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20 Questions to ask about your success story collateral
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Cambashi e-Expertise June 2004 Hot Topic Questionnaire
Mark each item out of 5, where 5 is best and 0 is worst
| No | Item | Score | Scoring basis |
| 1 | Target Audience - the reader e.g. any 'C'
level executive, Line of Business Manager, specialist? Specify - do not
score. |
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| 2 |
Target Audience - the Industry sector or segment? Specify - do not score.
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| 3 | Is the language, terminology and prose style appropriate for the intended reader? | Mark against your answer to Q1. Automatically score zero for any Three Letter Acronym (TLA) that is not explained on the first occasion that it is used. | |
| 4 | Is the solution relevant for the Industry or segment? | Mark against your answer to Q2. | |
| 5 | Is it about an established success, or is it simply an announcement about a recent win? | Promises of benefits are not as good as the real thing. | |
| 6 | Does the title, front page graphic or the first sentence secure the readers attention? | Attention is the hardest thing to capture - ask someone else. | |
| 7 | Does the opening paragraph explain why a target reader should read the entire piece? | Do you signal early on the benefit the reader will get from the time spent? | |
| 8 | How much of the content is directed to carrying the message and the essential background? | Client history, anecdotes and values are all very well, but not in the opening paragraphs unless it is essential. Keep it brief. | |
| 9 | Is the length about right? | Here's a simple test. Pick any paragraph and try to cut out half the words. If you succeed then it's too long! | |
| 10 | Is it easy to read? | It's almost certain that you are the wrong person to make this judgement - you're too close to it! This is one to "ask a friend". | |
| 11 | Is it easy to navigate? | Another one for the friend! | |
| 12 | Does the piece make the claims concerning the benefits of the solution clear? | Be harsh - you're looking for clear simple statements in plain English. | |
| 13 | Are any benefit claims quantified in a meaningful way to allow the prospect to assess the business value of the solution? | Any kind of numbers will help, either absolute numbers about cost savings or percentage numbers concerning speed, cost, efficiency or productivity improvement. | |
| 14 | Are any benefit claims substantiated by reference to other supporting or corroborating information from independent sources? | Before or after comparisons, references to independent information sources like industry or market norm data. | |
| 15 | Does the piece make clear the way in which this solution is different from other possible solutions' Unique Sign Points (USPs)? | Does it sell the solution for anybody - or does it sell your solution? | |
| 16 | Is there a clear, simple and compelling "call to action" - the next step for people who want to know more? | Surprising how often the copy just stops - no next step, maybe a long list of locations - does it make it easy? | |
| 17 | Are the diagrams and graphics relevant to the story and do they help to convey the message? |
The only excuse for having these is that they help tell the message, or attract attention. If they're simply there as decoration they're wasting space. |
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| 18 | Is there a legend or subtitle for all the pictures or graphics that are used - and are the diagrams referred to in the copy? | The text that appears beneath a picture is much more likely to be read - make good use of it. | |
| 19 | Does the story offer direct support for the key value propositions or fundamental top level messages of the business? | This is the strategy piece - think about the top level messaging of the business, the key notes of the value proposition. Does this piece sing the right song? | |
| 20 | Do you waste space on standard information like a list of offices, which is readily available on the web? | Success story is defocused if it carries your corporate positioning too. | |
Link to article: Spot check- does your gun fire blanks
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