Book Description

Writing for the web.Web word wizardry.Web writing that works.What does that mean?Your online copy must persuade - it’s integral to getting your visitors or readers to register, subscribe, qualify as leads, and yes, even buy from you.It’s writing that must earn its keep.And to effectively manage the quality of your online writing, you need to understand what works, why it works and how to make it work better for you. Whether you are the marketer responsible for the bottom line or the writer creating the copy,Persuasive Online Copywriting provides the tools you need to get results. ... Read more

Reviews (11)

Draw in your customers
Are you like me in buying every self-help or non-fiction book to bring in more business? One problem. When do we have the time to read them? This book simply won't let that happen with its short chapters, personable style, and valuable information on how to keep visitors clicking until they make the buy.

This book is the how. How to take all the theories and whys discussed by other authors and make it happen. I have trouble with theories because they don't help me visualize the application of such theories. This book stays away from whys and shows you how.

When I started reading the book, several big projects got thrown my way leading to late night reading being replaced by late night working. Every now and then, I took a break and breezed through this book reading many pages in a brief time while gaining new knowledge and a refresher in creative writing as it applies to online copy.

Non-fiction is my thing when it comes to writing. Over time, I have forgotten creative techniques for adding spice to copy. The authors jolted memories of high school English classes where we learned about the different poetic styles (iambic pentameter, alliteration, meter, etc) and to avoid using passive verbs. Not only that, but also they cover how to write for different personalities.

Already getting high traffic to your site? That means you know how to draw attention and interest. But, how are you doing in building desire so that they take action? Hmm... could that be the challenge? The authors drive toward long-term results by engaging your visitors and leading the way for them to get what they need and be satisfied with it.

I'm familiar with a few techniques discussed in the book, but many may not be. It depends on what you do with regard to the Web site. I understand making a Web site usable and getting visitors to the site. My Web site's weakness is converting visitors into customers. Marketing pros may succeed with creating a desire, but have trouble with visitors taking action. The authors cover all the areas needed to persuade via the Internet from "notice me!" to "be happy with me!"

Are you thinking, "More technology! We need more technology to make this work?" We've taken technology for granted, but all it can do is what human programmers program it to do. Technology doesn't know human nature. It doesn't know how to feel or need something. People do and can convey what they know with words. Words make the sale. Technology ensures the words get their say (by quickly loading the Web page and functioning the way it should) and to push the sale through the back-end process (taking the order, managing inventory, etc.). This is where conversion principles apply. The authors share simple processes for improving conversion rates.

A splash page is the "introduction" page to a Web site. It's flashy, colorful, and cool. But it's a waste of time. It gets in the way of the core material. Customers don't care how good your designers are, they care about what you can give them and that comes through words and good online copy. It's time for the online world to get what print mastered many years ago. The authors' witty writing style makes the book enjoyable to read without sacrificing wisdom. They practice what they preach and it's no wonder that GrokDotCom.com, the site behind Future Now, Inc. is a success.

Time has come to let go of what's in it for the company and think of what's in it for the customer. In time, you shall reap the rewards at the bank.

If You Read only one book on the Internet, make it this one.
Internet Marketing is here to stay and it's getting better every day. And the authors of this book are a big part of the reason why.

1998-2000: Money fell like rain from heaven and the streets were flooded with stories of teenage millionaires. These halcyon days were fueled by a mentality that "if you build it, they will come." Investors drunkenly bought into the Internet's promise of a "new economy" and billions of dollars were pumped into spec-tech and dotcoms, never to be seen again. But when the investors saw that the 'net's realities didn't quite match up to the glowing promises, investment capital dried up faster than alcohol on a summer sidewalk.

There were fundamental problems with Internet marketing that could not be overcome with mere advances in technology. What Internet marketing needed was someone who truly understood the fundamentals of human persuasion and could apply them to the Internet."

Today it is my extraordinary pleasure to announce that those people have been found.

Jeff and Bryan Eisenberg were talking 'conversion' back when 'eyeballs' were the thing and conversion wasn't even in the lexicon. Their work was greatly accelerated when they added Lisa Davis to the team.

Bryan, Jeffrey and Lisa graduated with honors from Wizard Academy and have since gone on to accomplish a number of internet marketing miracles. Consequently, they were chosen to become adjunct faculty at Wizard Academy, where they now teach a curriculum that has punched Internet ROI through the ceiling for every company that has sent a delegate. This book, for a [low price], contains an extremely important portion of what they teach.

Prepare to be amazed.

Roy H. Williams
NY Times bestselling author of
Secret Formulas of The Wizard of Ads

No Background In Copywriting? Find Another Book.
I bought this book to try and gain more of an understanding on copywriting for the net. My honest opinion is that unless you have a background in professional writing or copywriting, this book won't be much of a help. The book makes references to things like Fraking, Poetic Meter, etc and then gives you a very short paragraph description on what they mean that doesn't give you an understanding of the term, but rather a definition. I was for lack of a better term, lost by the time I was 60 pages in.

Maybe if you do have a background in copywriting, this book will be quite useful in helping you understand how to adapt regular copywriting to the web. But, if not, you won't get much of an "education" but rather a "how to adapt" approach that isn't very useful to someone who hasn't had a some form of formal education on the topic. I did give this book two stars because there was a "nugget" here or there that anyone could have gleaned, but overall I was disappointed by the book.

The GROK knows all
This was my third of three copywriting books I read. While actually being the smallest, this book probably had the most content. The beautiful thing is that each topic is in its own small 2-3 page chapter which is very convincing, logical, and easily accesable for further usage.

One of the better internet books on the market.

Will Open (and Blow) Your Mind - A Must Read
This gem of a book offers the most comprehensive (and immediately useable) information on "how to make your website profitable" in the fewest amount of pages that I have yet seen.

As a bonus, it is priced a fraction of most of the available information on this subject. I've paid hundreds of dollars for information that was not nearly as useable as this. (OK I admit I'm a marketing information junkie)

I have purchased dozens of products (printed and ebooks) within the last year alone on this subject. Most of the others talk about search engine tricks, pop-ups, hard sell copy, and basically manipulating your site visitor into doing what you want.

Manipulation may work a little in the short run, but is self defeating in the long run.

This book is much smarter than that. It is in a whole different league.

This book teaches what is really important to long term profits. That is, engaging your visitors and making sure your site is offering them exactly what THEY want.

