Archive for the 'Priceless Writing Tips' Category
When your family member, friend, associate or co-worker has lost someone dear to them – it’s natural for you to want to reach out to them. Most people do this through a condolence letter. It’s the perfect way to let someone know that you’re there for them, without intruding on them in their time of sorrow.
What is a Condolence Letter?
A condolence letter is something that people cherish as a memento of the friends and family that supported them through a very difficult time. Typically, it’s a letter or note which expresses your sorrow and offers help and support to the bereaved. It should be sent out within 2 weeks of you hearing of the recipient’s loss. Here are some more important tips to help you write a heartfelt, proper condolence letter.
What Should a Condolence Letter Contain?
There are several things which your condolence letter or note should contain, including:
- How you heard of the loss.
- How the loss made you feel.
- Special traits or characteristics of the person who passed.
- Memories or thoughts of the person deceased.
- An offering of support and help to the recipient.
- A heartfelt closing.
You can start by telling the addressee how sorry you are for their loss and how you are affected by the loss as well. This helps let the person know that he or she is not alone in their suffering – which is very supportive and helpful at a time like this. Talking about special characteristics and memories of the person that has passed allows you to connect with the recipient and reminds them to think of the good times.
When you are mentioning character traits or good memories of the deceased, mention their name often. This is comforting to the person reading the condolence letter or note and will resonate better with them. Next, you want to reach out to the recipient in their time of need and let them know that you are there for them. Offer help or support and make sure the offer is specific. Keeping things general, like, “Please let me know if you need anything,” makes it more difficult for the recipient to actually contact you and ask for help.
However, if you specifically offer something, they can take you up on it much easier. You may offer to baby-sit their children if they need some private time, or you could offer to prepare food for a few days – anything to help them as they are dealing with other issues concerning the deceased. Even offering for them to call you if they need to talk is a great idea.
Finally, a genuine and heartfelt closing is how you should end the letter. Wish them well and let them know that they are in your thoughts and prayers. You will find some example closings in the sample condolence letters below.
Quick Tips for Writing Condolence Notes:
- Don’t write your letter in a formal or stiff manner. A great way to determine if your letter sounds natural and genuine is to read it out loud. It should sound as if you are simply speaking to the recipient.
- Avoid mentioning anything other than the deceased and wishing the recipient well. For instance, adding details about your family or asking questions unrelated to the loss is not a good idea.
- Follow through with any offer you make to the recipient. If you offer to call them in a few days to check in with them, make sure you do so. If you offer to baby-sit their children, make sure you follow up with a phone call in a few days and reiterate the offer. If you can’t follow through with something, don’t offer it in the letter.
- Write your condolence letter or note on pretty stationary or paper. You can even opt for a sympathy card, but insert your letter rather than writing the entire thing on the card.
Sample Condolence Letter 1 – For a Co-Worker Who Has Lost a Loved One
Dear Martha,
I am so terribly sorry to hear of the loss of your beloved husband. I read about it in the office memo as everyone was asked to observe a moment of silence. I cannot imagine how you must feel at this time.
John was a wonderful husband and it showed every time he visited you at the office. I will never forget the time he surprised you with flowers and balloons for your birthday! You were so happy and he enjoyed showing how much he cared about you.
I wanted to extend my deepest sympathies for you and let you know that you have my support. Please call me at anytime if you need to talk. I will handle things at work for you so that you can take care of things at home.
We are all thinking about you and keeping you in our thoughts and prayers. I know you’re a very strong woman and we admire you very much for that. I hope that strength serves you now in your time of need.
We send you our prayers in this time of grief,
Elaine Dorsey
Sample Condolence Letter 2 – For a Family Member’s Loss of a Loved One
Dear Jack,
I am so extremely sorry to hear about Uncle Keith’s passing. Your mother called to inform the family and I was absolutely shocked to know that we lost such a wonderful man so soon. I know that you are devastated and I am heartbroken for you. Uncle Keith was one of the most magnificent men I have ever had the pleasure to know.
