Microsoft Excel 2003 - Add Page Numbers
Quickly add page numbers to the top or bottom of your printed Excel 2003 spreadsheets.
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5/20/2005
Secretarial Services - Word 2003 - Save Document Properties
Microsoft Word 2003 - Save Document Properties on First Save
Force Word 2003 to ask you for extended document properties.
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Force Word 2003 to ask you for extended document properties.
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Secretarial Services - Windows XP - Display Command History
Windows XP and DOS - Display Command History
Display a list of previously executed DOS commands under Windows XP.
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Display a list of previously executed DOS commands under Windows XP.
Start a secretarial business
web site credit card processing
web site credit card processing
Just a word of caution. Although the prices for web site credit card processing may be internationally better than say Australia you should also check out the freight and shipping charges.
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Just a word of caution. Although the prices for web site credit card processing may be internationally better than say Australia you should also check out the freight and shipping charges.
Start a secretarial business
Word/Phrase - bob about
Word/Phrase - bob about
Click on the link to view the explanation and examples.
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Click on the link to view the explanation and examples.
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More Free English Learning Resources
More Free English Learning Resources
Find free English language learning materials and tools for self-study or classroom learning. Use reading and writing lessons, word of the day tool, free ESL books, story room, students' forums and more.
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Find free English language learning materials and tools for self-study or classroom learning. Use reading and writing lessons, word of the day tool, free ESL books, story room, students' forums and more.
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5/16/2005
Secretarial Services - Is Your Marketing Too Modern?
Is Your Small Business Marketing Too Modern?
Yesterday as a test with a client we sent out 200 A5 post cards with a simple direct response message offering a free PDF report.
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Yesterday as a test with a client we sent out 200 A5 post cards with a simple direct response message offering a free PDF report.
Start a secretarial business
5/15/2005
Secretarial Services - Adobe Acrobat 7.0 Review
Adobe Acrobat 7.0 Review
Adobe Acrobat has become synonymous with the PDF file format, and with good reason: Acrobat is the industry standard for creating and editing PDF files because there are few, if any, PDF creation tools that can match its features.
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Adobe Acrobat has become synonymous with the PDF file format, and with good reason: Acrobat is the industry standard for creating and editing PDF files because there are few, if any, PDF creation tools that can match its features.
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Secretarial Services - Keep Word Documents Organized
6 Ways to Keep Your Word Documents Organized
If you spend a lot of time searching for your Word documents, then this is a must read. Find out what you can do to take the stress out of finding your documents.
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If you spend a lot of time searching for your Word documents, then this is a must read. Find out what you can do to take the stress out of finding your documents.
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Secretarial Services - Keyboards and Mice
Top 5 Keyboards and Mice
If you spend a lot of time word processing, a good keyboard and mouse are absolute necessities.
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If you spend a lot of time word processing, a good keyboard and mouse are absolute necessities.
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Secretarial Services -Bookmarks in Word
Inserting Bookmarks in Your Word Document
If you're working on large Word documents, it will take a lot of scrolling to find the changes. A simple solution ...
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If you're working on large Word documents, it will take a lot of scrolling to find the changes. A simple solution ...
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Secretarial Services - The Normal.dot Template
The Normal.dot Template and Start-up Problems
Are you having problems getting Word to start correctly? Here's how to fix the problem.
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Are you having problems getting Word to start correctly? Here's how to fix the problem.
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Secretarial Services - Working With Templates
Working With Templates
If you've been trying to find the perfect template for download over the internet, you know it can be difficult to find one that suits your needs. I've assembled some templates that will hopefully reduce to your search time.
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If you've been trying to find the perfect template for download over the internet, you know it can be difficult to find one that suits your needs. I've assembled some templates that will hopefully reduce to your search time.
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Secretarial Services - Word's Search Feature
Introduction to Word's Search Feature
Windows doesn't have very powerful search abilities. Fortunately, Word has a search feature that compensates for this. It's easy to use, and best of all, it searches more than just Word files.
