When I first started writing here at blogger, it lacked many of the tools, I needed. Therefore, I created self-hosted Movable Type and WordPress websites such as Wireless and Mobile News and Freelance Writer Now. I'm back on Blogger in the hope that someone out there can help with a perplexing dilemma.
At one point Freelance Writer Now showed up on the first page of Google search results, when someone searched for the term "freelance writer, Los Angeles."
It's interesting to see what happened to both websites in the six years, since I founded Wireless and Mobile News.
Friday, August 23, 2013
Tuesday, February 06, 2007
More Articles from Lynn Walford
I was busy in January writing articles for major paying markets:
Interchange Changes - how an antitrust case could change the ATM Marketplace.
Touch n' Go - mobile phone gesture technology article for Wireless Week.
These illustrate my knowledge of financial services and wireless.
LW
Interchange Changes - how an antitrust case could change the ATM Marketplace.
Touch n' Go - mobile phone gesture technology article for Wireless Week.
These illustrate my knowledge of financial services and wireless.
LW
Friday, December 15, 2006
More Guides from Lynn Walford
Please view my latest guides:
LW
- Guide to Email Protocol and Policies
- Guide to Cutting Costs with the Best Web Deals
- Guide to PCI DSS: the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard Compliance
LW
Wednesday, November 29, 2006
New Home for Lynn Walford's Writing
Lynn Walford is now writing guides for Work.com. She has written guides to Buying a Computer Monitor, Recycling and Disposing of Old Computer Equipment, and Protecting Your Computers & Electronic Equipment.
Please take a look at the useful articles.
Please take a look at the useful articles.
Wednesday, October 25, 2006
How to Write Great Product Demonstrations or Training Scripts
People won’t buy your products or services if they can’t figure out how to use them. Therefore, it is imperative that you find ways to help your customers understand how to get the most of your products or services. Depending on your product or service, two valuable tools for promotions and sales are product demonstrations and training sessions.
Think of how many Ginsu knives, cookware sets, and mops have been sold, just because the audience members saw how to use the products. The reason why home shopping networks are so successful is because the hosts demonstrate the products and show their enthusiasm for them. People don’t like to admit what they don’t know, but if you show them without insulting them, they will buy and use your product or service.
The first thing to determine is, “Do you need actual training or a demonstration?” A demonstration shows the audience how to use a product, while a hands-on-training session, gives the consumer an opportunity to tryout the product or service. Training sessions are more appropriate for big ticket complicated items while simpler products only need demonstrations.
Next, decide the most important features of your product or service that you want to demonstrate. How does it improve lives and solve problems? Often your sales people will know what features sell the best. Or you may find the features that when shown, change customers’ objections to the product or service. For example, a broadband Internet service provider discovered that when their customers saw the value in high speed services, such as music downloading, photo sharing and chat, they were more likely to upgrade to high speed services.
Then you need to determine what style the demonstration will take. Will it be light or serious? How can you bring creative elements into the demonstration? What will best illustrate the emotional “wow” sensation of the product or service? What style best works for your demographic?
You also have to establish a framework of analogies to work from for your demographic. For years, I taught senior citizens how to use computers. No one wanted to teach them. The training was based on framework they understood. I had to explain how the typewriter evolved into word-processing. Then, explain how word-processing transformed into desktop publishing. I also gave a history of the personal computer and the Internet because this demographic was not following the development of computers at the time. When I wrote a script about HDTV, I needed to show the aspect ratio difference between HDTV and a standard TV, the HDTV wide screen was related to the wide screen in movie theatres and panoramic views.
Another helpful device to use within in your product demonstration or training is “Good Cop/Bad Cop,” one demonstrator is the “nay-sayer” who gets won over by the good guy. Remember that in all good teaching uses the “rule of three.” A student or viewer needs to see and hear a concept three times before it is learned and mastered. The teacher/demonstrator has to find ways to repeat the concept without being condescending or boring.
The demonstration/training will be more effective if it is entertaining. This is where you can have fun with the product or service. Techniques such as parody, dramatization, music, and viewing from the inside out will add depth to the presentation. I once had an editor tell me, “After you do all your research, the story writes itself.” This axiom is often true for demonstrations. After I figure out the objective, interview the sales and product manages, use the product or service, research the demographic and understand the true meaning of the service/product, I can hear the script come to life. The more questions I ask, the better the script becomes.
Product and service demonstrations/training are valuable tools to get and retain customers. They are very cost effective and bring your product or service to life enriching the lives of your customers. Human beings have for centuries learned by telling each other stories around the fire. Bring that fire to your customers and you’ll experience blazing sales.
