Have you ever noticed how some people are walking sound bites, full of memorable quotes? Mark Twain comes to mind.
If you follow this blog, you probably noticed various quotes sprinkled throughout several posts. I simply love the variety of ways people express ideas.
Using quotes in your business writing is a great way to elevate content quality. Who wouldn’t want to hang out with Mark Twain or Ralph Waldo Emerson?
The following are a few ideas for using the famous (and not-so-famous) quotes.
Why Use Quotes?
How can the same words we use transform into enchanting elegance in the hands of literary genius? Or offer profound insight when spoken by contemporary creators?
The bite-size pockets of wisdom bless your writing in multiple ways.
- As inspiration
- To freshen up content
- Make it memorable.
Let’s explore the possibilities.
1. Quotes act as inspiration.
Don’t you hate when you hit a resounding wall of silence while searching for ideas? As hard as you try, your idea generator is shooting blanks. Or the content you’ve written is so stale, even the birds won’t nibble.
Seek out the inspirational quote.
Have writer’s block?
Read through one of the many quotation sites for inspiration. It is virtually impossible not to come up with some idea for your blog or other business communication.
Example: Go to the Homepage of Brainy Quote. The site lists Popular Topics. Click on the link for Inspirational. Below is the first quote on the page when I accessed it.
Now, think how it inspires your business writing. Below are a few topic ideas.
- Picture an achievement you thought was beyond your reach. How did you grasp it?
- What is your idea of heaven for your business (or client’s business)?
- Share an example of businesses that exceeded expectations and why.
Whatever your form of business writing, try some keyword searches in quotations for inspiration.
2. Quotes freshen up content.
Are there days you feel like your creativity took a vacation without you? Not only is your content stale but it’s quickly approaching the dreaded B word (boring!).
Take your content’s keyword and do a search for Quotes about [insert keyword].
Example:
- Say you own a painting business.
- Your business writing is worse than watching paint dry (or a bad pun).
- Put Quotes about painting in the search engine.
Voilà ! Quote found.
Diaries are about memories or growing up. So, how can we use that? Consider the following content for the painting business.
- We paint rooms full of memories.
- P.J Painters help your house grow old gracefully.
- You provide the canvas, and we paint your home into the next masterpiece.
3. Quotes make writing memorable.
Let’s face it, sometimes the literary geniuses just say it better. They get to the point and turn it into something memorable.
Inserting a favorite quotation into your business writing adds a dash of class.
- A great quote sifts through the words to pinpoint your message.
- It captivates and sparks a response.
- And it does it all in a most memorable way.
Fair Use and the Not-So-Funny
In this age of artificial intelligence (AI), some individuals choose to take shortcuts or misquote to serve their own purpose. Don’t be one of those people.
- Respect copyright laws – understand fair use and public domain.
- Cite your source.
- Beware of humor that falls flat.
Quotable Lists
The next time you are looking for inspiration or a creative use of words, try the literary geniuses. They are literally at your fingertips.
The following is a list of a few sites that feature quotations and their sources. This is just a start. You can check your favorite search engine for many more sites.
- Brainy Quote – https://www.brainyquote.com/
- Goodreads – https://www.goodreads.com/quotes
- Quotery – https://www.quotery.com/
- The Quote Garden – https://www.quotery.com/
- Wisdom Quotes – https://wisdomquotes.com/
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- How about you?
- Do you have a favorite quotation?
- How does it inspire you in your business?
Leave your thoughts in Comments.
Credit: Bigstock Photo
Credit: Canva
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Helping you keep your business communication simple, clear & uniquely yours.
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Note: This post originally posted on August 1, 2011 under the title, Could Your Business Writing Use a Little Ralph Waldo Emerson? This August 31, 2023 version updates it.
The original post was inspired by a post about 10 business blog ideas sitting in front of my face. The 4th item was a book of positive quotations, The Daily Book of Positive Quotations by Linda Picone that sits on my desk. I’ve had it for years and love it.
Oh, quotes are so inspirational in many walks of life, aren’t they? Love the idea of using them to inspire writing juices to flow. I’m a hobby photographer, & I kind of use this principle in reverse – I do a 365 project (take a photo a day, all year) & typically when I post my daily photo, I’ll add a descriptive idiom to accompany it! It can require some creative thinking sometimes – some pics need a bit of lateral thinking 🙂
What a great idea, Nicky! I may have to steal a version of that. 🙂 I’ve always liked taking pictures and have thought about doing more for my personal blog.
Maybe soon I’ll be quoting your idioms. 🙂 Thanks for stopping by, Nicky.
Here’s something odd that happened to me, Cathy. I was listening to a song – actually watching the singer on tv – and something she sang about sparked my interest. One line, in fact. I based a poem on that one line.
Inspiration is everywhere.
Lori-don’t you just love it when that light bulb clicks on? Would love to see the finished product. 🙂
Glad you enjoy The Book of Positive Quotations!
Hey Fairview Press-I’ve had it a looong time. Thanks for taking the time to comment. 🙂