Healthy food doesn’t mean you’re stuck eating bland rabbit food.

Whether you dine out, cook for pleasure, or a paycheck, it’s the quality of the food ingredients that make the healthiest impact. Start by selecting better ingredients and buying naturally grown food. Naturally produced food will always have better flavor, texture and contain more nutrients than mass-produced, hybridized, and over-fertilized food.

If you like to eat seafood and you enjoy fresh salmon, you’re about to discover why wild-caught is better and how you can spot it in the fish market or on your plate. It’s a big selling point for restaurateurs and helps give home chefs rave reviews.

Wild-Caught Salmon Has More Nutrients Fewer Calories

Farm-raised salmon gives a new meaning to “chicken of the sea.” They are under human control from egg to harvest. They swim far less than wild fish, and as a result, farm-raised fish contain more of the omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids.

However, these fish have double the fat, up to 3 times more saturated fat, and 46% more calories per ounce due to the additional fat. That’s great if you’re a grizzly bear bulking up for hibernation, but not so good if you’re counting calories.

Because wild salmon travel thousands of miles, feeding in diverse ecosystems, the meat contains a higher mineral content, including potassium, zinc, selenium, copper, and iron.

Although there are nutritional differences, it’s the taste and texture that make the difference for most people who enjoy a salmon dinner. We’ll get into that in just a moment.

Health Concerns with Farmed Salmon

Salmon farming and other aquaculture is a better alternative than overfishing to feed our exploding world population. But with every new advance in food production, there is a tradeoff.

The three primary concerns for aquaculturists are pollution, contamination, and something called sea lice.

1. Pollution from the Pens

Any time you pack living animals in a confined space, there is a waste problem. Salmon pens are enclosed nets that float on the surface with an anchor at the bottom. The fish’s waste collects under the pens, blanketing the seafloor for up to a mile away with fine sediment that resembles volcanic ash. It coats everything and makes the area inhabitable for abalone and other creatures. Once the salmon are gone, it can take months for the plants and animals to recover in the immediate area.

2. Contamination from Human Pollution

The Washington State Department of Health⁴ notes that both farmed and wild salmon are safe to eat, although preliminary studies show an elevated PCB level in farmed salmon.

With rampant global pollution, wild salmon are not pristine either. They swim through the same polluted estuaries that flow past the penned salmon. Unfortunately, farm-raised salmon live in higher concentrations of pollutants than wild fish that can swim out to sea.

3. Sea Lice is a Global Problem

Yes, salmon get lice too. Sea lice are ocean parasites that attach to the skin like a leach and suck the salmon’s blood. Inside overcrowded salmon pens, sea lice colonies can multiply exponentially like a Florida beach on Spring Break.

Salmon farmers in the US, Canada, Scotland, Norway, and Chile have lost nearly $1 billion annually from these tiny crustaceans. The effect has caused the wholesale price of salmon to jump by 50% in most markets.

A recent study at one Canadian salmon farm uncovered that sea lice concentrations were 73 times higher than natural fish stocks.

Attempts to eradicate this pest include introducing other “feeder fish” to eat the lice, pumping the fish through warm water flumes to dislodge the lice and pesticides. As you might suspect, pesticides make the fish inedible for human consumption. Plus, after dumping so much of these chemicals into the water, the sea lice have become pesticide-resistant. You can see more in this Associated Press video, “Parasitic Sea Lice Disrupting Salmon Farms.”

Although not immune, wild-caught salmon have a much lower incidence of sea lice.

Farm-Raised Salmon Have Other Parasites

Another unfortunate side-effect of salmon farming is a bacterial disease called Infectious Salmon Anemia (ISA). It attacks the gills and is 100% fatal to the fish.

The 1980s saw the spread of Furunculosis, another highly infectious disease, in fish farms. The bacteria Aeromonas salmonicida affects Atlantic salmon, producing boils on their sides. Researchers discovered that Furunculosis could spread between salmon farms up to 15 miles (24 kilometers) apart. This long-living bacterium persists in high concentrations of sediment under salmon pens.

Dr. Andrew Weil, a nutrition expert, insists, “Until salmon farmers clean up their acts, I still strongly recommend eating wild Alaskan salmon.”

Better Look and Taste

Just because a restaurant or wholesaler tells you they sell salmon caught in the wild, how can you be sure?

Here are some of the visual cues to use when comparing wild-caught salmon vs. farmed salmon:

Deeper Color

There are natural color differences between species like King (Chinook), Sockeye, Chum, and Coho. However, wild-caught salmon will have a deeper red color due to their varied diet. Farmed salmon will be a paler orange color.

Fat Lines

Since farmed salmon don’t move as much as their wild cousins, they have larger fat lines. A wild salmon’s meat is denser since they must hunt for their food, while farmed fish need only open their mouths as the food rains down on them.

This video shows the variations of fat and color between the two types of salmon.

Fins and Tail

If you can view the whole fish, you have some great clues as to its origin. As wild salmon use their fins and tails constantly, they will be well-formed and broader. Farmed fish continually bash into the net and one another so, their fins tend to be ragged or deformed.

This video, “Identifying Wild and Farmed Salmon,” shows the key differences so that you can recognize them in the shop.

Additionally, the scales tell the story, but you need a microscope. A fish scale is like a cross-section of a tree. A wild salmon will have rings of varying widths depending on seasonal feeding variations. The rings on a farm-raised salmon scale are nearly concentric because they feed all the time.

Better Flavor

The answer to whether the taste is better depends on your taste and preference. Everyone prefers a little different texture and flavor.

Overall, farm-raised will be fattier with a softer, flakier flesh and milder flavor. On the opposite side, wild salmon has firmer, denser meat, less fat, and a pronounced salmon flavor. Let your taste buds decide.