It shows you how to write extremely effective copy. It also tells you how to discover exactly what your customers are asking you to provide them by watching your stats and web logs.

The basic premise of this book is that without a high conversion ratio, there is no point in buying more traffic. It is much more cost effective to use the techniques contained in this book to increase your conversions than to chase traffic. That comes later. They make a valid point that most folks are doing this backwards.

This book is about way more than just copywriting, by the way. It does an excellent job of enlightening you to many useability factors that may be hurting your sales.

I can't imagine anyone who manages a website and uses even a small percentage of the wisdom contained within not getting a hundred times their investment back.

In conclusion, just buy it and read it. You can not go wrong with this book. ... Read more

Book Description

This text-workbook is a streamlined, no-nonsense approach to business communication. It takes a three-in-one approach: (1) text, (2) practical workbook, and (3) self-teaching grammar/mechanics handbook. The chapters reinforce basic writing skills, then apply these skills to a variety of memos, letters, reports, and resumes. This new edition features increased coverage of contemporary business communication issues including Internet and e-mail communication, diversity, and ethics. Coverage of grammar and the writing process has also been increased, with a new chapter on oral presentations and speaking. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Excellent book for college and your career
Finally, a complete text that is always useful. I have read this book over and over... each time learning something new. It's great if you need a complete and extensive description or a quick overview. This book will go from your college backpack to the desk of your new exciting job!

An Excellent Guide to Business Writing
This book is an excellent tool for writing, especially for the non-native English writer. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is interested in a study guide with many examples that have been updated for the current business environment. The numerous samples and the grammar review are very helpful for studying the fundamentals. This book is extremely relevant in a business world crowded with a cornucopia of poor writing, misspelling, and incorrect grammar usage. My heartfelt thanks to Ms. Guffey for writing such an excellent guide. ... Read more

Book Description

Business Communication: Process and Product, 4e takes readers through a well-developed, consistently applied process approach to communication that is combined with integrated, hands-on application of current and emerging business technologies. Readers learn a process for solving future communication problems, and how to use Internet and electronic media to deliver their message, resulting in a tangible communication strategy they can use throughout their careers. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Unless you have no common sense, dont get this book
Wow, talk about an insult to intelligence. When you read this book you say "Duh" as you read it. The online quizes coulde be helpful, but using a character called "Answer Man" makes you feel like you are in first grade. If you really feel you need help with your writing skills, don't get this book. Try something else, anything else, but this book.

STUDY GUIDE! NOT A TEXT BOOK!
I wish I would've read the last review before ordering this product. This is a STUDY GUIDE, which usually comes FREE WITH purchase of the $... TEXT BOOK in book stores. Don't be mislead by thinking you're getting a great deal on a text book. It's not the real thing.

Feedback from Author
Dear Amazon:

The book you list here is the Student Study Guide to accompany my hardbound textbook BUSINESS COMMUNICATION: PROCESS AND PRODUCT. By listing this "paperback" at $26.95 and by not identifying it as the Student Study Guide, you are misleading readers. They think that a paperbound version of the complete book is available. Not true! Please identify the $26.95 book as Student Study Guide to accompany BC:PP. Thanks!

Informative and helpful
When I took my first writing class in college, I was pretty sure I knew everything about writing. This book proved me wrong. Yes, it is quite big and there is so much to learn, but the exercises at the end of each chapter are very helpful. I learned how to write all kinds of business letters. Not only was the book helpful for my business relations, it also taught me how to improve my everday writing skills. The author had some great examples as to what we should and should not do. I highly recommend it. Buy the paperback edition. It will be a lot easier to carry.

The No. 1 Business Communication book:More than just Print
If your teaching a Business Communication course, this is the book that will enable you to concentrate on your students learning rather than preparing materials. The sixteen chapters contain all the learning activities necessary for a very signifacant and long life skills your students need to compete in todays' digital communication environment. A chapter on culture and ethics is included which is useful for students who will someday compete in the Global Market. It contains excellent resources, computerized test bank, videos, colored transparecies, on line information, and others.The book is extremely useful for doing semester portfolios because of all the realistic case studies from reknowned companies. This is more than a book, it is the innovative communication knowledge that our college students need to survive in the complex information era. Your students won't regrete the investment. ... Read more

Book Description

Anyone who wants to succeed in the workplace needs to present ideas clearly, persuasively . . . and in writing. But until now,business-writing books have emphasized rules and mechanics, which often stifle the writing process. Write Up the Corporate Ladder introduces anew, simplified approach to writing based on the way professional writers write, emphasizing the importance of "writer's intuition" and "message overmechanics" to enable readers to write both faster and smarter on the job.

This helpful book spells out the difference between good, bad, and mediocre writing, provides step-by-step instructions for bringing out your own bestideas, and features personal interviews with Fortune 500 executives and best-selling business authors like Ken Blanchard, Michael Lewis, Suze Orman, andothers. Valuable tools include:

* Tips on how to break the rules that undermine effective business writing * A special chapter on writing content-rich one-page memos and concise e-mails * A custom Action Plan for determining skill level and tracking improvement * A comprehensive list of online writing resources ... Read more

Reviews (7)

I Can Write Clearly Now The Pain is Gone¿
Professionals everywhere should soon be singing the praises of the straight-forward, common sense advice imparted from the author and an impressive showing of well known writers and executives in Kevin Ryan's, Write Up the Corporate Ladder. Void of the antiquated, worn out writing adage we've had our fill of-it's a fresh look at what experts concur is one of the most essential skills in business today.

According to Ryan, an easily achievable and winning combination of confidence, commitment and focus takes the anticipatory (and sometimes painful) pressure off of writing performance in an era of increasing volubility.

From Waterloo to the space race to modern day memos, Ryan presents a number of well excerpted communication examples to reinforce key concepts and keep readers interested and engaged. His reader-friendly style is sure to put even the most timid writing protégé at ease.

Cleverly, Ryan begins by justifying the importance of clear and effective business writing (in case you still had any doubt!) Then, after a step by step introduction to the Plan Then Write method of composition, we're reminded by the expert interviewees once again just how valuable good writing skills are in today's competitive marketplace.

As a writer and editor, I mightily concur that the Plan Then Write method does indeed produce great results and Ryan's helpful instruction is among the best I've read in this area.

