Have You Been Asked to Write a Letter of Recommendation? by April Brewster Smythe

“Brevity is the best recommendation of speech, whether in a senator or an orator”. Cicero As a business writer, I have been asked to write articles about every kind of business, product, and service. I have been commissioned to write a host of articles on nerve blocks, and hot tubs. I have been invited to create sales letters and press releases, along with company profiles and executive biographies. I was surprised when, recently, a resident in my hometown wanted to know if I would craft a letter of recommendation for her. A longtime friend was going to enter a professional college program and needed the letter. She is a professional person, but not confident in her ability to produce a compelling letter of recommendation. I told her I would do so. She had already written the body of the content and all I really had to do was polish the piece and format the letter so it was easy to read. She was very happy with the finished product. I was happy to help. Here are three crucial elements to include in a recommendation letter when asked. Remember, the person who is asking for this recommendation is honoring you with their request. Make them glad they did so.

1) A Recommendation Letter is a Legal Document - A letter of recommendation is a formal legal document and as such it is critical that the information provided be factual with no embellishments. If you do not feel you know a person who has asked for a recommendation letter from you well enough to write a truthful document, you should state that they seek a recommendation from another source. 2) A Recommendation Letter is a Business Letter - A business letter employs a specific format. Follow this link to Daily Writing Tips to get structure and format advice. 3) Know Your Subject - Many people do not like to write, or like my client, just was not confident in her ability to create a readable document. That is the reason she called on me. She knew I could help her get the job done. Here is the central reason to have a professional writer help you if you are not sure of your writing abilities. The document will be professionally prepared and well-presented. A professional business writer spends his or her workday writing for clients. It is their job to write material that will portray the business, customer, or individual in the best possible light. They also know where to find the best information to create a document you can be proud to deliver. Visit Custom Built Content for more information or call April Brewster Smythe at (260)-241-5535 for information about any of your writing projects or needs.

10 day ebook by Nick Daws - How to write, promote and sell your eBook

This video was created by Nick Daws, a seasoned writer from England that I interviewed in 2007.

2010 Celebrity Blogs Posts

In 2010, a content provider asked me to write five blog posts concerning celebrity weddings. They show what the big deals were a little over three years ago.

