Author: Michelle Troutman

Michelle Troutman has spent more than a decade crafting attention-getting newsletters and other content for service providers. She specializes in creating standout e-newsletters for law firms and economic development organizations. Her marketing and business administration background and education enhance clear and persuasive copy that speaks to the right clients. Through features in publications like "Attorney at Work" and "Law Fuel," and her e-newsletter and YouTube channel, she inspires service professionals to create engaging content. She enjoys helping businesses that sell their expertise reach their ideal customers.
professional writing, writing advice, writing better

5 Hallmarks of Professional Writing

1. Flow – Professional writing is clear and error-free, peppered with a variety of words and phrases. The prose is also lively, written in an active voice, and flows with a rhythm that pleases the eyes and ears. Oftentimes, behind the writing, a skillful editor has sewn all of these parts together to form a complete work that communicates a powerful message.

2. Fewer “to be” verbs – You might not even need them. You can rely on “is,” “are,” and other “to be” verbs in a pinch, but doing so too often shows that you could use more descriptive wording. Varying your word choice requires more time and thought, but it can pay off in better phrasing. Too many “to be” verbs also signal a lapse into the passive voice. For example, below, the edited passage helps readers see the activity.

Example: The car is speeding up the street.
Edited: The car raced through the street.

3. Everything adds up – Your writing should be clear and make sense. When someone makes a statement and leaves out some information, it may be open to interpretation. For instance, you can skew statistics to confuse readers. It helps to explain complex statements, especially those that involve numbers, to put them in the proper context. It’s more honest and ethical to “write what you mean and mean what you say.”

Example: A high loss ratio on insurance claims signals that an insurer pays a lot of claims and has lost money, which can affect its financial stability and credit rating. The ratio might not be so important if the company has a low market share or amount of customers in a given area. So, if Payout Mutual has a high loss ratio in Tennessee, it’s easy to state that, but to frame a more complete picture, include the company’s market share and any other details necessary to explain the concept correctly.

4. Style – If you’re writing for a company or a publication that follows a certain style that specifies how to format certain words, punctuation, etc. — whether it’s their own or a guide —  make sure you proofread with those guidelines in mind.

5. Originality – In an era when plagiarism is common, we should value unique and professional writing more. If you can’t say it better than someone else, you may quote and give credit instead. You can use information from other sources, but write it in your own words. It’s harder, but the effort is more rewarding than stealing someone else’s wording and calling it your own.

What do you think are the hallmarks of professional writing? Feel free to comment below.

Quotes

“It is perfectly okay to write garbage — as long as you edit brilliantly.” ~ C.J. Cherryh

“The scariest moment is always just before you start.” ~ Stephen King, “On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft”

Comments? Suggestions? Could your writing use a dash of professionalism? Contact me.

Michelle Troutman
classywriting.com

content ideas

5 Ways to Get Writing Ideas

1. Target “pain points” – To find good writing ideas, if people don’t already ask you questions, poll your audience to see what they want to read. Check which social media and blog posts you’ve written have been popular. Hang out in forums, like Facebook Groups, where your target market meets regularly.

2. Time it – Slant your topic to the time of year you expect to publish. For example, for April, growth, rainy days, or other appropriately seasonal subjects can seed some good concepts.

3. Talk it out – Sometimes the best ideas come from a conversation. For instance, at an industry networking event, you can ask people about the problems they face in their work. It also helps take the focus off of you. This has helped me generate article ideas.

4. Do some digital digging – Search engines can be your best idea spinners. Whether you type a topic into Google and use some of the suggestions or find something interesting in the “answer box” at the top, you can strike gold quickly. And because they’re among the most often searched for subjects, they can improve your own search engine rankings. AnswerthePublic groups similar questions together to help you see what people search for.

5. “Borrow,” but don’t steal – Looking at what others have written can inspire you, such as borrowing a title from an article and writing your own.

How do you generate writing ideas?

For more suggestions, check out 8 Ways to Generate Great Content Ideas.

Quotes

“Hobbes: Do you have an idea for your story yet?
Calvin: No, I’m waiting for inspiration. You can’t just turn on creativity like a faucet. You have to be in the right mood.
Hobbes: What mood is that?
Calvin: Last-minute panic.” ~ Bill Watterson

Comments? Suggestions? Need help with your communications? Contact me.

Michelle Troutman
classywriting.com

customer service, writing advice

5 Customer Service Methods to Boost Your Writing

by

Michelle Troutman

Have you ever had a client get upset because they misunderstood one of your emails? 😣 Though it’s rare, it has happened to me. It can occur if you don’t think through how the receiver will perceive your message.

A woman with short light brown hair wearing black headphones while seated in front of a white notebook computer; she touches one hand to one of the ear cups.

These experiences remind us to write more clearly and focus on aspects like the tone behind the text, which shows empathy for readers — like customer service reps. do.