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Windows doesn't have very powerful search abilities. Fortunately, Word has a search feature that compensates for this. It's easy to use, and best of all, it searches more than just Word files.
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Secretarial Services - Preventing Data Loss
5 Ways to Prevent Data Loss
There is nothing more frustrating than losing the important documents that you've spent so much time creating.
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There is nothing more frustrating than losing the important documents that you've spent so much time creating.
Start a secretarial business
Secretarial Services - Adding a Folder to the My Places Bar
Tip of the Day: Adding a Folder to the My Places Bar
The My Places bar in the Open and Save dialog boxes is a great tool, helping you navigate more quickly to the place where you store your files.
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The My Places bar in the Open and Save dialog boxes is a great tool, helping you navigate more quickly to the place where you store your files.
Start a secretarial business
5/09/2005
Secretarial Services - Fear of Failure
Fear of Failure? Fear of Success? What's Holding You Back?
One of my clients came to me saying he wanted to expand his business - something he had thought about for years. He described the changes he wanted to make but he had taken limited action to make those changes happen. When he talked about what he wanted, his eyes lit up, he smiled, and there was passion and joy in his voice. Years? What was stopping him? I listened as he expressed his internal conflict. He said " My business is going well, and it's not like I have to make changes, maybe it's not that important ... on and on." Bottom line - some part of him inside continued to feel unfulfilled.
On the surface, it sounded like the changes he wanted to make were for financial gains. Talking further, he realized he was really speaking of a level of service (how he wanted to help people improve their quality of life) and personal fulfillment (actualizing his values, purpose, and vision) that would come from aligning who he is and what he does in a BIGGER way.
We discussed the things he told himself that allowed him to remain stationary. His initial objection was "If I put myself out and take some risks- what if I fail?" (What if this or that happens??? ) I replied, " With all the years of experience you have thinking about what you want without committing to action, you have brilliantly SUCCEEDED in FAILING! "Congratulations!!!" His eyes widened, and he burst out laughing. By doing nothing, he insured his success at failing.
Going forward in our coaching sessions, we focused on his attitudes about success/failure AND identified his values, needs, purpose, and vision. Increased self-awareness enabled him to make choices and design strategic actions to create greater life satisfaction and self-fulfillment. Consider a change you have been thinking/talking about for a while without much progress.
To learn more about what may be holding you back from moving forward, ask yourself:
1. What is your definition of success? What does success mean to you? Be specific.
2. Identify specific successes. What made them successes for you? What value did you receive from succeeding?
3. What fears, concerns, or assumptions do you have associated with success?
4. How would your life change if you were/felt more successful? (at whatever)
5. What would you have to give up? What would you gain?6. Who would you become? (happier, self-confident, authentic, stronger???)
In exploring your attitudes about failure, consider the following:
1. What is your definition of failure? What does failure mean to you?
2. If you fail at something, does that define YOU as a failure?
3. What specific failures have you experienced? What value have you received from failing? Be specific
4. What fears, concerns, or assumptions do you associate with failure? Are they true?
5. Can there be success in failure? If yes, how? If no, say more.6. If you could not fail, what would you be doing? Who would you be?
Fear of success/failure are two sides of the same experience. By definition, success and failure is perceived from multiple viewpoints. Both results offer opportunities for self-discovery and change. Developing the clarity to know who you are on the inside is a key ingredient to achieve rich outcomes with ease, strength, and focus! To live fully, you must fully participate -- succeeding and failing for the joy of the experience.
Copyright (c) Lorraine Cohen 2003. All Rights Reserved. Lorraine Cohen is an Business Coach & Life Strategist and brings more than 25 years of experience in life coaching, counseling, and sales. She helps people through career change, life transitions, and the process of breaking through FEAR and removing barriers to success.
5/07/2005
Secretarial Services - Formula for Success
The DPAPR - formula for success!
The What if.......... factor!
Can also be translated as if only....
It freightening how many people have regrets about things they said, lost opportunities,love lost, etc.
The vast majority of employees are unhappy with their jobs, a big chunck of our society live in constant denial and depression.
