Articles and Blogs

Messaging should be clear, concise, and positive. We aim to gain the trust of our readers, so they turn to us as a reliable customer experience resource even when they aren’t actively looking for our solutions. This applies in any context in which you use the written word, be it internal, external, or with partners and clients. Examples of such writing include, but are not limited to: descriptions, conversations, applications, and instructions.

  • We want to empower our readers to inspire action: learn more, talk to an expert or download assets.
  • We educate.
  • We solve problems and provide data and insights.
  • We understand our reader’s issues and offer options to solve them in our communications, using different channels and mediums. People learn differently, so we need to address that by crafting several types of communications.
  • We speak directly to our audience because we know who they are.
  • We lead our readers down the customer/PRO/partner/client journey in an effortless way.
  • We are consistent in our messaging.
  • We offer surprise and delight by giving our readers resources they need or want, even if they weren’t expecting it. We offer more than they are looking to discover.

The most important edict is to write and communicate in a way that is easy for anyone to understand. Stay away from abbreviations and industry jargon, use an active tone of voice, and be positive. It is important to avoid negative and passive themes, ideas, and words.

Our golden rule of writing is to follow the AP Style of writing. Ads, word art, logos, and social media are exceptions to this rule.

Do’s and Dont’s

  • Refrain from using exclamation points! See what we did there?
  • When writing lists, try to use bullets to draw the eye in for easy reading.
  • Numbers from one to nine should be spelled out. Anything 10 or higher should be a number. Any numbers more than three digits get commas (1,000).
  • Use minimal words for a maximum impact. Be specific. You don’t need “absolutely necessary.” Use “necessary.”
  • When writing a piece, follow the formula: Introduction, three to five points to support your point of view, followed by a conclusion.
  • Watch for repetitive words. If you use the same word more than once in a paragraph, find a reasonable substitute.
  • Cut out filler words like “just.” Aim for the proper use of words like “that” and “which.”
  • Be consistent. If you capitalize something once, make sure it looks the same throughout the piece.
  • Ampersands should not be used unless part of a name (Barnes & Noble).
  • Contractions are okay if you are using an informal voice.
  • Dashes and Hyphens – Link words into a single phrase with hyphens or to indicate range or span.
  • Ellipses should be used sparingly and there are only three dots.
  • Punctuation goes inside quotation marks in most cases.
  • Names and Titles: Capitalize the names of departments and teams. Capitalize individual job titles when referring to a specific role.
  • Add links. Giving readers easy access to similar topics in articles, guides, and infographics offers more payoff for the reader.