Besides writing, I worked for several years in customer service, where it’s necessary to stay upbeat and diplomatic while resolving problems. Tough customers were sometimes challenging, but I learned how to communicate with compassion, a skill crucial for connecting with people.

Like writing, customer service involves following certain rules. If you disobey them, clients might not return.

These customer service writing tone tips and other methods can help you connect with respect for your readers.

In these videos based on this blog, explore how customer service skills translate into content that connects with clients.

1. Remember your readers – Whether you’re drafting an email or advertising copy to influence someone to act, you’re often using persuasion, which involves customer service writing skills.

If you don’t think about who you’re writing to, you can forget their feelings and fail to connect with them.

Example: A social media post that lists a new project management tool’s features rather than describing how they improve productivity.

In marketing terms, buyer personas help you see and understand your ideal customer. They let you focus your writing to address their pain points, like missing deadlines or juggling several projects. Customer service follows a similar personalized approach, tailoring messages to users’ unique problems and using appropriate language to resolve them.

Both methods work best when you emphasize the positive while you keep the reader and their feelings and desires in mind.

Example: The Super Back Scratcher is currently out of stock. Don’t worry, though. The all-new Super-Duper Back Scratcher is now 20 percent off for a limited time! [Tell customers the truth, then add a positive spin when possible.]

We listened to you and designed the all-new Super-Duper Back Scratcher with more comfort and control. Its soft rubber tips gently massage away aches and itches, while the fully adjustable handle lets you reach every spot easily. [Accentuate the positive.]

2. Stay friendly and listen – If you smile while you write — like a customer service rep. would do while they speak — it can boost your tone. Apologize for problems like mistakes or delays. But be receptive. If clients don’t tell you what will satisfy them, ask and listen, showing a genuine desire to understand their needs.

3. Say it simply – When I was a customer service rep., I learned people listened and retained more when I spoke less. Keep your writing concise, with short words and sentences in plain English. If necessary (and possible), link to more details. This helps readers remember and grasp the information quickly.

4. Stay professional – If you call a helpline and someone answers, “Yo, what’s up?” it’s like lapsing into text-speak or “textese” (e.g., “GR8 to speak with u today.”). Taking shortcuts doesn’t set a clear or respectful tone. Build trust and credibility through writing without errors, jargon, big words, and missing or misplaced words.

5. Personalize – Would you rather read that your order has been processed or be greeted by name and thanked for your purchase? Like a friendly customer service rep., add warmth with a personal touch.

When you practice customer service writing skills, beyond “hello,” add a salutation to your emails (“cheers,” “best wishes”). Avoid the robotic passive voice — if you wouldn’t say it, don’t write it. Use personal pronouns like “I,” “we,” “you,” “our,” or “us” to forge a connection.

Discover how to reach clients who value and respect you and your business

get my checklist to create content to reach the right clients

How have you used customer service writing techniques? Do you have any customer service writing tone tips to share? Leave a comment.

Quotes

“People will soon forget what you said. They will forget what you did. But they will never forget how you made them feel.”

~ Dr. Maya Angelou

“Before sending your customers any type of communication, ask yourself these questions:

  • Did I use any language (acronyms, industry-specific terms, etc.) that could be misunderstood by my customers?
  • Can anything be rewritten with more clarity?
  • Would it make sense to someone from another planet?

Removing the jargon ensures you are communicating clearly at a level your audience understands. Never assume your customers know what you’re talking about.”

~ PATLive

Uncategorized

5 Tips for Writing Inclusive Content

1. Race and ethnicity – For writing inclusive content, in June 2020, “Associated Press Stylebook” and “Chicago Manual of Style” (CMOS) editors agreed to emphasize capitalizing the “b” in “Black.”  Essentially, the CMOS advises it “in the service of editorial logic and consistency,” but doesn’t require it. So, if you usually write in the lowercase, it’s OK to continue to use “black.”

The AP has decided not to capitalize the word “white” (except in titles and at the beginning of a sentence), explaining that “as is done by white supremacists,” it “risks subtly conveying legitimacy to such beliefs.”

In 2019, the AP removed the hyphen from “African American” and other references to dual heritage for writing inclusive content. Other changes: In reference to non-whites, the AP accepts the term “people of color,” but not the acronym POC. It also allows the terms “racial minority/minorities.” But, if a person’s race or ethnicity is a focal point of your piece, it’s better to move from the general to the specific. So, instead of stating someone is Hispanic, per the example below, refer to their dual heritage.

Example: “Ileana Ros-Lehtinen of Florida was the first Cuban American elected to Congress.”

2. Racism – The “Merriam-Webster Dictionary” recently updated its definition of the word to include “systemic oppression,” and it’s likely the first of many revisions in other references.

The AP defines racism as “a doctrine asserting racial differences in character, intelligence, etc., and the superiority of one race over another, or racial discrimination or feelings of hatred or bigotry toward people of another race.” It leaves the decision over whether a “specific statement, action, policy, etc.” should be termed “racist” or described differently open and up to “discussion with colleagues and others from diverse backgrounds and perspectives.”