The actress who jumps out with a smile on her face and a sparcle in her eyes is a far cry from our own situations, even though we would like it to be us.
Instead we walk around with a knot in our stomachs fearing the smallest setback which has indeed got the capacity to destroy our livelyhoods.
But....
What if you take charge......
What if you claim the power that is within you.....
The DPAPR - formula for success!
1) Decide
2) Plan
3) Act
4) Persist
5) Reap
Now don't make a mistake all of us have the capacity to take this formula, apply it and succeed. Once yourealize that we are the sum total of all our own decisions. That is right where you are right now at this point in time is your own creation.
You are the product of your own decisions. So you can decide right now if you are going to do something about those areas in your life that leaves you cold.
Our worst enemy is lack of action, lethargy. It is because we don't live according to to the DPAPR formula that we become the victims of our own bad decisions which becomes habits. Let's face it no one is holding gun against your head forcing to be a couch patato or to eat that extra slice of pie.
It is simply just so much easier to follow the path of least resistance because the you don't have to think and decide you can just sit back and let it happen to you, depression, obesity, poverty,low self-esteem, etc.
OR....
You can decide, plan, act, persist and reap.
I was listening to Dr. Joe Vitale the other day and he mentioned that the no1 thing that all people seekis not money or love....
It is....
JOY
And you will only ever have joy if you are happy with yourself, your situation and your achievements.
So decide today......
What if you take action and you succeed......................
Article written by: Tonie KonigFrom: My-Net-Coach.commailto: tonie@my-net-coach.com For more information visit me at http://www.my-net-coach.com
5/04/2005
Secretarial Services - Designing your brochure
Creating A Brochure
by: Vann Baker
Why does your business need a brochure?
A cover letter to a potential client can present only a small fraction of information about your business. Potential clients are often swamped with business mail and a letter may be scanned for a couple of seconds then trashed. A face-to-face meeting is a great way to tell a potential client about your business or expertise, but sometimes it's not possible to get a meeting with just a phone call or introductory letter. Or, what if someone you've met weeks ago suddenly becomes interested in your service but can't match your name with your business card in their Rolodex?
A brochure will fulfill all of these business needs. Brochures are a great way to package a lot of information about yourself, your business and expertise into a format that is easily mailed or handed out at a business meeting or given to current clients to pass on to possible referrals.
Brochures range from a simple two-fold design using one sheet of 8-1/2 inch x 11 inch paper to an elaborate 9 x 12 inch pocket folder with 8 pages stitched in and insert sheets. Good brochure design involves not simply producing a flashy design, but a careful analysis of your target market, what level of sophistication is needed and consideration of your market niche in order to make a great first impression. And, last but certainly not least, your brochure should leave a potential client with something he or she is hesitant to throw away.
Today, in the age of E-Mail, multi-media presentations and the Internet, it's easy to assume that a web site can take the place of a printed brochure. Having a web site really can't replace the immediate visual impact of placing a brochure into a prospective client's hands.
Getting started
If you've never created a brochure, start by collecting a number of brochures (including competitors') that represent a wide range of quality--from simple one and two-color on textured stock to slick 4-color glossy brochures.
By asking yourself what it is that makes a brochure attractive and effective to you, it will be easier to make a brochure for your own business which will convey the message and level of sophistication you require.
Next, you will need to create some basic brochure copy about your business. Even if you're not a professional writer, putting some thoughts and facts about what your business does on paper will help make more concrete what information your brochure needs to convey. When writing copy ask yourself:
- Is my company an industry leader?
- Does my company have a market niche?
- What distinguishes my company from my competitor?
- Do we offer better value, service or selection of products?
- Do we have anything new or different to promote?
Questions to ask yourself:
- Who is your target audience?
- What message will get a potential client's attention?
- What kinds of brochures and what level of sophistication are typically crossing your client's desk?
- Does your product or service require photographs or illustrations to help convey your message?
- Will the brochure need to be a self-mailer?
