The most interesting brochures and leaflets that they rarely that we come to read to know the right order - as well as read books. Rather, in the same way that many people read magazines in dentists waiting rooms, they have brochures and leaflets and stop to look at the film more bits, to seize their attention to take.
In addition, they flick through and then go to pieces, they noticed, and that they are interested. They are just as likely to flick through from back to front, as they are from front to rear.
What all this tells us that, despite the seemingly logical, writing for brochures and leaflets in the form of a story that begins in the beginning, passes through the center and ends at the end, it's not necessarily the best way forward.
Obviously, you can not make every page yourself with a message that says: ". If you want to flicking through backwards or only read this site, here's a summary of our corporate culture's profile again," But there are some tricks you use to work in this random reading slightly more efficient for you, not against you can get.
will largely depend on the type and style of brochure or flyer to write, of course. In my experience, tend to be more specific goals brochure or leaflet is more likely, readers will read it properly and carefully.
If a leaflet contains assembly instructions, or a brochure contains technical data from the devices, there is a good chance that the reader begins, at least initially, and then until the end of work. Again, this is because readers only get their full value from the leaflet or brochure - "what it means for them" - reading it correctly. Where did you get the worst random grasshopper reading, but with less specific documents like "welcome" leaflets or "corporate" brochures. So let us, as we seek to minimize problems with them.
Despite all the above, often it still is to organize content in a reasonable logical order. Many people absorb brochures in the usual manner, and even if they do not expect so quiet that the introduction at the beginning to find reasons in the middle and conclusion at the end. This approach is useful for moderately specific topics of the document, for example, a brochure about a new service or a brochure on the new line of garden furniture.
The trick here is to identify the main points of as many crossheadings (some people call them sub-headings) in bold, so that someone scanning the document, the core will receive messages, even if they do not have time to read the text.
You should also ensure that crossheadings sense to do by themselves and that she did not understand completely dependent on their reading in a certain sequence. The main text crossheading support and expand on each and take the reader to the next, but without the "Cliff Hanger" (to go in case the reader is not in that order).
For the overall theme - which was plundered most scanning pages, read head, or not registered at all - here are some tips from the American writer John Butman on "Writing words that sell," which he and I together - the author a few years ago. This is what John calls "chunking"
"CHUNKING means the flow of history rather than writing it, in fact, the story at all. He has no coherent. There is a chain of short stories, each with its own message. Each piece is individual and relative to each side can not or website is also common sense far This approach means that you must be careful history of -.. you say something on the first page, as the reader can start reading on page twelve is "
I think that approach is "chunking" the work of John is particularly well when there is a lot of frames, with "chunks" of text acting almost like expanded captions to illustrations. With "chunking" You can also crossheadings, but their significance in the history itself is not so critical. Crossheadings here, it may be more cryptic or abstract, if appropriate.
And a few words about the style, especially if you're writing a "corporate" brochure or leaflet: a tool that only comparable to (perhaps) a "corporate" site most affected by the curse of "corporate. To say" Unfortunately, it would be very easy for I have to show that I found my only here in whole or in company brochures, I could at the offices of large and small businesses in the city where I live basis. "Corporate speak" lurks everywhere regardless of the Curse of the environment as well as cold viruses or headlice.
Catalogs
Many people do not realize that directories need to be written. Often their objective in creating a directory to cram in as many products as they are conducted with descriptive copy, a few misspelled words in tiny type squashed in the corner. These people are the paper equivalent of a "stack" Em High, sell 'Em cheap "species you encounter in retailing.
However, the retail customer environment, tend to get a good look at the products that they have read on the pack copy and find out what they need to know so that she Doesn no-frills environment are "T matter. If the product presented at a small, two-dimensional medium printed page, it's not only no-frills, but very lonely, if the product has the support of some well-chosen words to inform readers and encourage them to buy.
Noting that for many businesses and other organizations to catalog their only showcase - or at least is probably a very important source of revenue - you want all eyes to think about and skills will be on its written content as well as his other items for focused. But no. All too often look catalogs, and if they were copies of well-meaning high school pupil who can look forward to was written for a glorious future as a janitor.
Yes, of course, some foods that should have sold through the catalog is not much description, but only the words that you should get a different color / size / quantity, etc.
How about "How to order" messages?
I do not know about you, but if I buy something from a catalog of thinking there is nothing puts me more quickly than having to spend much time figuring out how to fill out the form to verify that, and where e-mail, etc. etc. The same applies if I have to hunt on the site details.
It is not hard to do the process properly. Just work out the steps that you take customers, simply write the rough form, and then try it on your mother, your brother, your neighbor, the milkman, or anyone else - if he does not participate with your organization. It found the cheapest and quickest way to any errors in the system, especially in small fields that can be so easy if you know them to be forgotten.