The AP also suggests looking at the facts to determine if a statement or action meets the definition of the word. Use of the term “racist” requires similar caution; it’s better to be specific in describing a person’s words or actions. Depending on the context, “prejudiced,” “biased,” “racially divisive,” and similar terms may be more appropriate.

3. Gender-neutral pronouns – As our society continues to recognize transgender and non-binary individuals, more people are deciding how they want others to refer to themselves, whether it’s as “he,” “she,” “it,” or “they.”

Some people state their personal pronoun preferences in their email signatures and/or their social media profiles. Traditionally, if you’re unsure of the correct pronoun, you would use “him or her,” but “they/their” is becoming more acceptable and common. If you don’t know, ask.

4. Gender-neutral nouns – Given the greater acceptance of non-male genders in different careers, our language also continues to evolve. For example, recent trends suggest terms such as “policeman,” “actress,” and “Congressman” are out of touch compared to more gender-neutral wording. “Police officer,” “actor,” or “member of Congress” are more acceptable alternatives. For writing inclusive content, the AP suggests everyone use neutral language unless an organization specifies otherwise.

5. More sensitive terms for other groups – Per the AP and other works, references to illegal immigrants or undocumented workers, homeless people, and the elderly are also changing with the times:

  • The AP has shifted its stance on the term “illegal immigrant.” It now prefers that writers “specify whenever possible how someone entered the country illegally and from where.”
  • It considers “the homeless” unacceptable and prefers the term “homeless people,” “people without housing,” or “people without homes.”
  • Also, some see the phrase “older adults” as more appropriate than “seniors,” “senior citizens,” or “the elderly.” In this case, the AP believes it’s better to be less specific and more general.

For more help with race/ethnicity, gender identity, and other multicultural terms, see The Diversity Style Guide. And for advice on skillful language rooted in critical thinking and compassion, visit The Conscious Style Guide.

Sharpen your image while you show compassion for others — learn how to write more inclusive content.

BOOK A FREE COACHING SESSION

When you write inclusive content, which problems do you face? Feel free to comment below.

Quotes

“Writing about race and crime was not new territory for me. But it can be treacherous. So here are my rules: No stereotypes. No generalizations. No explanations. No apologies. Just the facts, ma’am.” ~ Colin Flaherty, “White Girl Bleed a Lot.”

“Tweak your internal grammar so that the pronoun ‘they’ can refer to a specific individual. It takes some practice to get the hang of it, but the human language processing capacity is more adaptable than people realize, even for geezers like me.” ~ Geoff Nunberg, Even a Grammar Geezer Like Me Can Get Used to Gender-Neutral Pronouns

  • Published July 7, 2020
  • Updated: 2022
improving your writing, writing advice, writing better, writing consultation

5 Lessons Everyone Can Learn About Writing

1. How to turn a phrase – Some people feel that they need to learn about writing. English could be their second language or maybe they got poor grades in school. Their problem areas include everything from proper grammar and punctuation to spelling, sentence structure, tone, and transitions. It’s helpful to learn about writing to improve, but you don’t need to know every technique to write well. For instance, spell-checkers like Grammarly help me correct errors in communications I draft quickly, such as emails, social media posts, and other memos.

2. How to shorten your writing and save time – Perhaps you feel you have too much to say — jotting everything down briefly and clearly becomes a chore. For detailed thinkers, it can take hours to accomplish. It’s possible to use fewer words to finish sooner.

3. How to sound like yourself – Some people think they speak better than they write. Others believe they have limited vocabularies that show they’re clueless about writing. They wrestle with writing in a way that sounds natural to them. Instead of talking down to their audience, they can use certain methods to speak to them in their own voices.

4. How to start writing – When you jot down your thoughts, you may feel overwhelmed and unsure about where to begin. Perhaps you believe you have too many ideas or “overthink” concepts. Maybe you see things and fumble to connect words with them. In a few simple steps, you can ease into writing your first few sentences.

5. How to accept your writing – Often, we’re too hard on ourselves. Some people have told me they write poorly and can’t focus. They worry that their grammar is bad. They lack confidence in spelling some words and think they should already know how. They’re perfectionists; they organize paragraphs over and over or fight to find just the right words.

No matter the writing problem, when they must write, they don’t. Instead, they become prone to distraction and find excuses to delay writing, which can include bad timing or the need to get in the right mood. One of the first ways to get beyond procrastination is to stop judging and just write.

You can’t learn about writing through reading just one article. Coaching or consulting offers a deeper “dive” to give you a better understanding. It starts with a free 30-minute meeting. Learn more.

Quotes

“The capacity to learn is a gift; the ability to learn is a skill; the willingness to learn is a choice.” ~ Brian Herbert

“What we have to learn to do, we learn by doing.” ~ Aristotle

What do you struggle with in your writing?