Word Tips and Tricks

• On the keyboard, click F12.
  This opens the Save As dialog box. 
• Save the file with a new name.

Go To Shortcut 

Rather than going to the Edit menu and clicking Go To, try the following shortcut:

• On the keyboard, click F5.
  This opens the Go To dialog box. 
• Enter the Page number you want and then close it.

Changing the Cursor

Did you know that you can change the cursor on your PC?

The cursor on your computer is probably a thin black line. This is the default cursor on most Windows machines and for most of the time it’s fine. How about if you want something else?  Try this:

• Hold down AlrGr and then press the – symbol (right of 0 on my keyboard). This changes the cursor to a - sign.
• Hold down AlrGr and then press the + symbol. This changes the cursor to a large + sign which may make it easier for you when writing documents.
  

Using Paint to take Great Screenshots November 20, 2006

There are many great products for taking screenshots out there. Snagit is the one I’d recommend most. 

However, if you’re on a tight budget, you may have to make do with Paint, which comes pre-installed with Windows. 

Paint is a very under-rated product and comes with more features that you’d probably expect. If you learn to use it properly, it will probably save you having to buy a specialist product. 

So, what I’m going to do is show you how to take nice, clean screenshots with Paint.

How to take a standard screenshot

1. Open the page, image or website that you want to take the screenshot of.
2. Press the PrtSc key on your keyboard.
   On my laptop, this is above the letter F10. On my desktop, it’s between the keys and the number pad. This takes a screenshot (like a photograph) of the entire desktop.
   Later we will look at how to screenshot floating windows, where you have many items floating above each other on the screen at the same time, such as pop-up windows.
3. Open Paint. Use Ctrl + V to paste in the screenshot.
   Let’s say that you only want the logo and not the entire page. To do this, use the Select tool.
4. Select the area you want to extract from the image, i.e. the logo.
5. Press Ctrl + C to copy the logo to the Clipboard.
   You now have a large image with a hole in it where you’re logo used to be. What we want to do next is remove this image, copy the logo back into Paint, and do some tidying up.  
6. Press Ctrl + A (to select the work area in Paint) and press Delete. This wipes the screen clean.
7. Press Ctrl + V to paste the logo back into Paint.
   The next step is to tidy up the image.
8. Use the Select tool again and drag a thin box along the edge of the logo. 
9. Press Delete to remove the area you selected with the box.
   You can repeat this step to tidy up the image. 
10. Use the Select tool to select the image. 
11. Press Ctrl + C to copy the image and then paste it into Word or whatever program wants to use it.
    

Using Paint to Convert Images into JPG, TIFF and PNGs November 20, 2006

You can use Paint to convert many graphic files from one file type to another. You don’t need to buy Adobe Photoshop or other expensive graphic design tools. Paint has many small tricks up sleeve. 

You can open these file types in Paint: 

• BMP
• JPG
• TIFF
• PNG

You can save the BMPs (also known as bitmaps) as Monochrome, 16 colors, 256 colors, and 24 bits depending on the type of image you want. For example, if you’re creating documents that will be printed in black and white, then saving the images in Monochrome will significantly reduce the file size.

You can convert these files from one type to another. This means that you can convert, for example: 

• BMP to JPG
• JPG to TIFF
• TIFF to PNG
• PNG to BMP 

And all the different combinations that these offer…

If you’re creating web pages, I’d recommend using JPGs. These provide high-quality images that take up a small amount of space. You can also cut and paste them directly into Word and other Office applications. 

How To Write Headings November 20, 2006

The earliest memory I have of writing is producing a very long and serious essay on Hamlet. I managed to write eight pages. The teacher wanted 2000 words – minimum. So, we all churned out hundreds and hundreds of words. Did anyone read it? Probably not.

Maybe you wrote something like it too. Do you remember what it looked like? Think back. Long, heavy, dense paragraphs, all written in long-hand. Easy to read? My essays (maybe yours were better) never used a single heading. Large slabs of text. Starting with the introduction (Hamlet was the son of…) it galloped headlong towards the end (…which is why he died!).

In academic writing, particularly ‘creative writing’, you can get away with such things. What’s important is that you get your feelings and thoughts down on paper.

Business writing is very different.