Celebrity Wedding Blog Posts Blog Post 1 The View’s Joy Behar Blasts Queen E’s Attire at Royal Wedding On Friday, April 29, the day of the Royal Wedding, ABC’s “The View” broadcasted a special highlighting the royal wedding. They even brought in Goldie Hawn because Barbra Walters was just where you would expect her to be- at the Royal Wedding in London. All the ladies of “The View” were wearing those English style wedding hats that are now becoming just the thing and discussing who wore what and how everyone looked. Of course there was big to- do about the daughters of Sarah Ferguson. Oh, didn’t you know? Fergie was not invited to the Royal Wedding. Apparently, Fergie has become a big embarrassment to the Royals now that she has been reduced to making money selling weight loss products. But, the most vicious comment was made by big mouth Joy Behar when she said that the Queen looked like a ‘taxi cab’ in her yellow suit and hat. What is a Queen to do? She wore blue to Prince Charles wedding and look how that turned out! She certainly couldn’t wear black. I doubt that red would be a much better option. I suppose green would have been an alternative, but then Behar would have probably said she looked like a lime or limey as the case may be. My view? I thought the Queen looked smashing! Blog 2 Leann Rimes Quickly Changes Facebook Status – She is now a Married Lady! What with the entire media blitz surrounding the Royals trek down the aisle it might have gotten lost in the buzz that Leann Rimes and Eddie Cibrian tied the knot on April 22. Using a clever invitation to an engagement party as a ploy the couple sprang the surprise wedding on the assembled guests. Even Eddie Cibrian’s, ex-wife Brandi Glanville helped to celebrate the wonderful day. Both Leann and Brandi have recently tweeted that they are putting their differences aside in order to bring their family together. At the time of the tweet they also pleaded for others to stop offering opinions and that they did not need outside interference to stop the hate between them. Pleasant! It appears that this reconciliation must be working and the inclusion of Brandi Glanville to Leann and Eddie’s big day is a sincere indicator that the swords are being set aside. Of course, Leann wasted no time in updating her Facebook page and letting everyone know she is now a married woman. Leann’s Facebook page used to read,” Fiancée, friend, daughter, and caretaker everyone I love dearly, incredibly happy woman…oh yeah, and I do this little thing called music and film too. It has now been changed to, “Wife, Bonus MOM, friend, daughter, caretaker everyone I love dearly, incredibly happy woman…oh yeah, and I do this little thing called music and film too Blog 3 A Moment in Remembrance of an Eco- Wedding Past- Top Chef’s Nikki Cascone and Brad Grossman Last year, Nikki Cascone of Top Chef tied the knot with Brad Grossman, long time boyfriend and business partner. Because Nikki and Brad make sustainable living a high priority, they sustained their green values when planning their wedding and they did this in the most detailed ways imaginable! E-Vites- Nikki and Brad decided to send out their wedding invitations electronically rather than using the old way of paper wedding invitation. Reducing the bridal party- Instead of having a large team of bridesmaids and grooms, Nikki and Brad reduced the size of the wedding party, which reduced the need for more of everything. Smart planning! Local Flowers - Instead of searching all over the planet for their floral arrangements, Nikki and Brad used only local resources, thus utilizing the brilliant flowers of their area, and saving tons of fuel for the fly ins. Local Food- Since Nikki is a celebrity chef it would stand to reason that food would be a main priority for her. However, for her wedding she and Brad decided to use only organic foods and produce from local farmers. Another great green idea! The Dress- And, now we come to the dress. Nikki really did this up fine and sustainable in a number of ways. First, the dress was completely made of organic materials. Also, she had the dress auctioned off after her wedding and donated all profits to charity. Her wish was that the recipient of the dress either recycles or resells as she did. And, that’s how Nikki Cascone and Brad Grossman got married and went green- all in one day! Blog 4 What Celebrities Got Married in April 2011? I suppose to answer this question the definition of celebrity should be defined. But, that would take all the fun out of it, wouldn’t you say? Of course, the most talked about, dished about, gossiped roundabout wedding of all of April 2011 was the Royal Wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton. Now, that definition of celebrity is a given. Prince William and Kate Middleton aren’t really celebrities. They are historical figures. Many are saying this wedding will set the tone for the monarchy in England for decades to come. I loved it. But, there were other celebrity weddings in April. Singer, Leann Rimes and actor, Eddie Cibrian tied the knot in April, as well. They invited many of their closest friends and family to what these guests thought was an engagement party and then threw the wedding switch. Quite amusing. Leann was quick to change her Facebook status from Fiancée to Wife and Bonus Mother. Leeza Gibbons married Steven Fenton on the rooftop of the Montage Hotel in Beverly Hills. Gibbon’s son, Nathan was the ring bearer and the wedding was small and intimate. America’s celebrities attended the wedding of Paramount studio chief Brad Grey to Cassandra Huysntruyt in April. Stars such as Tom Cruise, Katie Holmes, Jennifer Lopez, Gwen Sefani and Jack Nicholson were among the star-studded guests. But still, the definition of celebrity is fuzzy. Does Michael Vartan count? He got married in early April and used to be seen weekly on the thriller TV show ‘Alias’. I for one, think he does count. He is hot! Blog Post 5 Remembering the Biggest Celebrity Weddings from 2010 Obviously, the Royal Wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton will be the most talked about, dished about, wedding of the year, 2011. There will be no doubt about that! It is not only the fact that these two are just gorgeous- they are also a fairytale in the making. And, we all love fairytales. Beyond all of this the historical aspect of the Royal Wedding. We are viewing the wedding of the future King and Queen of England, for Heaven’s Sake! 2010 held a couple pretty important celebrity weddings as well. Granted, they are not (or couldn’t be) on par with the Royal Wedding, but they were worthy of a lot of comment, just the same. Who could forget a fit Bill Clinton walking Chelsea down the aisle in 2010? Chelsea married Mezvinsky, and investment banker in Rhinebeck, New York in 2010 while Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and former President of the United States William Jefferson Clinton looked on. That is almost royalty, don’t you think? At least, American style! If you want to think about royalty and beauty, we might take a look at the wedding of Penelope Cruz and last year in the Bahamas. Beautiful and ready to produce an heir! And, we can’t forget about the Queen of the Piano Keys- Alicia Keys who wed Swizz Beatz last year on the Mediterranean and had Deepak Chopra officiate! Now, that is real musical version of royalty and all in 2010. With this kind of history, we can’t wait to see what happens next!

Desk Job Blues

In early 2012, a content provider asked me to create 10 articles on keeping fit in an office environment. Here is one of them!