Key information to include in your brochure:
- Mailing address.
- Phone number (and 800 number if you have one).
- Fax number.
- E-Mail address.
- Web Site address.
Be sure not to include in your brochure any information which is subject to changing in the next 12 months or so. Also, be wary of using a specific person's name as a contact person unless he or she is someone you know isn't going to leave in the next year. The same goes for printing photographs of people. There's no sense in spending several thousand dollars to create a brochure only to have it become out of date because someone leaves the company.
What does a brochure cost to produce?
Brochures can vary from a few hundred dollars to several thousand dollars. Because there are so many variables involved in producing a brochure such as quality of paper, number of ink colors, use of photographs, number of brochures printed, etc., it is difficult to estimate the final costs until all the specifications are determined.
Four color process printing, varnishing and special treatments such die-cutting, foil stamping can add additional costs to producing a brochure, and may well be worth it if they enhance your brochure and the image you wish to project. Other cost considerations are whether you need professional photography, help with writing or editing copy for your brochure.
Even if you don't know all the details of your brochure when getting started, it's a good idea to create a budget. Start with determining how many brochures you will need to use during the next twelve months including mailings and sales meetings. If you have seen a brochure with a similar amount of information and photographs as you need for your brochure, a designer can use it as a model for determining printing and production costs.
Another consideration when designing a brochure is postage. Larger brochures will be more expensive to mail and if you are planning on doing a large mailing as part of your marketing, an oversized brochure may be expensive to mail. Larger brochures don't fare well through the postal system and often end up wrapped around other mail. Brochures which fit in a standard #10 business envelope give you the best buy in terms of postage and protection while mailing. Using a business envelope also allows you to mail a cover letter and business card as well.
Updating an existing brochure
I worked with a client once who had sales of over a million dollars a year, but was still using a dated, unsophisticated brochure produced by a printer nearly ten years earlier. While reputation alone helped the company's sales, their brochure was doing very little to promote them as a cutting-edge company to potential customers who had never heard of them.
If you have a brochure you produced a few years ago, it might be a good idea to have your brochure evaluated by a someone outside your company to make sure it projects the image of your company today and sets you apart from your competition. Often, a small company will produce an inexpensive brochure just to have something for a trade show or for telephone inquiries. While short-term needs are fulfilled, not having any kind of long-term plan for a package of coordinated materials will lead to a "hodge-podge."
As a business grows, the image of the business can outgrow the first brochure's image. Often other collateral such as pocket folders, product inserts, etc. are produced at different times by different printers and the result is a corporate image that is not coordinated, with different kinds of paper used and ink colors that don't match--not professional at all.
It is tempting to take the "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" approach and leave an existing brochure alone--for years. However, now could also be the ideal time to produce a truly professional brochure which will set you apart from your competition and give your potential clients something they will keep on their desk to serve as a memory jogger when you do a follow-up call.
Why have a graphic designer involved in creating your brochure?
Many businesses are producing promotional and sales materials internally or are relying on a printer to put a brochure together for them. There's nothing wrong with either of these approaches, provided you have the time and expertise to make all graphic design decisions that will produce a sophisticated brochure that's right on target. It's rare to find a printer who has a graphic designer on staff who will put a creative spark in your brochure, and relying on in-house talent doesn't save you money when it actually costs you lost sales.
Using a graphic designer can free you from having to make all decisions about your brochure by yourself and will provide you with an outside perspective on how to communicate to your audience. A designer can provide you not only expertise on typography but can help you with selecting ink and paper and some direction with your brochure and help guide you through the process from start to finish.
In addition to making design decisions, a graphic designer can serve as your project manager and will see the brochure from concept through successful completion. Most designers work with several different printers and can provide you with a printer that has the capabilities to print your brochure. If you need help with writing your brochure copy, many designers work with freelance writers and photographers.
Some Parting Advice . . .
Carpenters have a saying, "Measure twice, cut once," which applies to creating your brochure. By defining what your brochure should do and doing some research first, your brochure can be effective, informative and get prospective clients' attention. By utilizing design and printing professionals and by paying close attention to details, you can have a brochure that truly represents your business and is something you can be proud to hand out and mail.