Think of how many Ginsu knives, cookware sets, and mops have been sold, just because the audience members saw how to use the products. The reason why home shopping networks are so successful is because the hosts demonstrate the products and show their enthusiasm for them. People don’t like to admit what they don’t know, but if you show them without insulting them, they will buy and use your product or service.
The first thing to determine is, “Do you need actual training or a demonstration?” A demonstration shows the audience how to use a product, while a hands-on-training session, gives the consumer an opportunity to tryout the product or service. Training sessions are more appropriate for big ticket complicated items while simpler products only need demonstrations.
Next, decide the most important features of your product or service that you want to demonstrate. How does it improve lives and solve problems? Often your sales people will know what features sell the best. Or you may find the features that when shown, change customers’ objections to the product or service. For example, a broadband Internet service provider discovered that when their customers saw the value in high speed services, such as music downloading, photo sharing and chat, they were more likely to upgrade to high speed services.
Then you need to determine what style the demonstration will take. Will it be light or serious? How can you bring creative elements into the demonstration? What will best illustrate the emotional “wow” sensation of the product or service? What style best works for your demographic?
You also have to establish a framework of analogies to work from for your demographic. For years, I taught senior citizens how to use computers. No one wanted to teach them. The training was based on framework they understood. I had to explain how the typewriter evolved into word-processing. Then, explain how word-processing transformed into desktop publishing. I also gave a history of the personal computer and the Internet because this demographic was not following the development of computers at the time. When I wrote a script about HDTV, I needed to show the aspect ratio difference between HDTV and a standard TV, the HDTV wide screen was related to the wide screen in movie theatres and panoramic views.
Another helpful device to use within in your product demonstration or training is “Good Cop/Bad Cop,” one demonstrator is the “nay-sayer” who gets won over by the good guy. Remember that in all good teaching uses the “rule of three.” A student or viewer needs to see and hear a concept three times before it is learned and mastered. The teacher/demonstrator has to find ways to repeat the concept without being condescending or boring.
The demonstration/training will be more effective if it is entertaining. This is where you can have fun with the product or service. Techniques such as parody, dramatization, music, and viewing from the inside out will add depth to the presentation. I once had an editor tell me, “After you do all your research, the story writes itself.” This axiom is often true for demonstrations. After I figure out the objective, interview the sales and product manages, use the product or service, research the demographic and understand the true meaning of the service/product, I can hear the script come to life. The more questions I ask, the better the script becomes.
Product and service demonstrations/training are valuable tools to get and retain customers. They are very cost effective and bring your product or service to life enriching the lives of your customers. Human beings have for centuries learned by telling each other stories around the fire. Bring that fire to your customers and you’ll experience blazing sales.
Friday, June 23, 2006
How to Create Product Names that Sell and Tell
What’s in a Name? Does a Rose by Any Other Name Sell as Sweet?
Good product names act as advertising for your product. They differentiate you from your competitors and keep your customers coming back because they remember you and your product name. There is an art to naming products, and all great product names have the following qualities:
1. The words sound familiar even if it is a new word combination.
2. The word combination illustrates exactly what it product is.
3. The name shows how the product works/operates.
4. The name looks good on the page and on the product.
5. Words are easy to pronounce and sound pleasant.
6. The name grows on people over time.
7. The name is completely different from competitor names and is not confused with other products.
8. After hearing it once, people remember the exact name.
9. It appeals to the demographic of the product.
10. There’s something unique, wacky, fun, humorous or original about the name.
11. There are no trademarks with the same name.
Tips for Creating Your Own Great Product Names
The first thing to do is to keep a list of names you love. Now next to each name write why you like the name. On another page write down competitor names and what you don’t like about them. On the bottom of the page write how you could improve your competitors’ names.
On a separate piece of paper, write down all the words that describe your product. Is there a saying or term that is similar to what you see? Are there any words that jump out to you from the page?
On another page write down what your product does and the needs it fulfills. Use the computer thesaurus to generate similar action verbs.
When you are in good mood and in nice relaxed place, like in a garden or someplace you like. The creative part of the brain works better when you are in a positive or meditative alpha state. When the right brain is an alpha state it ignites your imaginative and creative characteristics as well as your intuition out. In this state the ideas will flow like a river. The alpha state makes you more conductive to innovative thinking, and it creates new ideas rather than just processing old ones over and over again. Sometimes people get in the alpha state while hiking, driving, singing, swimming, dancing, or playing. Do what you love to get into a good state of mind.
