I A B C 071127

Slide 1: A Conversation about Conversational Writing Connie Reece IABC San Antonio • November 27, 2007

Slide 2: What Is Social Media?

Slide 3: Technology Social Computing Tools • Blogs • Wikis • Podcasts • Video

Slide 4: Media Democratization of information Low cost of entry We are all publishers.

Slide 5: Sociology Relationships It’s not about the tools; it’s about people.

Slide 6: http://everydotconnects.com

Slide 7: 100 voices, 1 conversation

Slide 8: What Is Social Media? Traditional media—communications, information and entertainment— have not been replaced. But they are being augmented by social media, with the reader, listener or viewer becoming a co-creator and co-publisher of content.

Slide 9: Conversational Marketing

Slide 10: Conversational Marketing • the art of putting a human face on a company or brand • listening to your customers’ opinions, viewpoints and questions • engaging them in conversation around your product or service

Slide 11: Conversational Marketing Above all, it requires speaking in an authentic voice, with a degree of transparency that has hitherto been anathema to most corporate executives.

Slide 12: Conversational Writing

Slide 13: Keywords

Slide 14: The Don’t Dawdle Dichotomy Draw the reader in … but make your point quickly.

Slide 15: Less Is More Edit . . . Focus . . . Edit . . .

Slide 16: Gluttony Is a Cardinal Sin No buzzwords No jargon No bloated language

Slide 17: Use Visual Cues Shorter paragraphs Graphics Bulleted lists

Slide 18: Have a Conversation Write as if you’re speaking directly to the reader … without hemming and hawing.

Slide 19: Know Thy Reader Maude & Elroy Donor 1234 Main St. Hometown, ST 56789

Slide 20: Keep ’em Reading Every story has a beginning middle end. Use transitions.

Slide 21: Be original. Be passionate. Be engaging.

Slide 22: READABILITY The Art of Plain Talk by Rudolf Flesch