Hyphens, En Dashes, and Em Dashes: Quick Tips for Using Horizontal Lines
Horizontal lines can be valuable tools for connecting ideas and emphasizing messages. However, the rules for their usage can be confusing an
Ten Ways You May Be Annoying Proposal Reviewers (Part Two)
Proposal writing is no easy task. But with all the time teams spend pouring over RFP requirements, it is surprising how little time is dedic
Ten Ways You May Be Annoying Proposal Reviewers (Part One)
We recently conducted our biennial survey of commercial and government proposal reviewers to learn about their preferences, processes, and p
Six Tips for Faster Text Formatting in Microsoft Word
According to data from Microsoft’s Customer Experience Improvement Program, today’s marketing and sales professionals rarely use MS Word to
Six New Time-Saving Features of Microsoft Word
If you work on proposals and/or marketing content, chances are you use MS Word. However, while most professionals use Word every day, many d
Halos and Pitchforks: The Power of a Positive First Impression
You never get a second chance to make a first impression. The adage is old, but when it comes to proposals and presentations, it’s as important as ever. In fact, even the briefest of first impressions can become the lens through which a prospect views all of your remaining messages. That’s right, the first messages your prospect reads or hears are more than just the ones they remember most—they’re the ones that have the biggest impact on your overall persuasion. How big? Let’
How Sequencing Can Improve Persuasion—and Win Rates
When it comes to proposals and presentations, order matters. In fact, studies have found that even with outstanding, prospect-focused content, changing just its sequence can have profound effects on a prospect’s understanding, recall, and impression of your key messages. So, in this post we’re discussing the connection between memory and order—and what it means for the structure of your next proposal or presentation. The Serial Position Effect
When presented with a series of
Repetition: Making Prospects Remember Your Key Messages
Think about your most recent proposal or presentation. Did you use clear, simple messaging? Great. Did you limit your focus to the three (plus or minus one) main benefits your service/product will provide to your prospect? Even better. Did your prospect remember them? Don’t be so sure. According to two Indiana University studies, information remains in your prospect’s short-term memory for only 18 seconds. That’s right, 18 seconds! So this week we’re discussing the importance
Three Is a Magic Number (for Proposals and Presentations)
Chances are your organization has lots of compelling features and benefits. Most do. But when crafting a proposal or presentation, how many should you highlight for your prospect? Five? Ten? According to cognitive psychologists, it’s probably less than you think. That’s why this week, in continuing our discussion of simplicity, we’re examining your prospects’ short-term memory capacity. How many features/benefits do they actually retain when processing your information, and w
Four Reasons to Keep Your Content Simple
Your prospects are bombarded with persuasive messages—400 a day, according to psychologist Kevin Dutton. Moreover, research shows that 81 percent of those messages contain more written or verbal content than is necessary, encouraging audiences to tune out, gloss over, and move on. It’s time to streamline. So before allowing the kitchen sink to be tossed into your next proposal, presentation, or marketing document, point out these four reasons to keep your messages short, shar