My favorite chapter? Definitely chapter 5. The Art of Writing: How to Solve Problems Using Your Writer's Intuition, in which Ryan explains that, "We all have a writer's intuition. It consists of our innate logic, common sense, and everything we've internalized about writing and reading after doing both-almost daily-since the age of five." If you "get" this concept, you're well on your way to becoming a better writer and will most certainly gain an impressive advantage over those around you who don't!

Robin Hendricks, M.Ad.Ed.
Managing Editor

Medical Education Broadcast Network

Writing good? Now write better.
Another book about writing well? Who needs it, you ask? My answer is: Anyone who wants to write better. Those who want to be better writers must continually practice their skills. Sure, you could probably improve your style without this book, but why not learn a few more tricks of the trade? I especially enjoyed the rewrite examples ("Rewriting History" was particularly interesting). Expend a bit of energy reading and studying Ryan's book and then expect to write with a bit more ease. Someone once commented that even good writers need perpetual reassurance. "Write Up the Corporate Ladder" is that reassurance.

Do you need a mentor to think and write effectively?
Clever title. Also, Ryan and his contributors really do reveal various techniques that will help anyone to "write with ease and get ahead." However, I think it would be a serious mistake to determine the value this book wholly on the basis of its relevance to career success. It offers more, far more than that. Ryan carefully organizes his material within three parts. In the first, he explains what he calls the "Plan Then Write Method"; next, he provides a series of interviews with ten successful business authors; finally, he provides a series of "views" from corporate executives. The "Plan Then Write Method" is explained step-by-step. Think of Ryan as a personal tutor who helps his reader to understand the importance of Subject, Audience, and Purpose. Basis stuff, yes, but presented with a crisp style and in sharp focus. (Would we expect less from an expert on effective writing?) He has chosen his collaborators well. More to the point, with uncommon skill, he elicits from them their most valuable advice concerning so-called "secrets" to effective writing. All agree with Ryan that the ultimate objective is successful communication.

Time Out. Within the classical tradition, there are four levels of discourse: Exposition which uses information to explain, reveal, "expose," etc.; Description which makes vivid with compelling details; Narration which tells a story with a plot or explains a process or sequence; and Argumentation which convinces with logic and/or evidence. The best writers of both fiction and non-fiction operate effectively on all four levels.

Here are a few brief excerpts from various interviews:

"The first thing I ask myself is: What do I want to focus on, what do I want to teach? I always try to break my subject into three or four main points, the most teachable concepts, because I don't think people can grasp more than that. The second question I ask is: How do I want to teach it? Do I want to write it like a regular book, a parable, a quotation book?" Ken Blanchard

"The act of writing is the process of clarifying thought. Not just for the reader, but for the writer....There needs to be momentum, and you have to create that; you have to set up the questions at the beginning. That's actually one of the fun things to think about, How am I going to get the reader to turn the page? Now we're on quest together!" Marcus Buckingham

"There are three steps to writing well in my opinion., regardless of what you are writing. Step one: how to end. Step two: where to begin. Step three: what to leave out. Also, I only write one draft that I keep changing until I don't believe it needs to be changed anymore. When I'm finished, there may not be a word left of what I originally wrote down." Roy Williams

Later in the interview, Williams shares what I consider to be especially valuable observations about effective writing:

"The most valuable tip that I can give anybody is: If you want to be a brilliant writer, truly a brilliant writer, then you need to read books of poetry. Poets are the most confident group of writers I know. Let me explain. The simple truth is that a poet is the only writer whose goal is to persuade and cause you to see things with different eyes, and to communicate that new perspective in a very brief, tight economy of words. Poets use unusual combinations of words in a very unpredictable way. Poets have the freedom to put together sentences and utterly break the rules of communication."

As I have attempted to indicate in this brief commentary, Ryan's book is really less about using effective writing to advance one's career (i.e. to climb the corporate ladder) than it is about effective thinking which is communicated through effective writing to achieve whatever results the writer may seek. All of the techniques which Ryan and his collaborators so carefully examine are but means by which to achieve that ultimate objective.

One final point: Ultimately, the effectiveness of communication with others depends almost entirely on how honestly one first communicates with one's self. In this context, I am reminded of Polonius' advice to son Laertes:

"This above all: To thine own self be true,
And it must follow as the night the day,
Thou canst not then be false to any man."

A Must Have For all MBA Students
Write up the Corporate Ladder is a must read for all MBA students. As future leaders in the business world, we need to be very good communicators. Kevin Ryan provides us with the tools to grow to be very strong business communicators. His book also teaches us how to avoid many common mistakes that lead to wasted time and energy. Not only do I recommend that all MBA students read this book, I think it is crazy to not keep this book on your desk as a reference. My writing has improved a great deal thanks to the techniques taught by Kevin. This is a great opportunity to add value to our MBA skill set.

Erik Chavez
University of Chicago GSB
MBA Candidate 2005

A valuable addition to any writer's bookshelf
At last a clear and practical book that gets right down to the real issues. Excellent writing skills are critical to success in today's world. Ryan gives proven and valuable steps to bring your writing to a new level of clarity and conciseness. A real must have book. ... Read more

Reviews (33)

The best business book I have ever read
This is the best book I have ever read regarding business writing and logical problem solving. From her start as one of the first female business consultants at McKinsey & Company, Ms. Minto has made her career as a consultant in this subject. She teaches this content to all of the major strategy consulting firms.

Her latest edition (1996) has additional content when compared to the original version.

A great book but you should find a Minto Mentor to get value
The Pyramid Principle is one of the few books that I have read that has fundamental changed the way I work. The concepts in the book can fundamentally change the way you communicate and think through issues and present ideas. This book and its concepts literaly turns everything you know about writing upside down.

Interestingly enough, the book is not particularly well written and can be difficult to grasp.

I strongly advise that, if possible, you find someone who practices Minto as a mentor to help you apply the content and concepts in the book. You will learn it better when you have someone tear down your work (using minto principles) in order to build a stronger communication.

Here are some of the key ideas in the book to help you structure your thinking and communications.

1)What is the situation ? A statement that the audience agrees exists and will immediately recognize.

2) What is the complication? The event or condition that renders the situation no longer tenable or in other words "why the status quo will no longer stand"

3) The R1 describes what we have now. This helps set the scope of the arguement

4) The R2 descibes the world as it should be. This sets the scope of the solution.

