Let's suppose you've just been asked to write an editorial for your company's newsletter. Your boss is overwhelmed with some new responsibility and has asked you to fill in. But, what are you going to say? And what is the best way to say it? This is, after all, an opinion piece, not just another news item.
Here are some key points that should help you get your editorial done right:
Know your purpose:
Start by being aware of the purpose of your corporate newsletter. Is it designed to attract clients to your services and products, or to reassure the world that you are in good financial shape? To bolster employee loyalty or provide helpful information to people in your marketplace? Your editorial should most certainly reflect your newsletter's goals.
Know your audience:
Next, get clear about who will be reading your editorial: Investors, employees, customers, vendors? Define your readers' interests, and think about content that will stimulate their interest, even if they may not always agree with you. You want to be sure that you are writing for the audience that you have, not the one you wish you had.
Get clear about content:
Now you are ready to start thinking about content. If it's an election year, would an editorial about politics and business be appropriate? Perhaps there have been safety issues in the news, so that an editorial about corporate responsibility would be timely. Are there topics or items you should definitely stay away from? It's a good idea to get in touch with your public relations department, if you haven't already, and see what they advise.
Word count:
As you begin to sketch out your editorial, be sure you know how many words your newsletter has room for. Unless you are a brilliant wordsmith, you'll want to keep your piece to no more than 400-500 words. You aren't doing investigative reporting, after all. As you write, keep an eye on your word count (there are simple software tools for counting).
Choose the right style:
Determine how personal your editorial can be, given the style of your newsletter-and your corporate culture. Does this assignment call for a folksy style along with a joke here and there? Is serious and plain and sober a better choice?
Use good models for ideas about style, openings and closings. Take a look, for example, at the op-ed pages in leading newspapers. A strong, brief opening statement will engage your readers and keep them reading. Avoid saying "I" and instead write about the company-for example "Our company has long believed" or "We firmly support." State your opinion clearly, so that people understand what you are talking about. And lay out the facts clearly, as well.
Proofing and reviewing:
Finally, be sure to get a colleague to review your draft for you-a second point of view can be invaluable. And take a couple of minutes to read your editorial out loud to yourself-this is a great way to see what you've missed in terms of tone and argument. Also, it goes without saying that you'll want your boss to take a look.
Who knows, your first editorial may turn out to be the beginning of a new career!
Copyright (c) 2010 Jane Sherwin. You may reprint this entire article and you must include the copyright info and the following statement: "Jane Sherwin is a writer who helps hospitals and other health care facilities communicate their strengths and connect with their readers."
Subscribe to Jane's free monthly e-newsletter at http://visitor.constantcontact.com/d.jsp?m=1101996057258&p=oi for short, powerful articles delivered directly to your inbox. Get practical tips on communicating effectively with customers, clients, employees and the public.
0 comments:
Post a Comment