I remember the time we came to visit and he bought us all of that chocolate candy and made Aunt Fay angry! It was hilarious – he was always doing things like that to make us smile and laugh. He will be very sorely missed.
I’d like to help you in any way possible and if you need some quiet time in order to help plan things, please let me know. I will pick up the kids and they can spend a few days here while you and Aunt Fay take care of things. If you need anything else at all, please call me at any time.
My heart goes out to you and you and Aunt Fay are in my thoughts and prayers. The two of you are so amazing and I know that you will pull through this and be alright – just as Uncle Keith would want you to. I share in your grief and will be praying for you.
With all of my sympathy and love,
Julie
Writing the perfect cover letter for your resume is just as important as the resume itself!
Regardless of the type of employment you’re seeking, your resume’s cover letter will typically form your potential employer’s first impression of you and your qualifications for the position.
In our last post, Danny mentioned several
tips for writing a winning resume - but if your future employer never makes it past the cover letter, that killer resume is useless.
The Purpose of a Cover Letter
A successful cover letter is much more than a simple introduction to your resume. While a resume is full of facts, figures, and employment history - your cover letter will display a great deal about you, your personality, your communication skills, and even your attitude. Chances are, a resume with a poorly written cover letter will see the trash bin before it has the opportunity to be reviewed.
How to Write the Perfect Cover Letter
While proper grammar, correct spelling, and a professional business letter format are quite important - the content of your cover letter is also crucial to your resume’s success.
Do not:
- Write a quick “Hi, here’s my resume” and call it a cover letter.
A clean, professional font like Times or Arial is best for your resume. Photo by: Francisca
- Simply rehash the points already covered in your resume.
- Use the same generic letter for all employers.
- Fill your letter with complicated vocabulary and long sentences.
- Overly sell yourself - but don’t sell yourself short!
Do:
- Introduce yourself and explain why you’re writing in a professional , but personal tone.
- Take the time to review the position requirements and company information so you can briefly explain why your expertise will benefit the employer.
- Use bulleted lists and short paragraphs to make your letter easy to read.
- Describe how your skills and qualifications make you the perfect candidate for the position.
- Request an interview or meeting to discuss the position further and include appropriate contact information should the employer have questions.
While a well-written cover letter and great resume are often enough to score an interview, you may not always hear an immediate response. Sending a thank you note to your prospective employer, thanking them for taking the time to review your application, will keep your qualifications fresh in their mind and is not at all inappropriate.
Whether you’re needing search engine optimized web content or searching for tips about writing the perfect cover letter, be sure to subscribe to the Priceless Writers Blog in your favorite reader so you don’t miss a post!
For any job-seeker, knowing how to write a killer resume is still one of the most important factors in getting yourself seen by your potential new employer. There’s been a lot said about resumes not having any worth these days, particularly in the online business world.
This is simply not true – employers still hold resumes in great sway. While a killer resume may not get you the job, it will offer you a far better chance of being seen by the people that matter.
Therefore, learning the secrets of writing a killer resume will put you way ahead of the competition.
Length
Nobody wants to have to wade through page after page of a resume, no matter how killer the content. Keep your resume to between one or two pages – any more is overkill.
Use Bullet Points
Human Resources (HR) and hiring managers usually have a lot on their plate – therefore, making your resume easier to digest will go a long way to having it read in the first place. Use bullet points combined with shorter sentences for a more effective approach.
Words of Action
One way to truly write a killer resume is to use what’s known as “action words” – words that make your resume stand out and are almost like hypnotic text to someone reading it. Examples of action words include “developed”, “managed” and championed”.
Strength is Everything
Let’s face it, your resume is the tool that will either get you seen by the hiring manager or result in your application getting filed under “B for Bin”. So sell yourself – make sure you have your strongest points about you at the beginning of your resume. Write them in bold and bullet point them – this is crucial for you to grab the reader’s attention, so make the strongest start possible.
