Why should you be honest with your readers? And how can you be honest while still being sure that you are presenting your best side? This article assumes you are an honest person. It\’s not addressed to people disposed to cheat. Instead, it\’s written for people who want to give the best picture of their product or service while at the same time projecting their strengths.

You should be honest with your readers for several reasons. First, being honest is the right thing to do. It keeps you right with the Universe, and reverberates in everything you do, from the products you manufacture to the client services you provide, from your relationships with the public to the way you carry yourself on the subway. You already know that dishonesty inevitably gets you into trouble: promising products you can\’t deliver, concealing inadequacies in a product or service, claiming experience you don\’t have.

The challenge, in being honest, is to have a clear sense of who you are and what you have to offer. Being honest with your readers involves being honest with yourself about both your strengths and your weaknesses. When you write content for your website, or your newsletter or press release, know ahead of time what your true story is and how you want to tell it. Be clear on your strengths, and why people should want to buy from you. Believe in what you have to offer. At the same time, be clear on your limits. The more honest and comfortable you are, the more the tone of your writing will express that honesty and comfort, and the more appealing your writing will be.

Some people confuse honesty with negativity: \”We\’ve only been doing this service for a year so we\’re really still kind of new…\” The challenge is to focus on your strengths. If you have only been providing your service for a year you can, for example, say \”We bring fresh ideas and a new perspective to our work.\” In this way you turn the focus around. Or, place a positive light on your newness: \”It\’s only been a year since we started our service, and already we have hundreds of customers proclaiming their satisfaction with our work.\” In other words, rather than avoiding some aspect of your product or service, you may be able to build on it.

Let\’s consider another angle: suppose that you had a serious problem with inventory control about six months ago, but you have solved the problem. People are bound to know about it, so rather than trying to avoid saying anything, try a positive approach: \”Last year as many of you know we never received shipment of \’Nature\’s World\’ t-shirts that so many of our customers had ordered. [A direct and simple statement of the problem.] We have since learned that the supplier had been promising what they could not deliver, and have ended our relationship with them. [A statement of action taken, also simple and direct.] And we have refunded all payments to those of you who placed an order. [Action taken directly affecting customers]

\”Honesty is the best policy\” is certainly accurate. When you have your readers in mind, write to engage with them honestly about every aspect of your enterprise, strengths as well as weaknesses.

Copyright (c) 2011 Jane Sherwin. You may reprint this entire article and you must include the copyright info and the following statement: \”Jane Sherwin is a writer who helps hospitals and other healthcare facilities communicate their strengths and connect with their readers.\”

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Learn more about Jane at http://worddrivecommunications.com/index.htm. Subscribe to Jane\’s free monthly e-newsletter at http://tinyurl.com/2enrdqx for practical tips on communicating effectively with customers, clients, employees and the public.

Learn more about Jane at http://worddrivecommunications.com/index.htm. Subscribe to Jane\’s free monthly e-newsletter at http://tinyurl.com/2enrdqx for practical tips on communicating effectively with customers, clients, employees and the public.

Author Bio: Learn more about Jane at http://worddrivecommunications.com/index.htm. Subscribe to Jane\’s free monthly e-newsletter at http://tinyurl.com/2enrdqx for practical tips on communicating effectively with customers, clients, employees and the public.

Category: Marketing
Keywords: being honest with your readers, newsletter content, tips for newsletter content