Good luck with the ideas in the book.

Minto Pyramid Principle
I have organised a course given by Barbara for my direct reports at a major US computer company. The course reviews were all above 90%. From a selfish viewpoint, the major benefit was not having to plough through badly written memos, documents or presentations that failed to make any point clearly or concisely. From an organisational viewpoint, my staff learnt how to save huge amounts of time developing documents and presentations, which were also measurably more effective.
I have made this book a standard present to anyone I know who writes or makes presentations during the course of their lives. Minto'ised documents written by graduate and PhD students, lawyers, marketeers, sales-people, entrepreneurs, etc. are both shorter and much better at conveying their message. In the meanwhile, their authors save considerable time in getting to a final winning version.
Buy it, understand it and use it for future reference. The world belongs to people who can communicate their ideas effectively.

GET THE 1996 EDITION, AVAILABLE ONLY FROM MINTO!
The 1996 edition is a VERY significant upgrade/expansion of the 1987 edition, of which the English editions available on this site are all reprints.

The English version of the 1996 edition is only available directly from Minto, http://www.barbaraminto.com/book.htm.

"Copy that.."
My abstract reasoning ability has never really had enough power to grasp and organise some of the complex proposals and reports that I have to write for my clients. Every time that I've been prepared to admit the fact and consult this book it has never failed me - and it seems the clarity of my work is then so conspicuous that, as often as not, the client will congratulate me upon it. Thank you Barbara Minto ! ... Read more

Book Description

For busy fundraisers, writing letters of appeal can be confusing and laborious. Now, a guide from the nation's premier letter-writing tutor--direct mail expert Mal Warwick--shows fundraisers what makes the best letters work. Whether its general advice about the most effective mail strategies, or specific advice for those interested in the details of a direct mail campaign, Warwick keeps fundraisers on track when he reminds: "You're writing for results--not a Pulitzer Prize."

In How to Write Successful Fundraising Letters, Warwick's step-by-step model for writing a successful appeal walks you through the critical stages; his topics range from laying the groundwork for a prosperous campaign all the way through to the importance of thanking donors. Supported by an extensive collection of model letters, Warwick's no-nonsense, jargon-free work has helped thousands of fundraisers achieve results.

... Read more

Reviews (6)

Every Non-Profit Should Have This Book
Fundraising is a very specialized area of copywriting and marketing. Unlike the more common direct mail letter wherein you are selling a product or service, fundraising often offers nothing more to the receipient than a chance to feel good about doing good.

As a consequence, fundraising letters for charities and oher non-profits literally have their own rules that vary from the traditional approach to direct mail. Warwick is the recognized master of this field and is a legend in fundraising circles.

Every charitiable organization and non-profit group should have this book on their shelf, or have a copywriter available to them that does. And even if you aren't going to apply the principles in the book to fundraising, its still a great guide to writing effective marketing copy.

The best book of its kind ...
There are many many books and courses on how to write a funding proposal but few out there on how to write and develop your organization's annual campaign. Fortunately Mal Warwick's is the only book you'll ever need. Thorough, loaded with examples, not only of solicitation letters but follow up and thank you letters as well -- if you're a development professional this is one book you must have on your shelf. Using Mal Warwick's books and website, along with a great deal of marketing reading, I successfully redesigned my organization's membership campaign - raising our overall donations by 33% the first year and an additional 25% the second year.
While geared to annual campaigns/individual donors, this book will also aid you in writing foundation proposals - particularly to those smaller foundations that may merely require a letter proposal. Mal takes the best of both worlds - marketing and nonprofit management - and gives you a guide that the development professional will refer to daily. With the thousands of foundations in the United States, not every one is a Kellogg or a Kresge or a Pew and this book is an invaluable aid to getting your proposal read. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED (as are all Mal Marwick's books).

A Good Primer on Fundraising Letters
I found this book to be a great primer on writing fundraising letters. This book is written in simple enough language that beginners will be able to follow along, yet is detailed enough that even accomplished fundraisers will benefit from a throurough review of this guide.

When I wrote "25 Fundraising Secrets - Raise More Money, Guaranteed," I included a chapter on how to make follow-up phone calls after mailing out fundraising letters. When I am asked by readers how to write those fundraising letters, I direct them to this informative book by Mal Warwick.

Never Wrote a Fundraising letter before
This was an excellent book! I was able to put together not just a letter, but a fundraising package. The instructions are complete and the examples are wonderful reference tools. I am new to the Fundraising industry and this is a book that I am now purchasing for my library. It also covers thank you's. I would highly recommend this book to someone who has never wrote a fundraising letter before or even for the experienced letter writer!!

My top recommendation for fundraisers
In my seminar on nonprofit communications I strongly recommend several titles, chosen from the dozens on my shelves. Mal Warwick's How to Write Successful Fundraising Letters tops the list. It is pretty much a model, I think, for good how-to books: it is well organized, comprehensive (in ways you'd never anticipate), filled with case studies and annotated examples, brief, to the point, practical, and extraordinarily reader-friendly. I wrote fund-raising letters before I read Mal's book; some letters worked, some didn't. After I read his book, I never wrote an unprofitable letter again. You will not regret buying this book: it removes the veils from so many mysteries of successful direct mail fundraising. ... Read more

Book Description

Produce winning presentations and reports with expert advice from this definitive guide. Discover vital tips on how to best utilize Crystal Reports’ features to analyze data, and build professional, complex, and effective reports. Find the entire spectrum of user knowledge—from advice for new users on how to develop, design, and build a simple report, to in-depth information on complex features such as Crystal Server Pages and integrating Crystal Reports into Visual Basic.NET programs. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Book Review
I have to say I'm disappointed in this book. Normally I don't buy McGraw-Hill "Complete Reference" books because generally I find them lacking sufficient detail and depth to do any real programming. I bought this book because there aren't an abundance of Crystal 10 books out yet and because Crystal Reports documentation is notoriously bad, but this book has lived up to my McGraw-Hill "Complete Reference" expectations. I find the book lacks sufficient detail and code samples to be of any real use for integrating Crystal Reports into an application. Specifically, I'm working with Part II, Crystal Reports 10 on the Web. ... Read more

Book Description

To succeed in technical writing, you need a lot more than just writing ability. Technical Writing 101 details the skills you need as a technical writer, and it explains how to handle the pressures of tight deadlines and ever-changing product specifications. This valuable reference also describes the entire documentation process—planning, writing, editing, indexing, and production.

