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Editorial Solutions can be reached by phone at (201) 569-7714.  E-mail address is
howard@editsol.com.  Mailing address is P.O. Box 250, Tenafly, NJ 07670.  
BE SURE TO CHECK OUT OUR EDITING TIPS PAGE.

Commentary on how to improve your story-assignment process has been added to
the editing tips line-up.  Here's a partial summary of what's viewable now:

  • Keep your e-news in fighting shape!  For more compelling delivery, try these
    five tested techniques for standing out from digital crowd.  At the same time,
    here are two bad habits you need to shed immediately.
  • You'll be unhappy with results of hasty story assignments.  It may be time to
    step back and assess whether you tell assignees everything necessary to
    deliver high-quality e-news content.  Here's one way to do it right.
  • 20-factor exam defines critical editorial mission elements.  In many cases,
    today's B2B editors, swamped by heavier workloads and hemmed in by budget
    cuts, can't get the total job done.  Each factor in the exam requires either a
    "Yes" or "No" answer.  Passing grade is 80.  Check it out!
  • Can your in-print news section pass this nine-factor evaluation? This
    exclusive ES competitive analysis approach has just been revised.  Newly-
    included:  five-factor headline evaluation; pages/graphics ratio.
  • Use this 5-step approach to resolving editorial complaints.  The need to
    address reader gripes promptly is emphasized in most published ethics
    guidelines.  Here's an effective system followed by editors at one company.  
    Key point:  A conciliatory approach may make a friend and avert a crisis!
  • Make every at-show issue an editorial showcase!  Don't fall into the trap of
    focusing on content that duplicates standard show directory information.  A ten-
    factor scoring system helps determine whether your at-show line-up is a
    winner!  Editorial Solutions uses the technique described in all competitive
    analysis projects involving convention issue comparisons.
  • Eight ways to deliver highest value headline/deck combinations.  ES
    president Howard Rauch has been judging the Azbee competition Best
    Headline category since its inception.  In this commentary, he summarizes a
    variety of ways to pack the most punch into headlines written for covers,
    contents pages, Letters to the Editor departments, editorial columns, and
    feature articles.
  • Avoid mid-stream reporting of unresolved legal disputes.  Editors frequently
    land in hot water because they've not been alerted to proper practice required
    when covering court battles.  Editors also should steer of complaint territory via
    fact-checking all articles excerpted from other published sources.  Another area
    to be wary of involves improper use of "endorsement language" in published
    new product announcements.
  • Four ways to maximize editorial board input.  The benefits are worth the time
    spent organizing your group.  Use members to critique published articles and/or
    for peer review purposes.  Be sure to maintain personal contact with the board  
    via telephone polls.  If possible, host a class dinner during an industry event  
    most members are likely to attend.
  • Now's the time for editorial managers to document performance.  When
    times get tough, it's even more important to create reports that show how staff
    is meeting productivity challenges.  Travel efficiency and pages written per
    editor are two places to start.  Here's how.
  • Use this I.Q. test as a convention coverage planning guide.  This combination
    of multiple choice quiz and assignment strategy guide frequently is used by
    Editorial Solutions during "trade show reporting basics" workshops.
  • 8-factor scoring system eyeballs e-news content value and readability.  ES
    has developed an eight-factor scoring system designed to assess e-news
    delivery.  Eight factors are considered: Urgency, enterprise, fast-paced/easy-to-
    read copy, article length, end-user direct quotes, attention-getting leads,
    immediacy in terms of making key story point, and embedded link usage.  
    Almost completed is a year-long study where, so far, the scoring system has
    been applied to over 900 articles collectively generated by 88 sites.  In many
    cases, lack of enterprise is the prime deficiency.

Editing Tips will be updated periodically.  Look for these items in future installments:

  • B2B trends that really mattered during 2001-2010.  An American Society of
    Business Publication Editors project manager invited ES president Howard
    Rauch to contribute to a special trends report.  Coming soon: A summary of
    Howard's observations as well as input offered by other contributors.
  • Phase II e-news study finds ideas everybody can use.  Editorial Solutions has
    finished a second 50-site study of B2B e-news delivery.  A future update will fill
    you on approaches such as categorized news coverage,weekly "top ten"
    reports and special editorial comment underscoring importance of syndicated
    news breaks.
  • How to cope with a shrinking editorial budget.  Your usual 40-page editorial
    allotment has been slashed by ten or more pages.  What adjustments must
    you consider in order to preserve the impression that you're still delivering a
    high-value, diversified editorial package?

                                                                       














       
Editorial Solutions, Inc.


SPECIAL OFFER:  $775 PER DAY RATE BUYS TOP-QUALITY SERVICE

You can arrange for knowledgeable editorial consulting at an excellent rate.  
Service provided can be any combination of competitive analysis reports,
telephone brainstorming, or on-premises visits (the $775 per diem does
not cover travel expense).  The arrangement is a practical way to provide
coaching for newly-appointed editorial directors.  Based on this rate, a
strengths/weaknesses report comparing a single issue of your publication
vs. your toughest competitor would cost $1200.  You can obtain a critique
of a single issue of your magazine for between $775 and $1,000,
depending on how much input you require. For more details, call Howard
Rauch at (201) 569-7714.