits and pieces they were going to take from old proposals, so they could win this new one.  Of course, if an old proposal has the information that you need, by all means, use it.  However, this is going to get you about 15% of the way to winning the work.

You > Me

One of the things that will help is counting how many times you mentioned your company, and how many times you have mentioned the potential client in old proposals. If you see that the number of times your names pops up is more than theirs, then you know that you need to stop doing this.  Your potential client should be mentioned five times to ten times (I prefer ten) more than you talk about yourself. Even in the Management section, you should try to slant it so it shows that your management approach is successful because of the following:

1. You did the research to learn more about them
2. Tailored your management approach so that it works for both of you
3. You have an understanding as to how their organization functions

What works for one organization will not work for another one.  Remember that lesson.  Your potential client should feel like you understand they are the main focus, and that you really paid attention to the issue they want you to solve.

Formal or Informal

A proposal starts looking tacky when every sentence has “Company A Technologies, Inc.” and “Government Agency B.” You don’t have to be so formal when writing a proposal.  The best proposals that have ever left my hands were the ones that had “I” and “You” in place of the organizations’ names. It flows better and gives it kind of a conversational tone, instead of the dry, formal “Company A Technologies, Inc.” and “Government Agency B.”

Just remember: Your potential client is the star; not you. Try not to outshine them in your proposals.

Mentors Are Chicken Soup for Your Writing

When I attended this conference a few weeks ago, one of the people in the audience asked about how to find a mentor. It was something that I was also interested in, so I definitely paid attention when the panel answered.  They said that a mentor can give sound and wise advice because he/she has been there. Also, you can bounce your questions off that person, and he/she can tell you if you are heading in the right direction, or you might consider rethinking a few areas.

Having a mentor is something that many smart business people recommend, especially in the writing field.  I know that I would love to have someone who I can discuss the problems and successes that I find happen every day.  In college, there were many professors who I would have loved to have been my mentors.  I remember one professor in particular who had written over ten books.  She was in her seventies, confident, and very wise. Even though she was tough on me, I knew that it was because she knew that I could do better.  I learned so much from her, and I wish that I could bounce ideas off of her because I know that she would have been able to steer me in the right direction.

Even if you are an “expert” in your field, I think having a mentor or a fellow peer you respect is just as important as when you are starting out. I have been in the technical writing arena for over eight years (almost nine!), but I would love to find fellow Technical Writers where we get together once a month.  It would be like the movie “Thank You for Smoking” where they would sit and chat about what was going on in their hectic jobs. Some of the best advice was given during those casual meetings.

Humans are social creature, and even if you are in the most solitary career, you still need at least one person who you can talk to about the excitement of freelancing life.

Technical Writing Tips You Learn from the World Cup

I have been watching the World Cup since I was a little girl. The whole family would gather around the television and cheer (or boo) whenever a team made a goal. It is one of the only times that you will not see me move from the couch unless it’s too jump up with delight. I have learned a thing or two (wish it would have been how to learn to actually play futbol) while watching this World Cup in South Africa. Here are the five things that I learned:

1. Natural Skill Doesn’t Fully Cut It

There have been so many futbol players who are naturally amazing players. However, it wasn’t enough for them to shine at this year’s World Cup. When you are writing a technical document, you have to work with other people (e.g. Subject-Matter Experts, Developers, Stakeholders, etc.). It’s the only way that you will have a successful document and hit a goal.

2. Surprises Are Always Around the Corner

Before the World Cup began, the teams that everyone thought would make it until the end were Argentina, Brazil, England, etc.  However, those weren’t the ones who advanced and are now on their way to having the cup in their hands. There will always be surprises that you can’t prevent.  Therefore, you have to always have alternate plans in case something doesn’t go according to plan.

3. Don’t Get a Yellow or Red Card

If you play dirty, then the referees give you a yellow or red card, depending on the severity of your actions. It’s the same when you are a freelance Technical Writer.  You have to be up front with your clients, and not do underhanded things that will make them distrust you. Clients are already a bit weary because you are an independent consultant, so you always have to ensure that the trust that they build with you doesn’t diminish in a matter of seconds.

4. You Will Cry If You Lose

There is a Spanish commercial that shows futbol players crying.  A message is displayed at the end, “This is the only time you will see men cry. Please don’t lose.” If you aren’t prepared and/or another Technical Writer has more knowledge and skills than you, then you will lose clients.  Therefore, you always have to be on top of your game by keeping up-to-date with the latest in the technical writing field and always being prepared.

5. Don’t Ever Stop Until You Kick That Goal In

You see the players run, fall, get back up, and run again.  They never give up until they kick a goal in. It’s the same with Technical Writing. The first draft might get frowns, but you keep editing until your clients are happy. When they are happy, then you are as well.

What type of tips have you learned by watching the World Cup?