Welcome to our bimonthly communications newsletter, What's Your Point? The most recent issues appear below. To receive new issues directly, subscribe using the form on the right.
Make Your Website Work Smarter:
Five mistakes that drive away traffic, and how to avoid them
The Internet is crowded with inadequately thought-out and poorly designed websites. Consider how many sites you’ve left because you couldn’t find what you were looking for. You don’t want visitors to have that experience on your site. Online customers have limited time and patience; test either and they’re just one click away from finding an alternative.
Avoiding Plagiarism:
What’s fair use, what’s asking for trouble
Plagiarism is an ever-present problem in all forms of writing, but it’s especially persistent on the web. Even seasoned companies have been caught using someone else’s content. Some end up making multimillion-dollar settlements. Because the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) of 1998 holds Internet service providers (ISPs) accountable for knowing infringement, offenders may find their websites taken down even without a legal judgment.
Communicating Value to Funders
Writing for funders is unlike any other type of writing. For one thing, the stakes are generally much higher; you can persuade a customer to buy a product or service, but impressing a funder may mean paying for a whole project or a full year of operations. For another, competition for funding has never been stiffer, which makes it essential to present yourself in the best possible light.
Even the most worth organizations have trouble finding funding for their efforts if they’re unable to convey their value effectively. Following are five tips for getting your message across to private and government funders in a way that will boost your chances of success.