Another way of reaching clients and potential clients is by writing learning materials. Take an aspect of your expertise and write about it – an article or series of articles, an e-book, an e-course, or a full length book for publication.
When some people begin the task of ‘formal’ writing, possibly for the first time in years, they tend to do what some describe as a ‘brain dump’. Get everything they know about the topic down on paper, type it into the computer, and print it out or put it on a website. Another approach is to do the brain dump and then become aware that you don’t want to tell your potential clients everything because you then think they won’t need to invest in your services. So it’s time to decide – which bits to leave out?
And so the editing process begins. It’s then a tricky process because there wasn’t much structure or even a brief to begin with. And so what gets ‘out there’ is writing that is confusing and so hard to follow and it’s not read much beyond the first paragraph. If you’ve created a course you need people to be inspired and illuminated about what you do, follow it avidly right through to the end, and then want more from you.
How can I create writing that illuminates?
If you didn’t take up your area of expertise to write about it – you just want to be doing it, and you see writing as a chore – then naturally you’ll want to get what you might see as a necessary evil to promote yourself over as rapidly as possible.
There are stages I can go through with you to illuminate your writing and so throw light on your expertise. Please note that this is a process that be adapted according your experience with writing and the time you have to work on this aspect of your business.
- Sift your material so that the most suitable aspects are selected for your purpose.
- Define your readers and learners – who are you writing for?
- Structure and sequence your material so that it connects easily with your intended audience.
- Clarify and rewrite your material in such a way that it conveys your expertise, can be understood by a general audience – and your potential clients.
- If you’re not a natural writer – I ‘ll rewrite your material (in close consultation with you) so that it speaks to the reader and learner.
- And, if you wish, advise on the best format for getting your work on the web and downloaded.
What’s interesting about this illumination and editing process is that I don’t need to understand your area of expertise. Of course, I’ll check back with you at every stage so that you can be sure that the changes I suggest are factually correct. This is a collaborative process, and it ends with you owning the best written work you’ve ever done. That means you communicate clearly with your clients and potential clients, and your practice or your business grows along with your reputation.
What’s next?
So, whether you’ve already written and need some assistance in shaping your articles, courses, books, or copy – or you’re starting from scratch because you know it’s the right way to grow your client list but you don’t think of yourself as a writer – add me to your team and let’s see how far we can go. What next? Contact me.