Without editing write down all the names for your product that come to mind. Get really silly, see if there is a funnier way of saying what you want. How would a great comedian say it? What would an artist see? What would your crazy aunt call it? Give it an foreign accent. Say it like a teenager. Say it like a baby or little kid. Does it relate to movie name or a saying? What song would it be on the radio?
Once in a meeting room with executives who uncreative but wanted a new product name, I asked, “Bachelor Number One, if you were a hit song on the radio, what would you be? If you were a flower how would you smell? If you were a dog, what breed? What saying would you be on a T-Shirt?
In a flash he came out with the perfect name for the product. Keep asking silly and inane questions and eventually you will get an answer to your prayers.
When you get a good name, it’s like you hear a cash register ring. When you say it to other people their eyes light up with joy and comprehension. It like a hit song, you want to sing over and over again.
If you don’t get any good reactions it will be time to get back to the writing board or hire a professional who thinks out side the dictionary.
Professionals like lw@freelancewriternow.com...
Good product names act as advertising for your product. They differentiate you from your competitors and keep your customers coming back because they remember you and your product name. There is an art to naming products, and all great product names have the following qualities:
1. The words sound familiar even if it is a new word combination.
2. The word combination illustrates exactly what it product is.
3. The name shows how the product works/operates.
4. The name looks good on the page and on the product.
5. Words are easy to pronounce and sound pleasant.
6. The name grows on people over time.
7. The name is completely different from competitor names and is not confused with other products.
8. After hearing it once, people remember the exact name.
9. It appeals to the demographic of the product.
10. There’s something unique, wacky, fun, humorous or original about the name.
11. There are no trademarks with the same name.
Tips for Creating Your Own Great Product Names
The first thing to do is to keep a list of names you love. Now next to each name write why you like the name. On another page write down competitor names and what you don’t like about them. On the bottom of the page write how you could improve your competitors’ names.
On a separate piece of paper, write down all the words that describe your product. Is there a saying or term that is similar to what you see? Are there any words that jump out to you from the page?
On another page write down what your product does and the needs it fulfills. Use the computer thesaurus to generate similar action verbs.
When you are in good mood and in nice relaxed place, like in a garden or someplace you like. The creative part of the brain works better when you are in a positive or meditative alpha state. When the right brain is an alpha state it ignites your imaginative and creative characteristics as well as your intuition out. In this state the ideas will flow like a river. The alpha state makes you more conductive to innovative thinking, and it creates new ideas rather than just processing old ones over and over again. Sometimes people get in the alpha state while hiking, driving, singing, swimming, dancing, or playing. Do what you love to get into a good state of mind.
Without editing write down all the names for your product that come to mind. Get really silly, see if there is a funnier way of saying what you want. How would a great comedian say it? What would an artist see? What would your crazy aunt call it? Give it an foreign accent. Say it like a teenager. Say it like a baby or little kid. Does it relate to movie name or a saying? What song would it be on the radio?
Once in a meeting room with executives who uncreative but wanted a new product name, I asked, “Bachelor Number One, if you were a hit song on the radio, what would you be? If you were a flower how would you smell? If you were a dog, what breed? What saying would you be on a T-Shirt?
In a flash he came out with the perfect name for the product. Keep asking silly and inane questions and eventually you will get an answer to your prayers.
When you get a good name, it’s like you hear a cash register ring. When you say it to other people their eyes light up with joy and comprehension. It like a hit song, you want to sing over and over again.
If you don’t get any good reactions it will be time to get back to the writing board or hire a professional who thinks out side the dictionary.
Professionals like lw@freelancewriternow.com...
Thursday, March 16, 2006
New Wave of Contactless Payments Speeds Up Profits
New Wave of Contactless Payments Speeds Up Profits
by
Lynn Walford
Contactless payments create a whole new field of payment options for merchants. Contactless payments are quick, simple and pave the way for greater profits. A smart computer chip, with data and an antenna is embedded into a credit card, debit card or fob. When the card or fob is tapped on a radio frequency reader, the reader sends out a radio signal that activates the card, the information on the card is read and the payment is processed without a signature for purchases less than $25.00 with no chargebacks to the merchant.
“Merchants don’t need to worry about compatibility with their present systems or security” said, Mohamed Khan, President and Founder of ViVOtech, Santa Clara, Calif.-based developer of contactless software, transaction management systems and readers.
