Can you “impact” results? A case against using “impact” as a verb
Want to send a longtime, classically trained writer into a screaming fit? Write about how your financial strategies “impact” results. Using “impact” as a verb is as irritating to many writers as my husband’s early-morning cellphone alarms that go off before my alarm clock are to me. When you use the word this way, you […]
Writing an email help request that gets results
“I NEED HELP!” This line will get your email recipient’s attention. But email help requests that sound this desperate won’t get the results you seek. Nor will requests that are too subtle. Strike a balance to achieve the best results. Let me illustrate what works—and what doesn’t—with a before-and-after example of a financial professional’s email […]
Marketing lesson from clashing clocks
I’m a regular at my gym. I go there to use the elliptical machine, work out with free weights, and take spinning classes. But sometimes I learn lessons that have nothing to do with exercise—like the lesson of the clashing clocks. For years, my gym has had two wall clocks facing each other. One was […]
4 reasons learning to blog helps CFA charterholders
CFA candidates and charterholders have great quantitative and analytical skills, so why should they care about learning to blog? The ability to write a great blog post matters because good writing skills will carry you far in your career—and life in general. There are four reasons that learning to blog helps CFA charterholders at all […]
Personalized subject lines can backfire in emails
A good personalized subject line can boost your results. But mess up the personalization, and you’ll lose. Characteristics of good personalized subject lines It’s great to tweak your email subject line to appeal to a specific recipient. For example, if you know the recipient’s hot button, include it in the subject line. Another approach is […]