This updated second edition features the latest information on single sourcing and a new chapter on how trends in structured authoring and Extensible Markup Language (XML) affect technical writers. ... Read more

Book Description

Here's the guide you've been looking for - written by a successful consultant who has himself written hundreds of winning proposals. In this easy-to-read, easy-to-follow book, consultant Alan Weiss takes you step-by-step through the proposal process from definitions, objectives and essential preparation techniques...through the actual structuring and writing process...and on to the all-important client followup.

How to Write A Proposal That's Accepted Every Timeshows you how to acquire the information that creates winning proposals in collaboration with the buyer . "That's the key to proposal acceptance," says Weiss, "Collaboration with and agreement by the client prior to anything being committed to paper."

In this practical guide you'll learn how to -

Avoid gatekeepers and deal only with the economic buyer (the person who can cause a check to be signed).
Establish boundaries and avoid "scope creep."
Effectively convey the value of the project.
Frame your intervention in terms of outcomes rather than cost. And much more...

Let this detailed, how-to guide lead you to consulting success, before, during and after the proposal process! ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Use this book to make money today!
I was skeptical. How could one book be worth over $100? And how could Alan Weiss tell me how to write proposals to my unique clients? It has been almost one year since I asked those questions...If I knew then what I know now, I would have paid a $1000 for this book! Here are the facts,when I first started using Alan's proposal templates my closing ratio went down from approximately 90% to 75%. BUT my consulting engagment fees went UP OVER 100%. Now, I have learned to avoid clients who don't value my work and my closing ratio has gone back to about 90% at almost double the value to me! But that is not the biggest benefit, through this book I learned how to get paid in advance...before I ever begin the project. Prior to using Alan's models I was never paid in advance, now 40% of my clients are paying me a much higher fee and paying it in advance.

I no longer have this book. I took the pages apart and filed the proposal templates according to my client base and instructed my client services manager to never deviate from these templates.

There are many books that have helped me think more critically, solve problems quicker and speak more effectively...BUT nothing has helped me increase my consulting revenue like this one by Alan Weiss. ... Read more

Book Description

John Bollinger is a giant in today’s trading community. His Bollinger Bands sharpen the sensitivity of fixed indicators, allowing them to more precisely reflect a market’s volatility. By more accurately indicating the existing market environment, they are seen by many as today’s standard—and most reliable—tool for plotting expected price action.

Now, in Bollinger on Bollinger Bands, Bollinger himself explains how to use this extraordinary technique to compare price and indicator action and make sound, sensible, and profitable trading decisions.

Concise, straightforward, and filled with instructive charts and graphs, this remarkable book will be essential reading for all serious traders, regardless of market. Bollinger includes his simple system for implementation, and techniques for combining bands and indicators.

Reviews (22)

Excellent...on an Absolute and a Relative Basis
I've been trading for a living for more than 5 years, and am now a frequent commentator on a major financial website. As a student of the market, I became familiar with Bollinger Bands very early in my career. I thought I knew how to use them, and ALWAYS looked at them as a reference before entering any trades. However, after reading this book, I realized that I was just barely skimming the surface of this important indicator. I've read it 3 times, and all the margins are now marked up with notes.
The most striking revelation to me was the difference between "absolute" and "relative" readings -- in other words, how a stock could make a new high on an absolute level, but actually be a failure in reference to the upper Bollinger Band. This simple, yet elegant, idea has had a profound effect on how I view price action, and I find that my other technical indicators are much more revealing when viewed in this context. The book is infinitely readable for both novice and seasoned investors, and there is also enough math and statistical data to satisfy most geeks. Mr. Bollinger also discusses various other indicators that can (and should) be used in conjunction with Bollinger Bands.
Remarkably, Mr. Bollinger also supports the content of his book with a free website .... You can use all the indicators he highlights inhis book, and customize them according to your own parameters. It's basicallyan "on-going continuing education" program. Nice to finally see somebody primarily concerned with teaching rather than self-promotion and profit.
The bottom line is this: If you want to learn how to increase your performance in both trending and non-trending markets, this book is a "must-read." It is NOT a trading system; rather, it is an excellent and insightful dissertation on the proper usage of Bollinger Bands. In the current sideways market environment, Bollinger Bands are more useful than ever. No serious trader/investor should be without this book.

What The Doctor Ordered
A quiet, well paced, unassuming power house of history, insight, and trading experience all rolled into an easy flowing, unpretentious read. Bollinger manages to teach us about his indicator, and about the market itself without shameless self promotion or hype. Bollinger on Bollinger bands is what this market needed, a clear, concise and useful tool for investors to use to provide balance in a chaotic time. As a financial writer, and money manager, who uses Bollinger Bands on every trade, I found that the book gave me new ways to not just trade, but analyze the market and decide when not to trade, which is where the difference between success and failure is often deciced. The book is written in a fluid, easy to digest manner, which gives the reader room to sit back and ponder between chapters. There are clear, one sentence summary statements after each section, which pull the material together quite well and reinforce the main points. Other useful aids include a pull out reference card with statistical formulas and reference charts. The best thing is that Bollinger, a bona fide market guru, doesn't take himself too seriously. He humbly admits that trading has a great deal of uncertainty, and does not tout his own fortunes as a result of his indicator. The book can also be read as a nice historical piece, which begins with the nostalgic foreword by CNBC's Ron Insana about the old FNN news room, including a classic anecdote about the late Ed Hart, who for all of us who knew FNN could only bring a smile. Thanks John.

Who Better to Explain Bollinger Bands...
Of all the main stream technical indicators, it is safe to say that Bollinger Bands are perhaps the least understood. But they can become part of an arsenal of highly useful technical tools for those who have learned how to properly apply them and one good way to get a running start is to read his latest book, Bollinger on Bollinger Bands. Not only does the book provide some very useful background information on how they came to be, it is an opportunity to hear from the master himself how he uses the bands to best effect. According to Bollinger, one pattern that he calls the Squeeze (a topic on which he spends a whole chapter) draws more questions than any other aspect of Bollinger Bands. As he describes it, his bands "are driven by volatility, and The Squeeze is a pure reflection of that volatility." (Excerpt from Investopedia.com with permission.)