Unlike academic writing, in the business world you have a very attentive audience, some of whom have paid money to buy your products! They expect you to tell them how it works, which only seems reasonable.

A lot of my time is spent editing other people’s work. One of the quickest ways to get started, or at least get into the document, is to introduce strong headings. These add shape and confidence to the document. Suddenly it has structure. A framework begins to emerge.

Why Write Headings?

Knowing how to write clear, informative headings will make a great difference to your documents. Headings are like sign-posts. They tell the reader where to go. They call out and say, “This paragraph is about Writing Blogs” while the next says, “this paragraph is about Business Blogging.” Without them the document is reduced to a rant. It goes on and on without direction. You, the reader, can’t find anything. Looking at the document makes you negative. Not a good start! 

Usability.gov touches on this point, “Once the information is chunked appropriately, write headings that are descriptive of the information. On the Web, page headings become links out of context on a previous page - like the table of contents of a printed booklet. Therefore, headings should clearly explain to users what page they are about to link to.”

Short informative headings help readers focus. They summarize text into ‘bite-size’ sentences. As the name implies a heading is the ‘head’ of the text you’re about to introduce.

Writing Effective Headings

Try to distill your headings into snappy 3-5 word sentences. Use positive language. Get to the point. Avoid using jargon, puns, archaic words, complex phrases, and other such affectations.

To write an effective heading:

1. Examine the section you want to summarize.
2. Identify the key topic. Every section (and paragraph) should have one key topic. Don’t mix ideas. You’ll confuse the reader and probably yourself in the process. 
3. Write a single sentence that describes the section. Keep it very simple. 
4. Revise the sentences and add an action verb. 

   For example, note the difference between Printing Duplex Reports, Saving XML Files To Shared Networks, Creating and Archiving Backups instead of Reports, Files, and Backups. While the former is informative and descriptive, the latter is dry and curt. 

5. Emphasize actions with nouns. Write Printing Digital Forms rather than Printing.

Are Headlines Important?

Research from Eyetrack III shows that readers scan documents rather than read word by word, , especially when reading online. In general, readers start with the first heading (or summary) and then, if interested, scan the other headings on the page. If their interest is piqued, they’ll go back and read more text.

Eyetrack III add that “People typically scan down a list of headlines, and often don’t view entire headlines. If the first words engage them, they seem likely to read on. On average, a headline has less than a second of a site visitor’s attention.”

It’s not just the headlines that they scan, rather it’s the first few words in the headline that matter.
“For headlines — especially longer ones — it would appear that the first couple of words need to be real attention-grabbers if you want to capture eyes.”

Content is judged literally in the blink of an eye.