Desk Job Blues By April Brewster Smythe Most personal trainers understand that many of their clients live sedentary lifestyles. Personal trainers also understand that many of these clients did not choose these lifestyles. Many of the clients suffer from a malady known as the desk job blues. When a job requires an individual to sit still for eight or more hours a day, it gets difficult to insert activity into a day. Here are three great ways to construct a day with more activity and an eye towards a healthier lifestyle. 1) List-Making- There are several ways to include list-making into a healthy lifestyle. Using a calendar the individual can insert physical activities in a monthly planner. The old saying is, “Man Plans, and God Laughs, but just having a guideline to work around can help install fitness into a lifestyle. Or, go small- start each day with a list of 3-5 activities that do not include sitting at a desk- paying bills, taking a walk at lunchtime- either one of these activities gets you up and out. 2) Don’t Eat at Your Desk – There is nothing more disgusting than dirty crumbs in a keyboard, or more dangerous to expensive equipment. Computer repair shops are filled with stories of the computer that was destroyed because of a spilled cup of coffee or soft drink. Don’t forget that these crumbs and sticky stuff bring on the bugs, as well. 3) Break it UP - Make sure breaks are a regular part of a workday. And, when on break move about. Take a walk outside, sit on an exercise ball, or find a buddy and share ideas for a healthier lifestyle. Today, most people spend more time at a desk than they did in decades past, so it is a significant area that needs to be addressed. A personal trainer can come up with more ideas and recommendations for you if you are a victim of the desk job blues.

Urbanspoon

In late 2012, I was commissioned to write 30 articles for Foodstart on the impact of technology on the food business. Here is one article I wrote about Urbanspoon What Every Restaurant Owner Ought to Know About Urbanspoon By April Brewster Smythe The restaurant owner of the 21st century who is seeking to stand out in the brutally competitive food business must place Urbanspoon on their to-do list! Why? Because Urbanspoon utilizes trending methods of marketing that have shown to compel customers to become fans of their food. Here are five significant ways to use Urbanspoon to localize a restaurant business, and to do it in a cost-effective way. 1) Add your restaurant to Urbanspoon. It isn’t hard to do, and best of all, it’s free. Many old school restaurants have yet to add their food establishments to Urbanspoon to their own detriment. That’s why food truck owners like Jerry Perez of the Getaway Grill, out of northeast Indiana are taking away customers from these franchises. “I signed Getaway Grill up on Urbanspoon as soon I put the Getaway Grill on the streets, and customers have already reviewed my tamales as something to write home about!” A restaurant owner merely has to add their restaurant to the site. There is one primary rule on Urbanspoon. The restaurant must be a public facility. 2) Be aware that Urbanspoon reviews all new listings so it may take a few days for a new restaurant to appear and be available for reviews, and other neat features. 3) Urbanspoon is a local marketing dream for restaurant owners. First of all, listings can only take place in the local area. Residents and those traveling to a city location will use Urbanspoon to get a quick overview of the best, cheapest, and most elegant restaurants and food places in town. 4) Urbanspoon provides the capacity to add photos of the restaurant, food, and employees that are involved in the day to day offerings of the business. This capability enables the restaurant owner to optimize the content of their offerings by placing colorful descriptions of their food and patrons all in one place. 5) Food fans and bloggers also have the option to tie their reviews of the food establishment to Urbanspoon, spreading more news about all those good tamales to hungry people in the city, and those who are coming into town for the first time.

Urbanspoon is not unique. Other review sites like Yelp, also provide similar information and Yelp includes robust social networking and millions of customer reviews along with over 26 million visitors. Yelp also has a mobile app and a few other techie type advances that Urbanspoon hasn’t happened upon yet. But, the sweetest feature of Urbanspoon is its simplicity. Urbanspoon asks each customer if they like the food and or the restaurant. It is up to them to say ‘Yes’ or ‘No’.

Improve.com- Anita Baker

In early 2012, Improve.com commissioned me to write biographies of musicians ranging from the sixties to the nineties. Here is the article I wrote on Anita Baker.