After reading the book, I developed a scan to find stocks that are getting the Squeeze and it works pretty well. Sure enough, a stock that has shown a period of declining volatility, generally breaks out with a bang shortly after reaching a low extreme. The trick is then trying to determine which way. Bollinger includes a number of tips and indicators in the book to help the trader figure that out too.

This book is for anyone who has ever looked at Bollinger bands and tried to understand how to use them as well as those who do use them now but want to get some more great ideas. It is not a difficult read and is actually very well written (I am always surprised by traders who have been steeped in mathematics and technicals like John B. who can also write well.) He is obviously an excellent communicator and this fact comes through loud and clear in his book.

Bollinger on Bollinger Bands is well worth the money. It is also a chance to hear the master who we see on CNBC and in the Wall Street Journal express his ideas and views on markets and how to profit from them. That alone, makes this book worth reading.

Matt Blackman - Technical Writer/Reviewer Email: matt@tradesystemguru.com
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Contributor to Stocks & Commodities Magazine, Working Money, Traders.com Advantage, Active Trader, Traders Mag (Europe) and SFO Magazine

Best book ever on technical analysis...it really works
I've been using this book's theory to trade options online and I am averaging 67% per month. A key component of his book is to use fractal market analysis ...different time frames.
Bollinger Bands work better than any other indicator around.

First Rate
An excellent book on both trading in general and the construction, logic, and use of Bollinger Bands. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

A wise investment
For those who write business letters and emails, this is a great help.

Eric Bollinger
Publisher
McKenna Publishing Group
Publisher of "Two Dozen Lessons From An Editor" by Jim Woods

A valuable writing guide
Remarkably concise and informative, The Elements of Business Writing: A Guide to Writing Clear, Concise Letters, Memos, Reports, Proposals, and Other Business Documents by Gary Blake and Robert W. Bly is more than just a tool for business people. Taking a common sensical approach, as opposed to a lofty educated tone, Messrs. Blake and Bly do not restrict themselves to business writing, in spite of the title. For the most part, The Elements of Business Writing is a valuable writing guide for just about all forms of writing. The book is strong on: knowing your audience; clarity; precision; and persuasion. When you think about those four elements, you're thinking about effective communication in general. This is something everyone--not just business people--can use in their daily lives.

Very useful
If you write letters, emails, business proposals or marketing plans, this book will be useful to you. It is very easy to follow. The book offers a number of suggestions for writing clearly and with style, and explains each point in detail. I used this book for a graduate level class, but it would be useful to anyone!

Too simple and sufficient coverage.
Too simple and some rules may not apply to real problem, not recommend. But if you want to get the first book in writing intensive or want to have a quick look, you may leave it on your desk. ... Read more

Book Description

This 3rd book of the series on policies and procedures is a "must-have" workbook for using the policy and procedure writing format that is introduced in my other 3 policies and procedures books. The majority of this book contains exercises, suggested answers, common mistakes, and the "do’s" and "don’ts" of writing clear and concise policies and procedures. Learn how to present your ideas in a logical format and write good sentences and paragraphs for each of the 7 sections of the writing format, a format that has been adopted by 1000’s of companies worldwide. The scenarios for the book exercises are based on the case study presented in "Achieving 100% Compliance of Policies and Procedures."

The SERIES contains three other books that completes your set of four: (1) "Establishing a System of Policies and Procedures" (ISBN 1929065000) focuses on setting up a framework for writing printed and/or online policy and procedure documents; (2) "Achieving 100% Compliance of Policies and Procedures" (ISBN 1929065493) focuses on writing policies and procedures that can be easily measured and improved; and (3) "Best Practices in Policies and Procedures" (1929065078) shows you how to find content for policies and procedures and how to find the STARTING POINT for your policy and procedure efforts. Also, learn how to align policies and procedures to the vision, strategic plan, and core processes of your organization. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Great for Book for Writing Well Written Policies and Procedu
This book is just what is advertised, how to write better policies and procedures. It advocates the use of a writing format that makes for easy-to-read policies and procedures, a format that I know from conferences is used worldwide by many companies. This book is for procedure writers, not technical writers. And this book is not high-level, it is very detailed to the extent that my company has bought more than 25 of these books to hand out to each person who writes policies and procedures. While the book is very simple, it is still by far the best book I have read on the subject. I find the competition too convulted and they don't stay on the point. Not so with this author's books.

Jay

Okay for P&P but not for just Procedure Writing
This book is fine if you are looking for a guide to create a Policy & Procedure manual where the procedures are at a high level. You should, however, look elsewhere if you are looking for a guide on how to write clear, easy-to-use procedures. The format for the procedures in this book is similar to the technical writing style of 20 years ago and is not suitable for procedures that will actually have to be followed by the end-user. You should look to Nancy J. Campbell's "Writing Effective Policies and Procedures," Blake & Bly's "The Elements of Technical Writing," or an Information Mapping seminar if you are interested in creating "user-friendly" procedures.

A helpful book on writing style
I was pleasantly suprised how helpful this book was. Steve demonstrates how to write a procedure so it will be understood by those who use it. His book certainly showed me many of the flaws in my procedure writing. The examples of "what not to do" point out styles that are inappropriate for procedures.

Steve also explains how to format a procedure for ease of use.

Simplifies a complex task
I borrowed my copy of this outstanding book when I was tasked to write policies and procedures for my department. Although other reviewers have recommended reading the author's earlier books if you've never written policies and procedures I was able to quickly produce detailed documents that my staff assured me were clear and effective. I attribute my success to the easy to follow steps that Mr. Page gives, and the logical structure that he recommends.

You can't go wrong if you use this book as a guide for policy and procedure writing. It's like a cookbook in many ways, with a clearly laid out recipe for success and a list of ingredients that will be required in the form of steps and item blocks for your documents.

I was so impressed with this book that I immediately ordered a copy for myself (so I could return the borrowed copy), as well as copies of Mr. Page's other books. If you write policies and procedures for a living, or are required to produce them for your department you should get this book ASAP. It will simplify the task and enable you to produce professional results regardless of your level of experience.

High Quality Book on a Procedures Writing Format
This book seems to be Chapter 4 of "Establishing a System of Policies and Procedures." This author has taken an entire chapter and turned it into a book. Thank you.