You can read more at: http://poynterextra.org/eyetrack2004/blurbs.htm

Checklist for Business Letters November 20, 2006

Checklist for Business Letters

1. Be sympathetic to the reader’s situation. Acknowledge their frustration and any previous queries they may have made. Don’t rush into the letter without first mentioning any correspondence they’ve sent you or conversations you’ve had in relation to this business matter. 
2. Include a short, positive introduction when opening your letter. Try to strike the right now from the start.
3. Use one idea for each paragraph. Don’t confuse the reader, or yourself, by mixing multiple ideas together. Prioritize the most important points. 
4. Use headings to divide the letter into logical sections. This also makes it easier to scan. Most people read only the sections that interest them. Using headings to assist them in locating the relevant information. 
5. Use white space to organize text. Avoid large, dense paragraphs. It’s very intimidating. No-one likes blocks of text. However, if used correctly, white space can emphasize the key sections in a document and give it more breathe. 
6. Use bullet lists to identify key points. Use short sentences. Number items if action have to be performed in sequence. Avoid garish bullet points. Aim for a clean professional design.
7. Use tables to represent data. Strive to balance the ‘text to images’ ratio. Provide labels for each table. Consider using alternating stripes to add some color to the document. 
8. Avoid using condescending language or adopting a patronizing manner. This will only infuriate the reader even more. Avoid using phrases such as, “As I’m sure you’re aware…” or “As you must know…” Always try to put yourself in the reader’s shoes. 
9. Help the reader understand YOUR position. For example, why your product may have malfunctioned or how they can help you understand their situation more clearly. 
10. Show your appreciation for the reader’s time, especially if they have already written to you.
11. Don’t refer to the reader as a ‘user’. It’s a horrible phrase. No-one wants to be called a user. In technical documentation, it may be acceptable but in business letters, avoid at all costs. Refer to them for what they are – a person. 
12. Talk about the reader’s needs rather than your company’s products. Don’t harp on about your commitment to quality and so on. Get to the point. How can you fix their problem? How can you make their life better? Why should they ever buy your products again?
13. Avoid the passive voice. Use the active voice. It will give your letter more direction and help avoid ambiguity. 
14. Vary the length of your sentences without disturbing your writing style, ie the rhythm of the letter.
15. Be succinct. Revise your letter and remove all extraneous information. A small word of warning, though. Don’t be too curt. It you perform too much surgery on your letter, you may inadvertently cut out its heart. Try to get a balance.
16. Read the letter aloud. Improve the writing until it sounds natural and easy on the ear.
17. Get another opinion! Ask a colleague to read your letter. Ask them the three things they dislike most about it. The third thing is usually what they really don’t like. The first two were the sugar-coating, but watch out for the third one… 
18. Use positive language. The tone you adopt effects the reader’s response. Use positive words and phrases to stress the key points, while avoid a tendency to be over-zealous or excessively optimistic in your choice of words. 
19. Cut out clichés. Review your document and remove all tacky, jaded phrases. Improve your writing by using more direct, clear communications. Clichés insult people and will not win you any favors with the reader. It smacks of laziness.
20. Make yourself available for further assistance. Include your email address, office phone number, and extension if possible. Don’t hide behind voice-mail or the secretary. 
21. Provide a Call to Action so the reader knows what to do next.

How to Write a Report? November 16, 2006

To succeed as a report writer, you need to appreciate the mindset of your readers. Report writing is very specific. It’s there to help people make decisions. When you understand this, your approach to writing repots becomes much simpler. Instead of writing reams and reams of pages, you focus on the reader’s needs.

Report writing in a nutshell:

• Start with a specific purpose.
• Describe the problem.
• Provide facts, figures and data that relate to the topic.
• Draw conclusions.
• Recommend a course of action.
• Reports are highly-structured. They rely on headings, and sub-headings, to introduce topics while also providing direction to readers. Tables, charts, and diagrams also enhance the findings. 

7 Step Plan On How To Write A Report

1. Consider the aim of the report and its intended audience.
2. Planning - Decide how you will gather information, for example, interviews, surveys, and questionnaires. 
3. Information - Gather the information, then organize it and start analyzing it. 
4. Conclusions - Decide your conclusions based on the information you have read.  
5. Recommendations - Decide your recommendations and, where appropriate, the best course of action for the readers to take.
6. Start the writing phase. Refine the report through a series of drafts. 
7. Edit and publish the final copy. 

As you write your report, keep an eye on the following areas:

• Check the accuracy of the facts, figures, and other research data.
• Check cross-references and links to other sources of data.
• Check that links to websites are ‘live’ as broken links will reflect poorly on your report.
• Check that your conclusion and recommendations align with the data you have presented.
• Avoid using industry terms or jargon. Provide a glossary where necessary.
• Put charts, diagrams and statistics in context by providing some supporting text.
• Use a consistent writing style throughout the document. Choose a positive language, write in the present tense, and prefer simple rather than complex words. 

Basic report format:

• Title Page
  Give prominence to the official name of the report. Underneath this enter the name of the author, the publication date and copyright notices.
• Table of Contents
  Enter the table of contents, using heading 1 only. In some cases you can also use headings 2 entries, though it’s best to avoid going any deeper than this level for most reports. Keep the reader focused on the main points.
• Executive Summary
  In the opening paragraph introduce the main topic or issue that you’re about to discuss. If relevant, explain why this report has been commissioned. Avoid clichés, jargon or archaic words at all costs. It sets the wrong tone and you’ll lose all credibility with the reader.
• Next, put the report in context by informing the reader of the methodologies you used when gathering data, research you performed, interviews and surveys carried out and so forth. 

  Your ability to demonstrate a commitment to the topic in question may significantly influence the reader’s opinion. Alternately, if the reader feels that you lack interest in the subject matter they will hardly be encouraged to turn the next page. Would you?