Vann Baker is the president of Design-First, a marketing company specializing in corporate identity and collateral development. Vann has been helping small businesses and Fortune 500 companies to create brochures, newsletters, catalogs, websites and more for over 20 years. www.design-first.com.
by: Vann Baker
Why does your business need a brochure?
A cover letter to a potential client can present only a small fraction of information about your business. Potential clients are often swamped with business mail and a letter may be scanned for a couple of seconds then trashed. A face-to-face meeting is a great way to tell a potential client about your business or expertise, but sometimes it's not possible to get a meeting with just a phone call or introductory letter. Or, what if someone you've met weeks ago suddenly becomes interested in your service but can't match your name with your business card in their Rolodex?
A brochure will fulfill all of these business needs. Brochures are a great way to package a lot of information about yourself, your business and expertise into a format that is easily mailed or handed out at a business meeting or given to current clients to pass on to possible referrals.
Brochures range from a simple two-fold design using one sheet of 8-1/2 inch x 11 inch paper to an elaborate 9 x 12 inch pocket folder with 8 pages stitched in and insert sheets. Good brochure design involves not simply producing a flashy design, but a careful analysis of your target market, what level of sophistication is needed and consideration of your market niche in order to make a great first impression. And, last but certainly not least, your brochure should leave a potential client with something he or she is hesitant to throw away.
Today, in the age of E-Mail, multi-media presentations and the Internet, it's easy to assume that a web site can take the place of a printed brochure. Having a web site really can't replace the immediate visual impact of placing a brochure into a prospective client's hands.
Getting started
If you've never created a brochure, start by collecting a number of brochures (including competitors') that represent a wide range of quality--from simple one and two-color on textured stock to slick 4-color glossy brochures.
By asking yourself what it is that makes a brochure attractive and effective to you, it will be easier to make a brochure for your own business which will convey the message and level of sophistication you require.
Next, you will need to create some basic brochure copy about your business. Even if you're not a professional writer, putting some thoughts and facts about what your business does on paper will help make more concrete what information your brochure needs to convey. When writing copy ask yourself:
- Is my company an industry leader?
- Does my company have a market niche?
- What distinguishes my company from my competitor?
- Do we offer better value, service or selection of products?
- Do we have anything new or different to promote?
Questions to ask yourself:
- Who is your target audience?
- What message will get a potential client's attention?
- What kinds of brochures and what level of sophistication are typically crossing your client's desk?
- Does your product or service require photographs or illustrations to help convey your message?
- Will the brochure need to be a self-mailer?
Key information to include in your brochure:
- Mailing address.
- Phone number (and 800 number if you have one).
- Fax number.
- E-Mail address.
- Web Site address.
Be sure not to include in your brochure any information which is subject to changing in the next 12 months or so. Also, be wary of using a specific person's name as a contact person unless he or she is someone you know isn't going to leave in the next year. The same goes for printing photographs of people. There's no sense in spending several thousand dollars to create a brochure only to have it become out of date because someone leaves the company.
What does a brochure cost to produce?
Brochures can vary from a few hundred dollars to several thousand dollars. Because there are so many variables involved in producing a brochure such as quality of paper, number of ink colors, use of photographs, number of brochures printed, etc., it is difficult to estimate the final costs until all the specifications are determined.
Four color process printing, varnishing and special treatments such die-cutting, foil stamping can add additional costs to producing a brochure, and may well be worth it if they enhance your brochure and the image you wish to project. Other cost considerations are whether you need professional photography, help with writing or editing copy for your brochure.
Even if you don't know all the details of your brochure when getting started, it's a good idea to create a budget. Start with determining how many brochures you will need to use during the next twelve months including mailings and sales meetings. If you have seen a brochure with a similar amount of information and photographs as you need for your brochure, a designer can use it as a model for determining printing and production costs.