I love this book, I thought the author was detailed in his first book but this book is a real complement to the first book. These two books make for a good combination to buy. You can learn how to write a system of policies and procedures and then find incredible detail with this bok.

I just love this book. I loved the exercises and examples. It really did point out some mistakes I had been making in writing policies and procedures. ... Read more

Amazon.com

The Copywriter's Handbook is somewhat out of date. There are no references to Web sites or the Internet, and author Robert W. Bly advises that a freelance copywriter have a good typewriter. No matter. Bly has compiled an incredibly useful resource for budding, and even experienced, copywriters. Bly calls his book "a step-by-step guide to writing copy that sells." And that it is: Bly covers the writing of print ads, direct mail, brochures, catalogues, public-relations material, trade-journal articles, speeches, newsletters, commercials, and more. But equally informative is the substantial amount of space that he devotes to the copywriting business, in which he offers guidance in setting up a freelance copywriting business, getting hired by an ad agency, and hiring and working with copywriters (this section also includes a chapter on graphic design for copywriters). This is a terrific book. If you don't take my word for it, take David Ogilvy's: "I don't know a single copywriter whose work would not be improved by reading this book," he says. "And that includes me." --Jane Steinberg ... Read more

Reviews (20)

A Must for Any Aspiring or Professional Copywriter
Robert Bly is almost universally accepted as the master copywriter, particularly in the area of freelancing. For anyone starting out, and even for professionals, this book is a necessity andmay save you hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars on needless seminars.

It is filled with no-nonsense advice and instruction on the craft of copywriting. It probably truly is the Bible for copywriting. If you are starting out on a path to a career in copywriting, just ask nearly any seasoned pro and they will refer you to Bly's work.

In this volume, Bly explains advertising and copywriting and the many forms they take shape in. He explains how copywriting applies to all manner of promotions and advertising, e.g., headlines and body copy for ads, brochures, letters, article writing, TV, radio, and both commercial and non-profit promotional materials. It is both a definitive how-to and an idea book.

Whether you are starting from scratch and completely clueless or a professional seeking new ideas and approaches, this is a must have book.

Much-misunderstood discipline; easily understood guide
Independent writing consultant Robert Bly cuts through all the hype surrounding promotional copywriting and `creativity', with a no-nonsense guide that covers everything.

I too am a copywriter and, for the first time, empathised almost entirely with what a fellow writer was saying.

You see, the subject matter is steeped in misunderstanding. What the aspiring writer needs to know is that almost all copywriting is about selling.

Robert Bly understands this, and communicates it well. He knows it's not about clever headlines; it's not about puns; it's not about abstract concepts. Yes, the copywriter is a salesperson - one who is paid by his clients to sell their products.

This book recognises this with a relish. It urges us to identify the USP (that which makes a product different and saleable) and to put it right up-front, to deliver simple messages that everyone can understand, and to write precisely for the intended audience.

Bly's comprehensive guide covers pr! ints ads, brochures, radio and TV commercials, direct mail and PR material. There are also chapters on getting a great job in an agency, and going freelance.

The only element with which I would take issue is Bly's somewhat dismissive attitude towards graphic design. I can think of many designers and art directors who would be hopping mad over Bly's comments about `fancy visuals' that don't add to the selling process, and about the limited value of white space. Surely someone who has worked so much with designers knows about their contribution to the `pickupability' of advertising material? A minor quibble, but a valid one.

The Goal is Sales (Not Entertainment)!
As Bob explains, the goal of advertising is to make sales, not to entertain. Bob exposes this common error and offers many other copywriting techniques and tips in the book. He also gives some helpful information about freelancing.

I'm a technical writer (not a copywriter), but felt that this book had good things to offer. I think it also helped define my own style of writing.

If you are into freelancing and consulting, I'd also highly recommend his 'Six Figure Consultant' book. He gives a lot of good practical advice and seems to have a lot of experience.

The name says it all: this is the copywriter's handbook
After looking for a decent book on copywriting on Amazon (where else?), I decided to buy this one, based on the positive reviews it got from other readers. And, I must say, they were right. This is an excellent book if you want to learn the basics of copywriting and start off as a freelancer!

Exceptional Guide for Writers
Simply put, this book is an exceptional nuts-and-bolts guide to copywriting. I highly recommend it. ... Read more

Book Description

If you think that hard work and good decision-making are the only keys to running a successful business, think again. Although these issues are critical in any business endeavor, in reality it is the paperwork that is key to creating and maintaining your business. That’s right, paperwork! From employee contracts to real estate leases, these and other legal documents are incredibly important, but can be difficult to decipher.

If you’re a business owner who is not a legal expert, Business Contracts Kit For Dummies will provide you with advice, forms, and contracts that will allow you to clearly spell out your business intentions to employees, vendors, and customers.  Even if you’ve been in business for a while or are a legal expert,  you can still benefit from this book by using the nearly 200 sample contracts and documents contained on the companion CD-ROM.

Using jargon-free language, this easy-to-use guide will introduce you to the basics of contracts and show you how to draft a variety of other legal documents. Business Contracts Kit For Dummies also covers the following topics and much more:

• Forms for businesses big and small
• Understanding the essentials of contracts
• Incorporating your business
• Drafting employment contracts
• Conquering leases, licenses, and loans
• Tackling Web agreements
• Avoiding common contract mistakes

Book Description

Now fully updated to reflect the current realities of the public relations field (including the emerging importance of graphic design and the use of the Web), this revision of Newsom and Carrell's practical text covers all aspects of public relations writing. The book offers the practical approach one would expect to find in a trade book, but uses the principles and theories of public relations to give students what they need to write with understanding and purpose. Part One provides the background for all public relations writing tasks by explaining how this kind of writing is unique and by exploring the legal and ethical obligations. Part Two is the writing principle section, which covers both style and techniques. Part Three begins with basic public relations writing assignments that students are likely to be exposed to early in their jobs: letters, e-mail, memos, and eventually reports and proposals, backgrounders and position papers. Part Four covers writing for mass media. Part Five covers the more complex public relations writingincluding media kits, newsletters, brochures, magazines, annual reports, and crisis communication. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

good book
As a Public Relations student, I found this book to be extremely helpful. It demonstrates the proper way to write so that you can lear effective style and techinque. I have found that this book, along with Guerilla PR Wired by Michael Levine, create the foundation for my studies. ... Read more

Book Description

"Best Practices in Policies and Procedures" is the fourth book in the 4-part series on policies and procedures. This book takes the BEST PRACTICES from my first three books ("Establishing a System of Policies and Procedures," "7 Steps to Better Written Policies and Procedures," and "Achieving 100% Compliance of Policies and Procedures") as well asbest practices from recognized authors and consultants.You are taught the BEST WAY to write and present the guidelines within your policies and procedures.

