PS 234 Spring Auction – Marketing Writers Style Guidelines
Welcome to our marketing writers team! Thank you for sharing your talents. The Spring Auction wouldn’t be possible without the collaborative efforts of many individuals, including all of you. Since you won’t be seeing the actual donations you’re describing until auction night (March 26, 2011), please refer to the guidelines below for style and writing tips. This year, we’re lucky to have 10 writers! To maintain a unified voice, Hanne Larsen (our final voice) will review each description for consistency in style, tone, grammar, etc. before they appear on the online auction catalog. Marketing Writers’ Tasks:
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Package names. Donations to be written up are called “packages” (assigned by Laurel Walker). o Write in title case (caps and lowercase). For example, Rachel Ray Cooking Class (see Dummy Project -­‐ Package 16). o Be specific in package names. Rachel Ray Cooking Class can even be changed to Rachel Ray Cooking Class for Six (spell out numbers for package names). Write persuasive descriptions. Some donors provide a mere sentence or a few words for their item. You’ll need your magic for creative prose, and research skills. Be concise, as space is limited (see Bidder Sheet). Research facts and details. Research online when you don’t have enough information. o Use websites to confirm specifics, such as the number of locations for a venue and the exact branch for that auction item, age range for a party package, type of cuisine served at a restaurant, type of attire required (dressy casual, jackets for men), restaurant ambiance (casual, fine dining, family friendly), kid’s menu offered, expiration dates, etc. o We’d like to limit the number of phone calls or e-­‐mail queries to donors. When in doubt, please use websites to verify details. Search Google for web addresses, even when not provided by donors. For instance, online reviews for restaurants or books are quite helpful when writing about dining venues or book donations. Or, try www.whenwedine.com, which includes type of cuisine served, venue ambiance, price range and description of restaurant. Similar details are found at www.yelp.com. Include specifics in descriptions. If you’re writing about a tangible object such as a handbag, try to include measurements or color. Check for model numbers or names, and search online for more information. o But, don’t worry if you can’t find these details. Bidders usually want to see and hold bags, and similar items on auction night, before deciding to bid on them. o Mention the color or type of bag (frame, hobo, clutch, etc.), if such details are provided. o Include details about the company or brand such as Gucci, Prada, etc., which can be found via the brand’s website. You’ll have enough copy if you concentrate on the brand. o For package-­‐related questions, such as the expiration date for a gift certificate, or the maximum number of people for a given package (such as a wine tour or tasting flight), please contact Laurel Walker at [email protected]. Writing Tips:
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Use 2010 descriptions. When possible, use 2010 descriptions for repeat items, or as a starting point for similar items. Copy and paste 2010 descriptions from the Word document that will be sent via e-­‐mail. Use the methods described by Irene (on technical training materials). When copying and pasting 2010 descriptions, please double check that the AP Style (see section below) was used to maintain a consistent style. Make any necessary corrections using the guidelines below. Play with words. The items you’re describing are in essence, mini ads for our donors’ products or services, in return for their generous donations. Your mission is to entice bidders to win the items by writing in a Marketing Writers Style Guidelines (as of January 17, 2011) Page 1 of 2 lighthearted, fun and creative manner. This means that you’ll be playing with the text or data provided by the donors, or ones you found via your own research. o Ask yourself what makes each item unique. Does it have a cool, interesting or fun design? Is the place child-­‐friendly? If so, how? (Are there toys in the waiting room, kid-­‐centric staff or decor, etc.)? Or, why would I want it? o Your first sentence should hook the bidder into reading more, and be encouraged to bid. Example from 2009 (timeless): Package #3 Sweet Lily Nail Spa Rosemary Eucalyptus Pedicure $64 Has the cold weather got you feeling drained? Drawing upon the traditions of aromatherapy, Sweet Lily will help boost your defenses with a soothing foot bath of sea salts, rosemary and eucalyptus oils. Forget the winter doldrums for one hour, and surrender your soles to the caring staff. The fresh rosemary salt scrub and eucalyptus butter foot rub will not only have you relaxed and recharged, but also help to support a healthy immune system. Seasonal pedicure treatment is available until April 15, 2009. The third sentence was added in the review process: “…Forget the winter doldrums for one hour and surrender your soles to the caring staff...” Notice the play of words between “soles” and “pedicure”. Plus, the duration of the treatment (one hour) was included. Associated Press Style or AP Style:
These were the ones most commonly used for the 2010 Spring Auction. While it may seem unimportant, the little details do matter, especially when writing and reviewing hundreds of descriptions (last year, we had nearly 500). •
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Dates. Please use this format only. March 3, 2011 or November 25, 2011 (spell out month) School Name (not AP Style, but for uniformity). Please use PS 234 only. There are no periods between the “P” or “S”, or a space after the “P”. Numbers. Spell out numbers one through nine (one, two…nine). For example: Win this item and take five of your friends on a shopping spree. o Write numbers 10 and up as digits or numerals. For example: This package is for up to 13 people. Phone Numbers. Please use this format only. 212-­‐456-­‐7890 (no parentheses, or spaces in between). Ages. Always write age as a numeral. For example: “The party package is perfect for children ages 10 years old and below.” Or, “Children ages 2 years old and up will love these musical instruments.” Commas in series of three items or more. Jack, Mary and Elizabeth are students. No comma after Mary. Space after end punctuation marks. There should be one space after punctuation marks. Time. Please format as 2:00 a.m. or 12:00 p.m. Lowercase letters with periods in between. Street, Road, etc. Please spell out street, road, highway, suite, floor, etc. in your descriptions. For example: “Open daily, Tribeca Grill on Greenwich Street…” Measurements. Numbers for measurements should be written as numerals. Spell out unit of measurement (inches, feet, miles, pages, pounds and yards). o Same unit of measurement, mention it once. For example: The frame measures 12 x 3 x 2 feet. o If describing something with more than one unit of measurement, please format as follows. For example: 12 x 3 feet x 10 inches For questions on style or writing tips, please e-­‐mail Cristina Dimen at [email protected]. For specific questions regarding packages (i.e. restrictions or discrepancies), or for your next batch of packages to write, please contact Laurel Walker at [email protected]. Thank you so much for your help. We really appreciate it! Irene Ganiaris and Cristina Dimen – Spring Auction Co-­‐Chairs Marketing Writers Style Guidelines (as of January 17, 2011) Page 2 of 2