SEPT. NEWSLETTER: Sale on paperback version of Financial Blogging! (& press release tip)

Financial Blogging’s paperback version is on sale direct from the author for shipment within the U.S. as long as supplies last.

If you live in the U.S., you can buy a paperback copy of Financial Blogging: How to Write Powerful Posts That Attract Clients for only $27 including shipping. Email me your shipping address so I can send you a PayPal invoice and confirm that you’re eligible for this offer.

The offer expires when I run out of copies. I have a limited supply of personal copies that I’m selling.

Michael Kitces says, “A great read for advisors who want to blog better—or learn how to start!” Learn more about the book.

Act now! The sale price is available only if you contact the author directly.

Do your press release readers care that you’re thrilled, proud, or happy?

Many companies include self-congratulatory language in press releases about new hires, new products, and other developments. That language flatters the people involved in those developments, but does it serve the companies well?

“Pleased, Excited, Proud, and Thrilled: Press Release (Over)Use Of Happy Words” says there’s no correlation between the use of these words and more clicks on press releases. Moreover, it says, overuse of common wording leads to “releases that are boring, unengaging, and thus ignored.” The blog post recommends, “don’t let the PR person write the release alone – get the unvarnished contributions from the project manager, the engineer, the designer, the people who legitimately are proud of their work, and let them speak to it in their own language. You’ll find the content is far more engaging and  authentic.”

Similarly, “You’re not delighted, proud or ecstatic, really… So why say it in press release quotes?” says, “we’ve found that using the same words repetitively can make a company’s messaging sound robotic and uninspired. Banning these overused words encourages our team to explore a richer tapestry of language, which not only keeps our press releases fresh but also provides more opportunities for creativity and originality.”

Stop being “pleased” and ratchet up the appeal of your press releases!

Do you spend too much time at your desk?

Working at a desk can give you aches and pains. Check out NASA’s guide to easy exercises to keep you healthy, DeskFit: 20 Essential Desk Exercises You Can Do Without Leaving Your Office or Home Workspace (PDF)! Some of the exercises are staples of my weekly routines. I particularly like the wrist/forearm stretch on page 14.

I recently discovered live and recorded exercise classes through OmPractice. You might be able to access it for free with your library card. I especially like the live yoga class for tight necks and shoulders.

Check out this elephant migration across the U.S.!

On vacation in Rhode Island this summer, I visited the Great Elephant Migration of 100 animals made by Indian artisans. The website explains it’s a “collaboration between indigenous artisans, contemporary artists and cultural institutions” with the goal of raising “millions of dollars to power human-wildlife coexistence projects and protect migratory animals making spectacular journeys across land, rivers, skies and oceans.” The individual elephants are for sale.

The Newport, R.I., version of the show ended on Sept. 2, but it’s moving across the U.S. to the following locations:

• The Meatpacking District, New York City, N.Y., September and October 2024
• Miami Beach, Fla., December
• Blackfeet Nation, Buffalo Pastures, Browning, Mont., May and June 2025
• Los Angeles, July 2025

What my clients say about me

“Fast, effective, insightful. I can think of no better resource for superior financial writing.”

“Susan has an exceptional ability to tailor investment communications to the sophistication level of any audience. She has an uncanny ability to make very complex investment and/or economic topics accessible and understandable to anyone.”

“Susan’s particularly good at working through highly technical material very quickly. That’s very important in this business. A lot of people are good writers, but they have an extensive learning curve for something they’re unfamiliar with. Susan was able to jump very quickly into technical material.”

Read more testimonials!

Improve your investment commentary

Attract more clients, prospects, and referral sources by improving your investment commentary with 44 pages of the best tips from the InvestmentWriting.com blog.

Tips include how to organize your thoughts, edit for the “big picture,” edit line by line, and get more mileage out of your commentary.

Available in PDF format for only $9.99. Buy it now!

Boost your blogging now!

Financial Blogging: How to Write Powerful Posts That Attract Clients is available for purchase as a PDF ($39) or a paperback ($49, affiliate link).

Hire Susan to speak

Could members of your organization benefit from learning to write better? Hire Susan to present on “How to Write Investment Commentary People Will Read,” “Writing Effective Emails,” or a topic customized for your company.