Another consideration when designing a brochure is postage. Larger brochures will be more expensive to mail and if you are planning on doing a large mailing as part of your marketing, an oversized brochure may be expensive to mail. Larger brochures don't fare well through the postal system and often end up wrapped around other mail. Brochures which fit in a standard #10 business envelope give you the best buy in terms of postage and protection while mailing. Using a business envelope also allows you to mail a cover letter and business card as well.
Updating an existing brochure
I worked with a client once who had sales of over a million dollars a year, but was still using a dated, unsophisticated brochure produced by a printer nearly ten years earlier. While reputation alone helped the company's sales, their brochure was doing very little to promote them as a cutting-edge company to potential customers who had never heard of them.
If you have a brochure you produced a few years ago, it might be a good idea to have your brochure evaluated by a someone outside your company to make sure it projects the image of your company today and sets you apart from your competition. Often, a small company will produce an inexpensive brochure just to have something for a trade show or for telephone inquiries. While short-term needs are fulfilled, not having any kind of long-term plan for a package of coordinated materials will lead to a "hodge-podge."
As a business grows, the image of the business can outgrow the first brochure's image. Often other collateral such as pocket folders, product inserts, etc. are produced at different times by different printers and the result is a corporate image that is not coordinated, with different kinds of paper used and ink colors that don't match--not professional at all.
It is tempting to take the "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" approach and leave an existing brochure alone--for years. However, now could also be the ideal time to produce a truly professional brochure which will set you apart from your competition and give your potential clients something they will keep on their desk to serve as a memory jogger when you do a follow-up call.
Why have a graphic designer involved in creating your brochure?
Many businesses are producing promotional and sales materials internally or are relying on a printer to put a brochure together for them. There's nothing wrong with either of these approaches, provided you have the time and expertise to make all graphic design decisions that will produce a sophisticated brochure that's right on target. It's rare to find a printer who has a graphic designer on staff who will put a creative spark in your brochure, and relying on in-house talent doesn't save you money when it actually costs you lost sales.
Using a graphic designer can free you from having to make all decisions about your brochure by yourself and will provide you with an outside perspective on how to communicate to your audience. A designer can provide you not only expertise on typography but can help you with selecting ink and paper and some direction with your brochure and help guide you through the process from start to finish.
In addition to making design decisions, a graphic designer can serve as your project manager and will see the brochure from concept through successful completion. Most designers work with several different printers and can provide you with a printer that has the capabilities to print your brochure. If you need help with writing your brochure copy, many designers work with freelance writers and photographers.
Some Parting Advice . . .
Carpenters have a saying, "Measure twice, cut once," which applies to creating your brochure. By defining what your brochure should do and doing some research first, your brochure can be effective, informative and get prospective clients' attention. By utilizing design and printing professionals and by paying close attention to details, you can have a brochure that truly represents your business and is something you can be proud to hand out and mail.
Vann Baker is the president of Design-First, a marketing company specializing in corporate identity and collateral development. Vann has been helping small businesses and Fortune 500 companies to create brochures, newsletters, catalogs, websites and more for over 20 years. www.design-first.com.
5/01/2005
Secretarial Services - Features vs Benefits
Features vs. Benefits vs. End Results
by: Karon Thackston
If you've been in the copywriting realm for very long at all, you've heard the phrase "features vs. benefits." It's a fundamental copywriting principle and driving force behind much of what we, as copywriters, create. But there's also another aspect to this equation.
What happens after customers buy your product or service? Once they've used what you have to offer, what will be different in their lives? What will the end results, of their buying decision, be? Getting your customers to look at the end results of their actions can be an extremely powerful persuasion tool that you'll want to incorporate into your copy.
Let's look at features, benefits and end results and see how all three work individually and collectively to create a targeted push to the point of purchase.
Features - The Basic Outline of Your Product or Service
Features, in copywriting, are a starting point. They provide a basic outline for what your customer needs to know. Features describe (most often) the attributes of a product or service. If we're using the example of a cordless, telephone-answering system, some features might be:
5.8GHz FHSS
Talking caller ID
Expandable to 4 handsets
Selectable ring tones
Speakerphones
For a person who knows nothing about cordless phones with answering machines, this list might not mean much. It's a basic blueprint of the telephone and nothing more.