And here is another. How often have you watched only the directory to find and keep important information (such as contact details for ordering, shipping information, etc.) or at least the form itself or on the back page order? As a result, when you put your e-mail the completed form, you are obliged to provide such important information from the mail. Stupid, yes.
It is no secret about how to create directories is good - just common sense. This is perfectly normal, in my opinion that your letter is clear and concise, because it can make more efficient use of space. But whatever you do, never lose sight of the fact that the directory path and written much more about your organization than you think, he says. If this is confusing, unclear and illogical, customers will think your company. But if he uses the Internet, clear and easy to understand and logically planned, and this - I say more?
Retailers spend a lot of money on design, layout and flow of their occurrence Instore. Supermarkets can increase or decrease their turnover thousands, simply by moving the fresh produce from the back wall to the side wall or at the bakery delicacies, or by increasing the passage width from a few centimeters. Think of your catalog as a paper store or supermarket and you'll easily earn him praise and respect.
Fact sheets and manuals
Several years ago I bought a new computer, printer, keyboard and monitor at the same time. I picked up all the boxes in my home office and grabbed every piece with enthusiasm. It was made of metal and plastic and cabling and cardboard and polystyrene and bubble wrap all over the floor. My two dogs picked their way through it, sniffing suspiciously as if all of these terms chickens were dead and headless after a fox attack.
I sat cross-legged in the middle of the page, seeking a direction, desperately trying to find pages in English. Should be when I did, I could not understand a word, especially since the instructions) to the technical people who have considerable prior knowledge, although it is "home" computer and b), who wrote the UK version was drawn up teaching English language on Donald Duck.
And do you think the manufacturer may be a simple guide on how to screw me say there is everything comes together? Number Each piece has its own awful instructions but as far as relates to the manufacturer, any single point in itself.
So I phoned my dear computer guru Jason and booked him to come the next day and sort them out, although he told me it was easy and I could do it yourself.
"Read the directions," he said.
"I can not understand the **** ING statement," I yelled into the phone. "They come and do it, I'll see what you're doing, then I'll write it and send the text of the manufacturer with a bill for their time. At least as bad, so-SOS, who bought this kit in the future, to learn how to work without a nervous breakdown. "
There is very strong, which results from this true story. When people read, hear or see a series of instructions, they are often vital in fairly stressful circumstances, in uncomfortable surroundings, in poor lighting, etc. Availability, simplicity, transparency and clarity.
People, products, currently require a manual need to know how to use the product as easy as possible. And because many technodorks people like me, need instructions from the lowest common denominator is to be understood.
Logically, what do you think the best person to write instructions for technodorks someone to the smallest details about the product, how it was done, how it works knows what he is doing and what his inside leg. In other words, the expert said. It could not be further from the truth.
Instructions should not be written by specialists, because they know too much. What this means is that they make it very vulnerable to error and the assumption that readers know a bit about the subject. To align the expert, the fact that up to build a bookcase to sections A, B and C with each other, so it became obvious it's not even worth talking about is possible. For someone like me, is not only a note, it is absolutely necessary, if I ask not to spend the next three hours, why should not I find any holes that line up bin.
Wherever possible, the instructions from someone who knows so much be written, but no more than the audience. to be applied to any form of declarations of non-technical users, the author should assume zero prior to knowledge and the best way to ensure he / she does, if he had no prior knowledge of her / his own. Assuming that the writer has a logical mind and the ability to write clearly and simply, he / she can not be developed, and then writing good, helpful tips kit - because if he / she understands all the rest.
Similarly, the instructions are not the seller, marketing guys in the lab, production personnel, or anyone - even you - if there is a risk that they could with this article. Familiarity can breed if not contempt, at least wrongful assumptions about the audience of existing knowledge. For all products, ordinary people trying to be used on the road, the instructions written by someone from an entirely separate department, or even outside your organization. Otherwise, they get tested on one or more regular users, who have no prior knowledge of drug use, and modify it carefully to get the number of times.
There is nothing to tarnish the name of your product and your company more quickly, because I was not able to put your product together easily as a client.
Although customers like me, so after a cold shower and asked a neighbor to get clever interpret the instructions, we're probably all bad the next time we have the kind of products you're selling your purchase. And we buy your competitors.
Canadian-born Suzan St Maur is an international business, and writers in the United Kingdom. In addition to his consulting work for clients in Europe, USA, Canada and Australia, she contributes articles to more than 150 business websites and publications around the world, and has published eleven books. Her latest book, "The Path To Your words Mamba Sell" and "Get Yourself Published", as well as PDF downloads from BookShaker.com.
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