In light of recent storm activity, we thought it prudent to briefly talk about simple emergency preparedness every business should take–and it all comes down to having a communications plan.

Newsletters are a popular marketing tool. Done well, they can be incredibly effective. Unfortunately, most people’s efforts end up in the circular file before anyone has bothered to read it. Why? Because they committed too many newsletter no no’s. If you’re the editor-in-chief of your company’s newsletter, be mindful to avoid these mistakes.

“Give it to me short, sweet and if possible, in a colorful graph. Otherwise, I’m going to ignore you.” Don’t you feel that way sometimes? Dr. Taly Weiss did some research on her blog TrendsSpotting that shows that of the top 100 blogs — most of them routinely have posts of less than 500 words.

It’s human nature. When someone loves something, we are drawn to it as well. Maybe it’s a borrowed esteem thing. But, when someone is that gaga over something, you just know there has to be something to it. And that love cannot be faked. It’s in their eyes. And in their words. They don’t just describe the object of their affection; their words actually caress it. Let me give you an example. The J. Peterman Company catalog is a copywriting lesson in and of itself. Each item is artfully displayed but it’s the description that enraptures the would-be shopper.

Most businesses do not create a marketing plan or do any annual “thinking” about their business. I’m not even going to begin the lecture on that. So let’s assume you’re one of the few who recognizes the importance of some annual planning. Part of that planning should be a SWOT analysis.