Benefits - Make the Product or Service More Personal
Benefits enliven the features. Benefits make the features, and the product or service, more personal. They explain how the features will improve the customer's life in some way. Using the features list above, see what the benefits might be. (The list below was taken from Panasonic (TM) marketing materials and relates directly to their KX-TG5230M model phone.)
5.8GHz digital system: The 5.8GHz frequency lets you go anywhere in your house and still have clear reception without interfering with your home network. The frequency-hopping digital technology keeps calls secure from outside sources.
Talking caller ID: No need to be within visual distance of your phone. You can hear who's on the line before you pick up the phone. No more running to find the handset or base!
Expandable: Keep a phone in any room--extra handsets cost less than other phones and don't need a phone jack. This base unit supports a total of four handsets. Add up to three handsets for a complete set.
Selectable ring tones: Customize the sound of your phone by choosing from three ring tones.
Dual speakerphones: Talk directly into the base with the base speakerphone, while the handset speakerphone provides convenient hands-free calling wherever you take your handset.
Benefits make the features personal. They explain how the features will be of use in the customer's life.
End Results - A Glimpse Into the Future
We can take this process one step further, however. After customers buy the phone, and after they use it, what end results will they experience? As asked before, how will their lives be improved? What will the effects of their buying decision be? Let's go back to our list and add end results as the last sentence in the benefits list.
5.8GHz digital system: The 5.8GHz frequency lets you go anywhere in your house and still have clear reception without disrupting your home network. The frequency-hopping digital technology keeps calls secure from outside sources. You'll have complete freedom to talk with no interference on one of the most advanced systems available.
Talking caller ID: No need to be within visual distance of your phone. You can hear who's on the line before you pick up the phone. You'll enjoy the ultimate in convenience with this feature. No more running to view the handset or base!
Expandable: Keep a phone in any room--extra handsets cost less than other phones and don't need a phone jack. This base unit supports a total of four handsets. Add up to three handsets for a complete set. Expandable phone systems are smart investments that save time and money.
Selectable ring tones: Customize the sound of your phone by choosing from three ring tones. Make your phone an extension of yourself.
Dual speakerphones: Talk directly into the base with the base speakerphone, while the handset speakerphone provides convenient hands-free calling wherever you take your handset. You'll have the flexibility of speakerphones wherever and whenever you talk.
Do you see what the end results have done? They've given the customer a glimpse into the future. The feature states that the phone offers 5.8GHz technology. The benefit goes on to explain that 5.8GHz technology is important because it offers clear reception and safety. The end result wraps things up by stating the customer will have a life filled with freedom and no interference from their highly advanced system.
Other end results point out how the phone system will make each user's life more convenient, how this smart investment will save time and money, how it will conform to one’s personality and how the phone will lend flexibility to the customer's life.
When you create your copywriting plan, be sure to list the features and build your benefits as usual. But, for added power, don't forget to include end results that will help the customers visualize how your product or service will make their lives better.
by Karon Thackston (c) 2005
http://levaduell.ktamarket.hop.clickbank.net
Copy not getting results? Learn to write SEO copy that impresses the engines and your visitors at http://levaduell.ktamarket.hop.clickbank.net. Be sure to check out Karon's latest e-report "How To Increase Keyword Saturation (Without Destroying the Flow of Your Copy)" at http://www.copywritingcourse.com/keyword.
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by: Karon Thackston
If you've been in the copywriting realm for very long at all, you've heard the phrase "features vs. benefits." It's a fundamental copywriting principle and driving force behind much of what we, as copywriters, create. But there's also another aspect to this equation.
What happens after customers buy your product or service? Once they've used what you have to offer, what will be different in their lives? What will the end results, of their buying decision, be? Getting your customers to look at the end results of their actions can be an extremely powerful persuasion tool that you'll want to incorporate into your copy.