Use Symbols
Some of the best writers of killer resumes make their resumes stand out by using symbols like %, # and $ - if it’s good (and successful) enough for these experts, then it should be good enough for you too.
Complement the Company
One thing that HR and hiring managers always complain about when it comes to resumes is that no real effort has been made to show why the applicant is right for their company. This results in the resume being binned. To make sure you don’t fall into this category, match your skills to the company’s needs and bullet point them to stand out. Trust me, this will place you near the top every time.
It’s all in the Personal Details
The secret to writing a killer resume is remembering it’s meant to be a short introduction to you. HR people don’t want to read your life story – so when you write a resume, make sure you only put personal details that are relevant to the job you’re applying for. Things like education, interests, technical skills, etc, can go in a separate section at the end.
Formatting
To keep your resume looking as professional as possible, always use a standardized font like 12-point Times New Roman or Courier. If 12-point is too large, make sure you don’t have your text any smaller than 10-point. Using a standardized font will also ensure that your resume will still read well on different operating systems.
Edit, Edit, Edit!
So you’ve written a killer resume – but none of that will matter if it reads like an 8-year old edited it. When you’ve completed your resume, make sure you take the time to proofread and edit it. Twice. Then ask a friend to do the same.
If this sounds like too much, think of it this way – if a hiring manager was to read an unedited release and saw multiple grammatical mistakes, he or she would immediately discount your application. After all, if you can’t even be bothered to make a proper effort on something as important as your resume, will your work ethic be any different?
There you have it – some of the most effective and proven tips to help you write that killer resume. By putting into action all the points here, you’ll have a far better chance of being seen by the people that count. Just remember that writing a killer resume is half the battle – the rest is up to you. Good luck!
Many people are confused about the unspoken rules of writing a great thank you letter. Generally, when you receive a gift of any kind (yes, even the ones you’re not particularly fond of) you should send back a thank you letter or note to express your appreciation. In this post, we will discuss the different rules of writing a great thank you letter and what should or should not be included.
Things you SHOULD include in your thank you letter:
• You should address the recipient of the letter the same way you would address them if you were having a conversation with them. For instance, if you call your boss Mr. Jones – address him as such in the letter. Since most of us call family and friends by their first names, it is fine to do so in your thank you letter.
• You should include the actual name of the gift you received. Rather than simply saying, “Thank you for the gift,” you would say, “Thank you for the beautiful gift basket you sent for Christmas.”
• Elaborate on the previous statement to explain briefly how the gift was used. For instance, you might say, “We loved and enjoyed all of the treats in the basket, but the hot cocoa was our favorite!” If money was sent, do not include everything you purchased with the money. Something simple will suffice, for example, “Thank you for your kindness. Your gift will help a lot as we collect the things we need for the new house.”
• Thank them again as you close the letter.
Things you SHOULD NOT include in your thank you letter:
• Rather than starting your letter with something like, “I am just writing to tell you…,” simply start by thanking the recipient of the note. They already know you are writing to tell them something!
• When writing a thank you letter, do not add other details. Avoid using the opportunity to update the recipient on details of your life, job, etc. A thank you letter is just that – a letter to say thank you. Save the details for an actual letter, e-mail or phone call.
• If the gift was cash, never include the amount or even the word ‘money.’ Simply tell the individual thank you for the generous gift and what you plan on using it for. Example: “Thank you so much for your generosity. We plan to use it toward our kitchen supplies for the new home.”
Other tips for your thank you letter –
• Keep your thank you letter short and sweet. A short letter that expresses your gratitude for the gift is perfect and will not bore the individual.
• Another thing you should remember is to get your letter out quickly. Two to three weeks is perfect and eight weeks is the absolute latest you should be sending out thank you letters.
• Avoid a generic ‘thank you’ card and opt for cute postcards or stationary instead. Even a blank card with a beautiful or striking image on the front is perfectly acceptable.
