I was at a business networking meeting today where the topic of discussion was: “What are the misperceptions about your business?”

As a writer, the most common one I hear us: “Everyone can write. Why should I hire you to do it?”

Yes, everyone CAN write. But my question back is: “Can they write well?” When you are a business owner the words you use to create your brand and attract customers can make or break you.

You have only seconds to capture someone’s attention, and upon that first impression of your website or brochure, your potential client will make the decision whether to contact you, or move to the next available provider.

Copy that is fraught with typos or bad grammar will immediately be dismissed. And if you have no compelling reason to use your service or buy your product (benefits and results) or call to action, there is no reason to contact you.

Writing styles differ from medium to medium

Another thing to keep in mind is that the writing style for each type of medium is completely different. Writing for the web differs from writing brochure copy. Writing magazine articles differs from writing blog posts. Writing story pitches varies from writing white papers. Even the various social media outlets have different requirements–if you want to be noticed.

Do you write in formal language or spoken language? It varies. Do you use slang or industry acronyms? It depends.

You have to take into consideration reading style, search engine optimization, mobile-friendly styles, and audience types, not to mention the fact that you need your own “voice.” Good content writing extends into the visual realm as well; in some places bullets work best, in others you need videos or visuals.

And rest assured that fiction writing is NOT business writing. Never hire a fiction writer to create your business pieces. Go to a proven professional business copywriter.

We continue to study the different writing styles

We at All the Buzz spent our career studying the different types of business writing, and continue to learn all the time, as the landscape changes. When you need to make sure your content makes an impact, contact us.