Let's look at features, benefits and end results and see how all three work individually and collectively to create a targeted push to the point of purchase.
Features - The Basic Outline of Your Product or Service
Features, in copywriting, are a starting point. They provide a basic outline for what your customer needs to know. Features describe (most often) the attributes of a product or service. If we're using the example of a cordless, telephone-answering system, some features might be:
5.8GHz FHSS
Talking caller ID
Expandable to 4 handsets
Selectable ring tones
Speakerphones
For a person who knows nothing about cordless phones with answering machines, this list might not mean much. It's a basic blueprint of the telephone and nothing more.
Benefits - Make the Product or Service More Personal
Benefits enliven the features. Benefits make the features, and the product or service, more personal. They explain how the features will improve the customer's life in some way. Using the features list above, see what the benefits might be. (The list below was taken from Panasonic (TM) marketing materials and relates directly to their KX-TG5230M model phone.)
5.8GHz digital system: The 5.8GHz frequency lets you go anywhere in your house and still have clear reception without interfering with your home network. The frequency-hopping digital technology keeps calls secure from outside sources.
Talking caller ID: No need to be within visual distance of your phone. You can hear who's on the line before you pick up the phone. No more running to find the handset or base!
Expandable: Keep a phone in any room--extra handsets cost less than other phones and don't need a phone jack. This base unit supports a total of four handsets. Add up to three handsets for a complete set.
Selectable ring tones: Customize the sound of your phone by choosing from three ring tones.
Dual speakerphones: Talk directly into the base with the base speakerphone, while the handset speakerphone provides convenient hands-free calling wherever you take your handset.
Benefits make the features personal. They explain how the features will be of use in the customer's life.
End Results - A Glimpse Into the Future
We can take this process one step further, however. After customers buy the phone, and after they use it, what end results will they experience? As asked before, how will their lives be improved? What will the effects of their buying decision be? Let's go back to our list and add end results as the last sentence in the benefits list.
5.8GHz digital system: The 5.8GHz frequency lets you go anywhere in your house and still have clear reception without disrupting your home network. The frequency-hopping digital technology keeps calls secure from outside sources. You'll have complete freedom to talk with no interference on one of the most advanced systems available.
Talking caller ID: No need to be within visual distance of your phone. You can hear who's on the line before you pick up the phone. You'll enjoy the ultimate in convenience with this feature. No more running to view the handset or base!
Expandable: Keep a phone in any room--extra handsets cost less than other phones and don't need a phone jack. This base unit supports a total of four handsets. Add up to three handsets for a complete set. Expandable phone systems are smart investments that save time and money.
Selectable ring tones: Customize the sound of your phone by choosing from three ring tones. Make your phone an extension of yourself.
Dual speakerphones: Talk directly into the base with the base speakerphone, while the handset speakerphone provides convenient hands-free calling wherever you take your handset. You'll have the flexibility of speakerphones wherever and whenever you talk.
Do you see what the end results have done? They've given the customer a glimpse into the future. The feature states that the phone offers 5.8GHz technology. The benefit goes on to explain that 5.8GHz technology is important because it offers clear reception and safety. The end result wraps things up by stating the customer will have a life filled with freedom and no interference from their highly advanced system.
Other end results point out how the phone system will make each user's life more convenient, how this smart investment will save time and money, how it will conform to one’s personality and how the phone will lend flexibility to the customer's life.
When you create your copywriting plan, be sure to list the features and build your benefits as usual. But, for added power, don't forget to include end results that will help the customers visualize how your product or service will make their lives better.
by Karon Thackston (c) 2005
http://levaduell.ktamarket.hop.clickbank.net
Copy not getting results? Learn to write SEO copy that impresses the engines and your visitors at http://levaduell.ktamarket.hop.clickbank.net. Be sure to check out Karon's latest e-report "How To Increase Keyword Saturation (Without Destroying the Flow of Your Copy)" at http://www.copywritingcourse.com/keyword.
Click here for more information about the copywriting course.
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