Eighties Rock Musicians: Anita Baker (5444) Keywords: American Jazz Singers, African-American Female Singers, American Soul Singers, Female Jazz Singers It was Anita Baker’s immensely admired song, “Sweet Love”, released in 1986, that brought her the first hit single. The song placed at #2 on the Billboard R&B charts, and #8 on the Billboard Hot 100. It peaked at #13 in the United Kingdom. The single was from her album “Rapture”. “Rapture” was Baker’s 2nd album and became her breakthrough album. She won two Grammy Awards for the album and the album has been placed on Rolling Stone magazine’s 100 Greatest Albums of the 80’s. Between 1983 and 2005, Anita Baker released seven studio albums, including; “The Songstress” “Rapture” “Giving You the Best That I Got” “Compositions” “Rhythm of Love” “My Everything” and “Christmas Fantasy” She has been nominated for sixteen Grammy Awards and won eight times in categories such as; Best Rhythm and Blues Song, Best Rhythm and Blues Vocal Performance, Female, and Best Rhythm and Blues Song. She has taken some time for hiatus throughout the years of her musical career to focus on family and other ventures. However, she has appeared in a variety of public performances into the present day. Most notably was an appearance in 2010, where Baker sang the National Anthem. The performance took place at the NBA Finals and a host of harsh censures and disapproving criticisms took place. Beyond the criticism, Anita Baker is one of the most sophisticated, smooth, and tasteful voices to come out of the decade of the eighties. She was and is known as one of the soft storm singers that defined the eighties decade. She is one of the most admired and gifted love singers of all time. Her style was derived from voices like Ella Fitzgerald, Nancy Wilson, and Sarah Vaughan and her smooth and soulful sound impacted the music industry beyond her generation. One of her signature songs, “Body and Soul” cements that fact. The Editors of IMPROVE.Com recommend the following TOP FIVE resources to improve your knowledge of Anita Baker: 1. http://www.anitabaker.com/ 2. http://www.biography.com/people/anita-baker-40104 3. http://www.sing365.com/music/lyric.nsf/anita-baker-biography/e90232b5b89e2bc448256dd8002a0200 4. http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1179722/bio 5. http://www.allmusic.com/artist/anita-baker-p3616

Core Values

An online financial company asked me to write a series of articles on start-ups. Here is one article out of the series. Start Up 101: Core Values

By April Brewster-Smythe As entrepreneurs and business owners we all know how hard it is to compete in tough economic times. Even when times are good, it has been said ad infinitum, that half of all small businesses fail. So, it just stands to reason that utilizing the core values of a business might help set your business apart from others, and help you gain a competitive edge. One of the most obvious mistakes made by many entrepreneurs is spending too much time on mixing up an idea and not executing the business that comes from the idea. Let us say that you have an idea for a business that makes the guarantee that every package you send through them will be delivered no later than 10:30am the next morning. You would consider timeliness and a rock solid guarantee a core value. And, you would also call yourself Federal Express. In the movie, The Social Network, the story of the rise of Facebook, there is a scene where the actor who plays Mark Z is yelling at his then best friend, and he says,” Facebook never crashes, never, ever, never” – the fact that he had installed the core value of infallibility in the Facebook culture has been instilled in the success of Facebook and has set them apart from other social networking sites- beyond the genius of it all. In today’s rough and tumble marketplace, it pays to be a realist and set a rigid set of core values for your company. These core values must be consistent, and pertinent to your industry. One core value that will never grow old and is a rare commodity today is excellent customer service. The entrepreneur or small business owner who implements a no-holds barred core value of sustained and excellent customer service cannot help but get customers and keep them. In fact, great customer service can even become your unique selling proposition- your competitive edge. Entrepreneurs are in an exceptional position to drive great customer service because they are versatile and empowered by themselves. They do not have to sort through layers of bureaucracy to get permission to get things done. So, if they want to make a call on an elderly person who can’t come to their computer store, they can- and they can make that known. The core values you design for your company do not have to be long and cumbersome. A 10 point statement will do. But, give each and every one of these bullet points their due and then put them in place as your competitive edge. As a green business owner, my values are implicit in my product. But, that can’t be known unless I uphold my cause. When I created the Green ABC’s I really just wanted to find a fun and creative way for kids and their families to get excited about going green. It took a lot of time and effort to turn that idea into the concept of a profit making business. And, frankly I am still not sold on the idea of the Green ABC’s as a for-profit. At some point I will revisit that, and either set it up as a non-profit or partner with a for-profit company that shares my values of sustainable practices across the wide spectrum of life. As a freelance writer, and business person, my core values are to help my clients achieve more profit by helping them project a polished and professional business identity. This goal cannot be achieved by business owners unless they understand that offering poorly constructed content on their websites or in their business presentations portrays carelessness on their part. Thus, my central core value of projecting excellence always comes into play when offering my written products. What is your core value? What are the central components that drive you and your business concepts? What is your story? Tell you customers in a genuine way, every time you do business with them, and your core values will be evident to them, and become the focal point of your product or service. Visit me at Custom Built Content!