• Finally, summarize your main findings and outline the key recommendations. Keep this succinct. Providing too much detail will discourage the reader from continuing. Stimulate their interest.  

  Keep this to one page!

  Tip: the Executive Summary is like a standalone document. People should be able to read this as it stands and understand the essence of your report.  
  

1. Introduction
   You’re now into the document proper.
   Outline what you’re going to cover in this report. For larger reports, you may want to list the main chapters and describe what each one will cover. However, for most reports you can stick to:
   -Background. Does this follow from previous reports? It this part of a larger project? Will additional reports follow?
   -Role. Outline its value to the reader and why they should study its findings. What does this report discuss that other reports have overlooked? Does it break new ground? Are its authors uniquely qualified?
   -Objectives. Describe your objectives in writing this report, for example, to investigate the success of online banking in Asia. Describe how successful you were to achieving this and obstacles you encountered, such as data protection, legislation, or language issues.
   -Scope. Clarify the boundaries of this report by defining what’s within scope and also, most critically, areas that are out of scope. This is important to address as the reader may have expectations or assumptions that could color their thinking. By defining the scope, you reduce the likelihood that your report will be mis-interpreted and remove any ambiguity that may exist in the reader’s mind.
   -Limitations. Similar to the point above only. Highlight areas that were not covered, or not covered in sufficient depth, due to restrictions placed on the report’s authors. Examples of this could include financial restrictions, lack of technical resources, time constraints, access to data sources, or legal issues.
2. Heading
   This is where you start the main discussion. In the following chapters, use headings and subheadings to organize your data. Provide data in tabular format (tables) where appropriate. Label and number all tables, figures, diagrams, charts, and other such pieces of information. 

   2.1 Subheading
   2.2 Subheading
   2.3 Subheading 

3. Heading 

   3.1 Subheading
   3.2 Subheading
   3.3 Subheading 

4. Conclusion
   After presenting your case to the reader in the previous chapters, draw your own conclusions by interpreting the data as you see fit. Explain to the reader why you have come to these conclusions while also acknowledging any limitations or concerns you may have with the research findings, sources of data, or validity of information.
   But, don’t mince your words. The reader has made the effort to get this far. They deserve to know where you stand on the matter.
5. Recommendations
   This chapter dovetails from your conclusions. Recommendations outline the course of action based on data you’ve analyzed. When making recommendations, give consideration to the following areas:
   Actions that are required
   Individuals who will perform these actions
   Guidelines to quantify the success or failure of the proposed actions
   Warnings, threats, or dangers that may arise if these recommendations are not implemented.
   References
   Provide a list of all resources, (individuals, companies, books, websites etc) mentioned in the document.
   Appendices
   Attach supporting documentation to the report where appropriate. This could range from datasheets, technical specifications, to surveys, statistics, market research, or charts, diagrams, and other types of illustrations.   
   

Sticking to a Schedule; Time Management Tips November 16, 2006

Here are some tips for managing your schedule, especially if run your own business:

Create a Schedule – if you run a small business, chances are that you have an endless to-do list. It can be very stressful, and unproductive, to manage these unless you have a plan.

Here’s a suggestion. Don’t try to keep everything in your head. Open up Excel, create five columns for each day of the week, and give each day a specific task. You can use the template at this url to get you started. Once you have this in place, print it out and keep it on your desk. Stick to this schedule as close as possible. The more consistent you are, the more productive you’ll become!

PS – refine the schedule every now and then based on your overall workload.

Make your aims smaller – most of us don’t achieve our aims as they are too large. Create small bit-size aims. You will achieve more in the long run by using this approach instead of tacking massive 5 year plans. 

Make your aims even smaller – try to create 1 minute aims. That’s an aim you can achieve in 1 minute. For example, delete all the newsletters, ezines, and promotions from your inbox. A clean inbox will help you focus and concentrate on what needs attention. Get rid of the clutter. Print out the schedule. Keep it on the wall where you can see it. Don’t make appointments or arrange meetings without first checking your schedule. This will help give your business more structure. It will also make you feel more professional as you are working in a more structured and organized environment.