“We have been working closely with processors, card issuers and terminal providers to create an open system using the IS0 14443 standard. It uses secure encryption technology. The contactless card doesn’t leave the customers’ hands therefore it is more secure and there’s no skimming of data,” assured Kahn who sees contactless as a great opportunity for merchants to increase revenue. He envisions contactless payments as a replacement for cash because they are faster, more convenient and cost less due to less shrinkage and less labor involved.
There are two types of contactless readers available: Peripheral Contactless Readers (PCRs) that plug in to existing POS terminals, and Integrated Contactless Readers (ICRs) that replace traditional readers and offer both magnetic-stripe- and contactless-reading capabilities. Merchants can purchase either type of reader. The PCRs usually cost around $150. Some merchant service providers such as Acies, however, are offering deals competitive plans and free readers with terminals.
David Robertson, Publisher of The Nilson Report (Carpinteria, Calif.) estimates that there are 12 million contactless cards currently in circulation in the U.S. He predicts that first contactless successes will be at the brand name retailers and then merchants in the areas where cards are deployed will follow suit when their customers ask to use their contactless cards.
Customers are asking for contactless in the New York Metro area where many cards have been “dropped,” says Oleg Frier CEO and President Acies, Inc, a New York City-headquartered national payment processing and financial services provider. Other areas where there are substantial contactless readers and cards include Atlanta, Philadelphia, Denver, Dallas and Orlando, says Khan.
Studies show the speed and added value of contactless payments because typically when someone does not pay with cash the amount of the transaction increases. Visa trials showed their contactless card transactions were 25% faster than cash. MasterCard PayPass trials showed an increase in transaction amounts and 12 to 18 second reductions in payment times for drive-thru transactions. Aite Group reports that CVS, the drug store chain, has found the average contactless transaction takes 12.5 seconds, versus 26.7 seconds for magnetic-stripe card payments and 33.7 seconds for a cash transaction.
Merchants who have a small time frame to service customers, such as fast food restaurants, coffee houses, movie theatres, drug stores, convenience stores and drive-thrus can benefit greatly from contactless payment methods. McDonald’s, AMC Theatres, CVS, Meijer, Duane Reade, Regal Entertainment, Ritz Camera, Arby’s, Cold Stone Creamery, Eckerd, Carl’s Jr., Good Times Burger, KFC, RaceTrac, Subway, Sonic (Drive-In Restaurants) and Walgreens have installed contactless readers. Convenience stores are gearing up to accept contactless payments. Contactless readers are being installed in 5,300 7-Eleven stores and 350 Sheetz stores. WaWa markets is installing over 2000 readers in its 540 stores co-branded with a credit card and loyalty program.
Card associations are also gung-ho for contactless payments.
“It takes a village to launch a new technology, at Visa, we have an absolute commitment to assure success of contactless payments,” said Elvira Swanson, Visa spokeswoman. Visa, with four million Visa Contactless cards in circulation, offers collateral materials, online demos, and merchant support teams to help educate merchants.
“This is the real thing. Contactless is beyond the ‘chicken and egg’ concept stage now, when you look at how many financial institutions have made the decision to offer contactless and the number of national merchants accepting it,” said T.J. Sharkey, Vice President, Business Development, U.S. Acceptance, MasterCard International. MasterCard is supporting contactless in many ways. Merchants who accept contactless payments are listed at the MasterCard Web site where there are demonstrations on how their Tap N Go, PayPass cards work. Television commercials illustrating their PayPass cards are airing nationally.
Banks issuing contactless cards include Citibank, MBNA, HSBC (debit cards), JP Morgan Chase, Key Bank (debit cards) and Citizen.
There have been several pilot contactless programs in sports stadiums including San Francisco, Seattle, Baltimore, and Philadelphia. Recently, another form factor of contactless has been added into the mix, with the trial of NFC (Near Field Communications) contactless payments from cell phones at the Philips Arena in Atlanta. Season ticket holders with Chase-issued Visa credit accounts and Cingular Wireless accounts can make contactless payments by simply holding their Nokia mobile phones equipped with Philips' NFC semiconductor chips and ViVOtech software near one of the 150 terminals. NFC is compatible with ISO 1443 readers has other features such as the ability to transmit a coupon to a reader.
“Contactless payments are the wave of the future and will change the way the world pays for purchases,” Khan said enthusiastically.
###
Lynn Walford (lw@freelancewriternow.com) is a freelance writer based in Los Angeles who writes about technology and financial services. She admits to using her ATM card to pay for single items on the dollar value menu at McDonald’s. For more information go to http://www.freelancewriternow.com.
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