While the first three books focus on foundation principles and practical writing behaviors, this book focuses on the BEST PRACTICES for finding actual content. This is accomplished in two ways: (1) a clear path is shown how to align the content of policies and procedures with the vision, strategic direction, and core processes of the company and (2) samples of thousands of policies and procedures, and tables of contents, are provided (as URL links and some actual tables of contents of popular manuals) for you to use as references when you're scratching your head for ideas and workflow.

These sample documents give you a valuable reference for writing almost any policy or procedure in any industry because they help to guide you as to "what belongs" and "what does not belong" in a specific policy or procedure. These URLs often give you an added bonus --- someone to contact in the organization where the policies and procedures were developed. It's nice to be able to contact other procedure writers to share ideas.

The BEST PRACTICES found in this book center around setting up of an ideal cross-functional team that does everything correctly in the development of high-quality policy and procedure documents. Best Practices are addressed for selecting the team leader, the team members, and the methods of accomplishing the team goals, objectives, and deliverables such as the actual policy and procedure documents. The methods section is extensive and includes methods of modeling, brainstorming, and working with other team members in the accomplishment of policy and procedure documents.

This is the fourth book in a 4-set book SERIES about policies and procedures. The other three books are: (1) "Establishing a System of Policies and Procedures" (ISBN 1929065000). This book focuses on the establishment of a system of policies and procedures for both printed and electronic company manual formats. This books helps you set up the foundation principles for your policies and procedures environment. (2) "Achieving 100% Compliance of Policies and Procedures" (ISBN 1929065493). This book focuses on writing policies and procedures that can be measured and quantified. When content can be quantified, justifiable improvements can be made. Otherwise, there is no way to determine if policies and procedures actually work! (3) "7 Steps to Better Written Policies and Procedures" (ISBN 1929065243). This book is based entirely on the fourth chapter (Writing Format) of the first book of the Series. As the Writing Format is the heart of any policies and procedures system, this is a very important book to any procedures writer. Each section of the Writing Format is discussed in its own chapter. You are given scenarios, exercises, and answers to help you improve your policy and procedure writing skills. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Great book with a new shift
This fourth book of the author's clearly takes a new direction. His first three books covered the framework for setting up a system of policies and procedures as well as how to write each policy or procedure. This kind of detail does not exist in any of his competitors' books. In this book, the author concentrates on the importance of aligning policies and procedures at any level to the corporate vision and strategy. He goes so far as to show the reader how to become involved in setting corporate strategy to ensure that there is clear alignment between the strategy and procedure. Without this direct tie to management support, the policies and procedures department is typically considered overhead and is the first department to be eliminated in reorganizations or mergers.

I particularly appreciated the second half of this book as I have been looking for an author to write information about what really goes into a policy or procedure for many years. Finding this content has been most difficult. While I am a fairly experienced procedures writer, I couldn't help but feel I was reinventing the wheel since someone, somewhere had to have written similar policies and procedures I could reference. The author provides many ways to find actual policies and procedure content on the Internet, and has referenced more than 150 websites which appear to contain thousands of links to real policies and procedures. I am especially excited about this because as a consultant my jobs change frequently and being able to find sample procedures in various industries will help me out a lot. This book is an impressive effort.

Great Book for Policy and Procedure Strategy
This book is the first of its kind and has aid my team greatly as it shows how to align policies and procedures directly to the company's vision, strategic direction, and core processes. It also shows how to identify and select core processes, another real plus.

The author does an excellent job of showing you how to develop a team to study and implement policies and procedures. He shows you a path from identify an idea to identify best solution to document solution to writing the solution. This is a great chapter. He also integrates his other three books into this book.

In the last half of the book he does a great service to people looking to develop new policies and procedures for those who wish to improve their current ones. He gives great, really great examples on actual policies and procedures in 60 industries.

Great Book!

Excellent Source of Policy and Procedure Examples
This is an excellent book. The author gives a very clear explanation of how policies and procedures are linked to vision, strategic plan, and core processes. And like the previous reviewer said, he does an excellent job of describing how a team works in conjunction with writing processes and procedures.

The author gives URLs that point to thousands of policy and procedure examples. I am so pleased to have found this book.

Interesting Sequel
Steve's new book is a good addition to his series on developing policies and procedures: Establishing a System of Policies and Procedures, Achieving 100% Compliance of Policies and Procedures, and 7 Steps to Better Written Policies and Procedures.

(In particular, Steve's new book focuses on strategic planning, architecture, and coordination for the design and development of policies and procedures. In addition, Steve's new book now recognizes the importance of studying existing examples of policies and procedures, and their role in successfully designing new ones.)

Steve's books are a unique blend of strategic, tactical, and operational methods for planning and implementing the design and development of policies and procedures for any purpose.

Steve's books are particularly useful to the application of Capability Maturity Model Integration (CMMI), Software Capability Maturity Model (SW-CMM), ISO 9000, and IEEE 12207.

Steve, an outsider to the field of software process improvement (SPI), unlocks the secrets of implementing successful software process architectures (which is a previously uncrossable chasm created by SPI researchers who have not had much success in mastering Steve's discipline).

The fields of business process reengineering (BPR), software process improvement (SPI), and process mapping need more unselfish pioneers like Stephen B. Page to bring practical advice to the technically-starved analysts created in the wake of blockbuster standards such as CMMI, SW-CMM, ISO 9000, and IEEE 12207.

Good grasp of strategic planning
I really enjoyed the first half of this book. Steve gives URL's to on-line procedures that are professionally written. He also describes strategic planning and vision statements, and how having well documented procedures can be an asset for a company.

I was a little disappointed with the second half of the book. It is nicely done - concerning using teams to flowchart how a process is performed, which becomes the basis for a written procedure. Steve covered this subject adequately in his other books already. But if team-building skills is of interest to you, this book offers many helpful suggestions. ... Read more