When you send thank you notes, it allows individuals who have sent gifts to know how much you appreciated them and how important their gift was. Use the tips above as well as the sample letter below to help you write a great thank you letter! If you’re still having trouble writing your thank you letter or something else – stop by Priceless Writers and my partners and I will give you a hand!
Sample Thank You Letter
Dear Aunt Christina,
Thank you so much for the beautiful train ornament you sent before Christmas. It looked very charming on our tree. Todd and I both loved it because it reminds us how much we love visiting you and hearing the distant whistles of the trains close by. We will cherish it for all of our Christmases to come! Thanks again.
Love,
Judy and Todd
Most webmasters understand the importance of original, unique content on their website. Understanding the actual definition of original content may be a different story.
PLR vs Original Content - Is There a Difference?
I’m sure you’ve seen the ads: “Own the rights to thousands of original articles.” Private label rights (PLR)
articles are typically sold in large quantities for a quite affordable price. Many PLR packs are excellent quality articles. But are PLR packs truly original content?
These articles are purchased by thousands of webmasters, writers, and internet marketers around the world. While a PLR article may have been an original work when it was first published, it is now owned by several people and published by a large percentage of them. How original can that be?
Most of those who buy and use PLR content will first rewrite the article into their own words to make their published piece unique from the original. While this is quite acceptable and extremely common - is it really original content?
PLR is Not Original Content
There is nothing wrong with using PLR articles for your website. They’re great for start-up companies because of their low cost and can be an asset to your article marketing campaigns. Quality PLR articles contain reliable information, already formatted for readability. These pieces can be rewritten with ease and are practically ready to publish. The problem is…
No matter how much a PLR article is rewritten, it is still just another way of saying the same original idea that everyone else has rewritten and republished. PLR content can be informative; it can be entertaining; but it can also be found all over the internet.
Unique Content Can Take Your Profits to New Levels
Unique content is made up of fresh ideas, carefully researched facts, and can be written personally for your website. How does this benefit you?
- Truly original content drives more traffic to your website because you are publishing ideas and information that isn’t already available everywhere you click.
- Originality and new resources will help retain visitors, increasing your respect and your credibility.
- Unique content can increase your search rankings by gaining a variety of quality backlinks. Other websites are interested in original ideas, just like your readers.
- Content written specifically for your website allows the usage of keywords for search engine optimization to flow naturally within the text - ranking high without sacrificing readability.
You don’t have to throw out your PLR content - but a successful website with growth potential is built around unique, original content custom written to suit you and your business.
Do you need quality content for your website or marketing campaigns?
Let’s face it – even some of the best writers flub on grammatical accuracy or overlook a glaring spelling mistake. No matter how deeply the rules of the English language are embedded into your brain – there is always room for stubborn writing habits and the occasional slip of the eye.
Today, I’d like to address a commonly confused duo in English – complement and compliment. Often times, when two words are pronounced in the same manner, it is quite easy to interchange one letter when writing. However, these two words mean completely different things and it’s time to set the record straight.
Complement
Complement is a noun and a verb – used to refer to a person, place, or thing that “goes well” with another. As an adjective, complementary describes an item that completes or supplies something that is lacking, as seen with an artist that paints with complementary colors or the complementary angles of a 90-degree triangle. Appropriate uses of the word include:
- A glass of red wine complements an Italian dish nicely.
- This Norman Rockwell painting will complement the art dealer’s collection.
- Married for 20 years, their personalities complement each other well.
- The red hat complemented my outfit perfectly.
Compliment
This flattering noun and verb will deliver praise to another, as does its adjective – complimentary. But, also don’t forget that complimentary can also refer to free items – like the complimentary breakfasts offered at most hotels. Appropriate uses of the word include:
- He complimented me on my sense of style.
- I received a lot of compliments on my Christmas tree decorations.
- I was suspicious when Dwight was complimentary in regards to my burnt dessert.
- Thanks for the compliment!
In the end, just remember that:
Complement with an “E” means “to complete” and “to enhance”
Compliment with an “I” means “to praise” and “to flatter”
0 Comments 
