The Effectivity of the Indirect Approach

In Jane Gough's book, "Write it down: guidance for preparing documentation that meets regulatory requirements," She states that "using the indirect approach... will help you when you need to convince someone to take action, to respond to a request when you anticipate the initial reaction may be negative."  She then profoundly stated that "it's human nature to be happy to be asked but reluctant to comply."

The indirect approach allows writers to effectively address issues that are not generally well-liked by the reader. It allows for persuasion to occur before asking for a favor from someone, or for bad news to be acknowledged in a gentle manner that can soften the blow.

The indirect approach is very useful in a variety of forms of writing and the writer that masters its use, will be more persuasive and influential in his or her writings.

The Importance of Letter Writing

Letter writing is an essential part of the world we live in today.  Letters can be used in innumerable ways and in various contexts. According to the book "Letter Writing as a Social Practice," by David Barton, letter writing:

• Is one of the most pervasive literate activities in human society.
• Crosses formal and informal contexts.
• Has a wide variety of forms that can be found in most domains of life.

In order to be successful and influential in life, it is extremely important to be proficient in letter writing.  Employers pay close attention to letter writing and composition skills when considering potential employees, and graduate schools do the same when considering admissions to their programs.  If an individual is proficient in writing, there is a much better chance for that individual to be persuasive and successful in all that they do.

What is Proper Attire for a Business Interview?

In an interview your attire plays a supporting role, but what is the proper attire for that upcoming business interview, you might ask?   According to the career center at Virginia Tech University,  the safest bet is always a two-piece matched suit.  It is important to look clean-cut, making sure that all clothing is clean and pressed.  Hair should be well groomed and maintained.  Extreme styles and fashions should be avoided, and when in doubt, it is always safer to edge on the conservative side. Collegegrad.com states that "even though many companies have relaxed the internal company dress code, interviews still follow the conservative standard. Don't buck the trend."  There is a substantial amount of non-verbal communication that is transmitted through your attire. Dress for success and you'll be much more likely to be successful.

E-Commerce, is it worth it?

     In a recent article called "Exploring E-Commerce," in Entrepreneur Magazine, the step by step process for small businesses to integrate successfully to the E-commerce world was addressed.  When an entrepreneur decides to go online, there are many, many things that must be considered first, and an elaborate plan must be made that includes research, marketing, and understanding of the technology.
     The world of online sales is immeasurably vast.  There are consumers from all corners of the world.  People of all sizes, shapes, personalities, nationalities, and interests are on the web each and every day.  Scattered in this vast sea of information are retailers that sell virtually anything you could feasibly imagine.  Inevitably, there will be competitors online that are selling the same product at a competitive price.  It is imperative to do extensive researching of the competition. One must find weaknesses in the competition, whether it be in website design, shipping charges, customer service, or ease of website navigation, there is nearly always a way to one-up the competition in some way, thus allowing entrepreneurs to differentiate their business from the host of competitors and give themselves a competitive advantage.
     Researching can be a tedious process that can take many hours of dedicated time. However, the information obtained can prove invaluable and if used effectively can, in turn, increase profit margins and allow for a much higher level of success in a smaller time period.  Once research has been done, one can determine the target audience based on geographic location, demographics, and socio-economic factors.  Entrepreneurs can then tailor their marketing approach to their own unique audience and determine which method they will use to spread the word.
    An understanding of the technology and online marketing methods opens the door to success.  The use of search engines to draw business to a website can be an invaluable tool.  Many search engines, such as Yahoo and Google, offer ad-featuring services that can be purchased on a pay-per-click basis.  E-mail marketing has also become popular and has proved effective.  Companies send out newsletters with special offers, discounts, or special features.  This targets an audience that has already showed interest by signing up for the newsletter and therefore is effective.
     Opportunities are limitless in the e-commerce world, but success is dependent on so many factors that true levels of success vary greatly.  Entrepreneurs are forced to take countless factors into consideration.  Planning must be effective and execution must be excellent, but if done right, the sky's the limit!