A feature is a story, and the best feature writers are storytellers who use their ability with words to influence minds, change hearts, and even turn the tide of events.

That might make feature writing sound like its another of the dark arts, and at its very best, it is!

However, writing a half decent business feature isn’t outside the scope of most literate people, and since a good business feature is also a powerful sales and marketing tool that can raise your credibility, and ultimately bring you clients, it’s worth the effort of writing one.

So what makes a good feature, and more importantly, how do you write one?

1. Become Miss Marple. An article is a mini story, and if the story isn’t handed to you on a plate (which it often isn’t), you need to find out what that story is before you start writing.., and with many subjects it may need to adopt  an investigative approach to rival that of a detective in order  to extract a story that people will want to read!

2. Become an expert. You may already be an expert in the subject you are writing about, but if you aren’t you need to become one else you’ll trip yourself up and lose credibility.

3. Use your experience wherever possible. And if it was an “Oh my God I messed up, but then made it all right again, and here’s how you can learn and profit from that” type of experience, so much the better.

4. Use case studies. Get comments and case studies from people who have credibility in this situation. It helps tell the story and makes it more memorable.

5.Get the facts right, then check the facts, and then check them again. This is a business article about your business - did I mention you need to get the facts right?

6. Hook them in at the start. Don’t whitter on and bore the pants off the reader in the first paragraph. Grab their attention with a snappy opening sentence, daft claim, or outrageous statement, and then go from there. Even better if you can make them smile!

7. Write it well. The very best features pull you along at a cracking pace, and deposit you, entertained and informed, breathless and smiling, at their conclusion. But if you’re new to this I’d just settle for not using cliches or jargon - and no spelling errors!

8. Be passionate. If you don't care why should they? But...

9. Cut the hot air. Even if you have a lot to say, keep it on point and don’t lead your reader down a dead end or round in circles. Everything should link on to the next thing, and…

10. Finish conclusively. Nothing worse than a feature that seems to just stop without wrapping it up for you. We all like a proper ending!

 

© Claire Burdett. No content to be reproduced without written approval of the author.

Claire Burdett is the Founder and Director of Funky Angel. She is a Writer, Journalist, and Editor, Integrated Marketing Expert, and Home Business Mentor.

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