The basics of good writing II- How to sell yourself and the topic - Publishing - Writing

Here are some tips that I picked up while working, on how to be an effective presenter at all times.

1. Forget novelty, think packaging.

As Sherlock Holmes once said, "There is nothing new. Everything has been done under the sun."The same principle goes into writing a great feature article. If you think your featured topic is too boring to entice readers, think again. In contrary to popular belief, a feature article does not raise up new points; rather it brings up new perspectives instead. What this means is you can write on any topic, and so long as you present it with a new refreshing view and analysis, readers will still grab it.

2. Talk to the people, not to the product.

To the man on the street, no one really cares about the sales performance of your featured product. So the golden rule is always to mention how the product will benefit the buyer. Remember, in most cases you only have one shot to impress a potential buyer so make sure his first impression lasts.

For instance, if you are promoting vitamin supplements, a bad feature writer will only harp on the nutritious values and so on; as a result the buyer loses interest. A good copywriter on the other hand, will show how indispensable the product is to the buyer (e.g. "would you like to live longer?" etc.)

3. Have faith in your presented topic.

Never lose your cool in front of your potential buyers. If they don't buy, don't pester them; No one likes the feeling of being pushed; it's a natural form of psychological inertia. If you still feel nervous before your presentation, imagine your audience is a bunch of inanimate human-sized bananas instead. It is quite a powerful technique that I have learned, and it's effective. Your audience will be very impressed by your seemingly level-headed appearance and be further convinced that you are a professional.

0