Clean Desk policy – throw out all magazines, newspapers, printouts, bits of paper, post-it notes that clutter your desk. Scan in those you MUST keep. Otherwise, get rid of the rubbish. You deserve to work in a clean, organized environment. A clean desk may seem difficult at first, but once you get into the habit, you will be amazed others don’t the same!

Evaluating Proposals November 16, 2006

I was asked recently how to evaluate a proposal that had been sent to over 200 bidders. The Proposal Writer was thinking of developing a checklist and using this to score the bids. While this does make some sense, in reality such as checklist should have been prepared long before the RFP was published. Writing proposals in one thing; knowing how to evaluate them is another. Let’s look at how this process works. 

My first question when I spoke to the writer was if the RFP had included a scoring matrix. It hadn’t. The second was how the bidders could tell which of the requirements was the most important. While the Executive Summary alluded to these, it was couched and vague terms. 

From a neutral’s point of view, it was hard to know exactly what the government agency (i.e. those who issued the proposal) wanted to achieve. Vague requirements create vague proposals. How could it be otherwise? 

How to evaluate proposals ?

What we did in this case was: Reviewed the RFP and made a list of all the requirements. 40 requirements were found. 

Created an Excel file, made three columns, and divided the requirements into three groups: Must Have, Would Like To Have, and Not Necessary. Divided the total points to be awarded into three sections: 70% for must have, 20% for would like to have, and 10% for not necessary. 

Once we had this nailed down, we started to examine the bids. It became clear that some bids had totally missed the mark. Their proposals focussed on technologies and services that had little value for the agency, though in the bidder’s defence, the RFP hadn’t provided much direction. With 200 documents to read, we had to weed out the weaker bids fast. This allowed us to concentrate on the better ones. Several days later, we had boiled down the list to 4 bids. 

Next, we prepared a second checklist. This checklist had five columns: Understanding of Requirements, Proposed Solutions, Pricing, CVs, and Track Record. 

In reality, this second checklist should have been used when evaluating all proposals. However, with over 200 bids to work though this was not going to happen. Instead, we focused on the better bids and read these line by line several times. 

Who Evaluates the Proposals? 

I’ve worked on small projects where it was possible to write, publish, and evaluate each bids. This is not practical on large-scale proposals where you need a broader range of skills and industry knowledge to evaluate the bids. For a recent project, the evaluation team was made of five individuals. Each was an expert in their own field and could be trusted to analyse their portion of the bid accurately. 

The team members were: Project manager – studied the project plan, looked for risks and issues that would impact the deliverables. Necessary for interviewing bidder’s pm at presentations. 

Finance Officer – checked the final bid prince, daily rates, breakdown of costs, company financial background, soundness etc. Necessary for negotiating, especially costs associated with change control. 2 x Technology Experts – examined the solution proposed by the bidder. Having two experts allows you to get contrasting opinions, especially when the solution is very complex. It also protects you from scenarios whereby one reviewer has an inclination towards a particular software technology. 

Bid manager – reviews the bid against the original RFP. Ensures it addresses all requirements and that no (mandatory) requirements have been overlooked or misinterpreted. Drives the project, coordinates reviewers, and schedules the final presentations. As mentioned above, the first set of activities in the evaluation process include: 

Using checklists and scoring matrices to assess bids, i.e. define how close the proposals match the requirements  Compiling the scores from all evaluators. Preparing a final evaluation report. Outline the strength and weakness of each bid. 

After you’ve completed this first phase, you then need to:  Schedule presentations with bidders who have been short-listed. Bring in 3-5 at the most. 

Allocate 5% approx for presentations. Update the proposal’s scores based on the presentations. Award the bid. 

Inform the successful (and unsuccessful) bidders of your decision. Hold debriefing sessions with the unsuccessful bidders. 

The final step is very useful as it helps these bidders understand your reasoning, improve their bids and increase competition by setting the standard for all future proposals. If you don’t provide feedback to the bidders, they’re doomed to repeat the same mistakes in the next round of proposals. 

Making Money from Case Studies November 12, 2006

The first question is why bother to write case studies at all?

After all, white papers seem to be more hip and trendier. Entire websites are dedicated to white paper marketing. Even Penny Marshall now offers courses on using white papers for strategic advantage. Editors seem to think they have more gravity than the plain ol’ case study. And, in some ways, they’re right.

