Wise words from a writing workshop

October 16, 2025|Kim's Blog, Marketing|

Marketing and business development delegates from legal, accountancy and construction firms joined a PM Forum workshop on persuasive writing. We covered a lot during the session, so I’ve shared just those ideas that the delegates found most valuable. Wise words from a writing workshop.

Key takeaways from a writing workshop for marketing and business development professionals

I’m letting the delegates do the talking. In the interests of brevity – here are their key takeaways

Show, don’t tell
- Rather than state your message, find ways to show the reader
- Use stories and metaphors to promote emotions and engagement
- Use testimonials, references, images and logos to get the message across – they have more credibility and visual impact

Pull, don’t push
- We are tempted to push out our (technical) content and messages
- But we need to draw people in – consider the reader and their interests to do this
- “You can buy attention (advertising). You can beg for attention from the media (traditional PR). You can bug people one at a time to get attention (traditional sales). Or you can earn attention by creating something interesting and valuable and then publishing it online” David Meerman Scott, author of “The New Rules of PR and Marketing”

KISS – Keep it Simple (Seriously)
- Imagine your reader as an “ignorant genius” – they are smart but need additional information
- Help build understanding by starting from basic principles and build up the complexity
- Imagine describing your complex idea to a six-year-old or your grandmother
- Albert Einstein is attributed with saying “If you can’t explain it simply, you don’t understand it well enough” and “Any fool can make things more complex. It takes a touch of genius to move in the opposite direction”

Harness the Power of Three
- Don’t overload readers with too much information
- Focus on the three key messages you wish to convey
- When crafting an article remember – title, standfirst and kicker
- Power of three – Writing and presentation basics (Video)

Less is more
- “I’m sorry I wrote you such a long letter, I didn’t have the time to write a short one” Blaise Pascal
- The idea emerged in architecture from the idea that simplicity and clarity lead to good design
- Be concise!

Avoid the Three Little Pigs syndrome (not We, We, We but You, You, You)
- Shift from inward facts (“We are the leading..”) to client-focused benefits (“You will value…”)

Experiment with alternative writing processes
- Most of us start with a brief, then plan out the two or three key messages and then write or often we work from a draft produced by someone else
- Experiment with different writing processes to release creativity – use visual mind maps, just start writing with a pen or paper, use AI to identify interesting angles or themes, interview someone

Balance firm brand and individual personality and voice
- Our firms invest a lot in our brands – so we must ensure the brand is reflected in our words
- Yet professional services is all about people – so we must ensure that the personality and voice of each expert is reflected in their writing
- Persuasive writing – Brand Voice and Tone of Voice – Kim Tasso

For emotion, use stories
- Stories – and characters in stories – tap into our emotions
- We’re 22 times more likely to remember a story over facts and figures alone
- New laws are more memorable when linked to their origin story – e.g. Awaab’s law (mould in social housing) and Jessie’s law (patient diagnosis)
- Book review: Unleash the power of storytelling by Rob Biesenbach

Vary the structure and pace
- Experiment with different structures for your writing
- And vary sentence and paragraph length

Look over your shoulder (at your competitors)
- It’s helpful to consider what and how your competitors write
- How does your writing compare? Which would you prefer as a reader?

Walk away (take a break – a mental excursion – after drafting, before you edit and post)
- After you have written your first draft, leave it alone for a while and do something else
- When you return to it, you’ll have a fresh mind and new ideas

Other points of interest from the writing workshop

We considered the origins of the humble press release How to write a press release – Kim Tasso
- The strict format was driven by how the printing press was organised (e.g. upper and lower cases of characters, the need to edit from the bottom up)
- We also looked at the journalist’s pyramid
- The release is factual – it’s a taster not the whole story
- There are shrinking news rooms today so make an impact quickly

Flesch writing formula
- Flesch Reading Ease and the Flesch Kincaid Grade Level – Readable
- Good writing is clear and simple
- A score of 85 is for reading by the general public

Many of our metrics show traffic and clicks, but not necessarily who is reading

Delegate goals and reasons for attending:
- Improve our pitches and tenders Book Review: Strategic Tendering for Professional Services
- Be more concise (practice short form writing)
- Improve my writing skills
- Adapt to my first role in a legal environment
- Gain insights into writing for the media (releases, articles)
- Help when moonlighting in the marketing team
- Learn how to write with a blank sheet
- Practice writing as rarely get opportunity in my role
- Create a style guide – and/or share it beyond marketing

Huge thanks to Womble Bond Dickinson | International Law Firm for hosting us in their marvellous offices in More London with panoramic views of Tower Bridge and the River Thames. Also thanks to their most welcoming front of house team – Avril on reception, Pete from IT and Catering Pete!

Key takeaways from a writing workshop for marketing and business development professionals

Other points of interest from the writing workshop

Related posts about writing skills and tips

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Wise words from a writing workshop

Key takeaways from a writing workshop for marketing and business development professionals

Other points of interest from the writing workshop

Related posts about writing skills and tips

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