But case studies have one advantage over white papers – they demonstrate success. 

Robert F. Abbott makes this point, “If you want to persuade others to adopt your point of view, buy your product, or vote for you, a useful tool is the case study, which will put your reader or listener in the shoes of a decision maker.” 

Whereas white papers can be abstract and theoretical, case studies are practical, no-nonsense, down-to-earth documents. At least, they should be.

For business people involved in decision-making roles, case studies make very interesting reading. Remember these people are short on time. They’re under pressure to make decisions quickly. They want directness. They want facts. And they want proof.

You can address all of these in a case study. 
 

- What’s involved in a Case Study?

There are three main strands to this document. To make the case study successful, you’ll need to show:

1. Who in the organization and/or public benefited?
2. What was the client’s dilemma before they used your product?
3. When were benefits seen?
4. Where benefits were gained, both from a technical and business perspective?
5. How you solved the problem?
6. How you quantified its success, i.e. faster customer service, fewer complaints, more online mortgage applications?

For a professional writer, case studies offer many lucrative business opportunities.
 

- Who Wants to Pay For Case Studies

The people you want to target are Marketing Managers, Finance Directors and Proposal Managers. All of these people have valid reasons to use case studies.

Remember: case studies are mostly used for sales and marketing. They’re slow-burning documents with a long shelf-life. You can post them on websites, append them to press releases, use them as supporting documents in proposals, and give them out at trade shows, presentations, and workshops. For such a small document, they have many uses.
 

- Who Else Is Interested?

Contact mid-size companies many of whom have no sales collateral. They are desperate for quality material that’ll promote their products. Tell them you can write a sharp, professional case study in less than ten days. Maybe five!

They’ll know they’ll never get anything written in ten days. They’ve tried it over the years (believe me, they have) and still can’t get around to it. Take the pressure off them.

For example, say, “If I start on Tuesday, it will be ready by next Wednesday.” Most people will jump at this.

Don’t mention fees until they agree to take you on. And, of course, you have to deliver!

How To Write The Case Study in Five Days November 12, 2006

An in-depth tutorial is beyond the scope of this newsletter, but the main points are:

1. Show the client examples of high-quality case studies. They don’t even have to be yours. But you need to paint a picture so they understand what you’ll need from them to make this work.
   
2. Ask them what they like, dislike, things that stands out, and color schemes they enjoy. If they have company templates use them, otherwise build new templates in the same style of what you’ve shown them.
   
3. Agree on the technology (or service) the client wants to demonstrate. This should be very clear. If you can’t agree on this, stop.  
   
4. Get a list of customers who’re willing to provide endorsements. Don’t expect them to write compelling 20 word quotes. That’s your job. Write these quotes and send it to them. Get the approval and re-write where necessary. Recycle the unused quotes for other publications – let nothing go to waste.
   

Tip – always keep you eyes peeled for examples of great writing. Copy any quotes you find on brochures, magazines, and websites into a resource file. Use this for inspiration when you need to keep things fresh. 

5. Get the Project Sponsor (i.e. the person who hired you) to gather screenshots, company logos, tech specs, datasheets etc. You’ll need these for the glossy PDF.
   
6. Start interviewing people. Ask them: what was the problem, how was it solved, and what difference it has made. Ask specific questions and you’ll get specific answers. Have your list of questions ready before you call them. Don’t make it up on the fly.
   
7. Compile the facts, statistics, and market research. This gives your case study more weight.
   
8. Send it out for review. Good, bad or indifference. It doesn’t matter, but you have to get feedback! Refine the material and then publish it. Never send out a publication without getting another person to check it first.
   
9. Send a PDF of the Case Study to every person who helped you with a thank you note (and business card) enclosed. Thank them for their efforts and encourage them to publish it on their website.
   

Tip: Remember this is an opportunity for you to generate more leads by demonstrating your professionalism. Contact everyone in person by phone – not email – and confirm that they got the PDF.
If you want, tell them how great it looks when printed and ask if you can send over a hard-copy. In this way, get your nice, shiny case study onto their desk!
Generate enthusiasm. Share whatever positive feedback you’ve received from journalists, partners, and customers. You want them to feel that their business must also have a case study. And who’s going to write it for them?
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