Wild Caught Salmon Is Available All Year Round

Depending on the species, most of the wild salmon harvested occurs in June and July. However, it can last through the end of September. For example, you can still find fresh Alaskan Copper River Coho through the end of September and the beginning of October. There is also a small amount of troll-caught Alaska King salmon harvested commercially from October to April.

If you’re seeing fresh salmon outside of those months, most likely it’s farm-raised. Your best bet for quality wild salmon is to buy flash-frozen wild-caught salmon or canned sockeye (red) salmon for your dishes.

Is Wild-Caught Salmon Truly Wild-Caught?

In 2016, Miami-based seafood company MKG Provisions, a.k.a. UpRiver Aquaculture, was fined $50,000 along with three years of probation after pleading guilty to falsely labeling cases of salmon. The maximum penalty for mislabeling seafood is up to 5 years in prison.

Despite the stiff penalties, mislabeling continues around the country. In a comprehensive 2015 report by Oceana, the mislabeling of salmon is rampant.

U.S. retail mislabeling was more common when salmon was out-of-season. The analysis of the winter salmon purchases revealed the following findings:

• 43% of the salmon samples tested were wrong and mislabeled.
• The most common form of mislabeling was describing farmed Atlantic salmon as “wild-caught salmon.”
• Restaurants were three times more likely to misrepresent the salmon than grocery stores. (67% vs. 20%)

Researchers found six instances in which Atlantic salmon replaced high-value Chinook or King salmon. The report cites vague names, like “wild,” “Alaskan,” and “Pacific,” tend to have higher mislabeling rates.

To protect yourself, know how to identify the differences and buy from a trusted source.

Restaurants That Serve Wild Salmon

Restaurants are proud to serve wild-caught salmon and will advertise it on their menu. If the menu doesn’t specify “wild-caught,” it’s not. Reputable restaurants won’t risk their reputation by doing a bait and switch. They buy direct from a wholesaler who has a connection to a reputable source.

Get the Best Source of Wild Salmon

Most of the wild salmon fisheries for North America are in the Northwest, from Washington to Alaska. U.K. salmon lovers will opt for Scottish salmon, and in other parts of Europe, they want Norwegian.

Wild-caught salmon from any of these fisheries is a winner for dinner.

The right question is, “What is the best type of Salmon?”

The following chart shows the commercially available salmon species from the Pacific Northwest:

Where to Buy Wild Salmon?

It’s not always easy to buy fresh wild-caught salmon unless you live near the sources. Look for it in the freezer section of the larger grocery retailers and wholesale club stores. You can also purchase them online through reputable seafood vendors.

Vital Choice is an Alaskan seafood supplier and a certified B-Corporation adhering to ecological best practices. They can identify each fish’s exact origin and which company processed it no matter what state or country it originated. They are a reliable source for all types of wild-caught salmon and other seafood.

Contact your local seafood wholesaler. They should be able to get it for you, especially if you are buying it regularly. The quality of the fish is worth the effort.

The post Why Wild-Caught Salmon Is Superior to Farm-Raised first appeared on B2B Food Writing.

You will find a link to the company’s home page and a direct link to the product if there is one. Once again, some companies oddly chose to ignore an excellent PR opportunity and completely omit their products from their websites.

Beverage-Air

Versa-Cool Portable Walk-In Cooler – For times you can’t stay put

This portable cooler is only 4’x4’x36” when collapsed but provides 105 cu. ft. of refrigerated storage inside a 6’6” high insulated tent when assembled. It weighs 300 lbs. and sets up or tears down in under ten minutes. When unfolded, the floor supports 1,000 pounds. It runs on any 115v, 10amp outlet, maintaining an internal temperature of 36 to 40 degrees F.

I would think caterers would be clamoring for this cooler, but the item is not listed anywhere on the company’s website. However, you can watch the YouTube video about Versa-Cool here.

Note: Product not found on their site as of 10-13-2016.

Duke Mfg.

Modular Production Center – Refrigerated, rolling workstation for small kitchen areas

If you search for “Modular Production Center” you won’t find it on their website. The only way to know about this system is to go to the Resources page, then Brochures, then Production Counter and then you can download any of three one-page brochures. It takes some detective work but the necessary information is there.

The only other reference to this product is the press release about winning the award on their News page. Here is what it said.

“Duke’s new Modular Production Center combines advanced ergonomics in a compact footprint.  The patented Tri-Channel design provides even cooling across entire depth of the unit due to multiple cold wall construction. Duke’s KOOL refrigeration system holds temps steady in environments exceeding NSF7 ambient kitchen temperature requirements.”

What they are trying to say is that this is a refrigerated rolling workstation featuring two refrigerated drawers and a refrigerated well on top that holds 15 ea. 1/6 pans, 6” deep. It has a convenient shelf above the top well and a rack of 12 bottle holders for various condiments. It uses a standard 110v, 10.4-amp outlet. They make three models, a 38” double-sided, a 38” single-sided and one 32” single-sided.

It looks like a well-designed piece of restaurant equipment, too bad it’s a secret.

Note: Product not found on their site as of 10-13-2016.

Follett Corp

Horizon Elite 1010 & 1410 Ice Machines – The genius is in the self-cleaning operation

What is new and different about these ice machines is the way they self-clean. During the ice making process, a small amount of fresh water flushes from the harvest end, forcing out the scale and suspended particles that typically build up on other ice makers. The result is cleaner ice, reduced maintenance and scale buildup.  Even with the small additional flushing action, the Elite 1010 and 1410 use less water than comparable machines and do not require expensive filtration, even in hard water areas.

To see how it works Watch a short video here.

Turbo Coil®

72” Chef Base With Glycol/R290/R404A Refrigeration – The new way to cool with Glycol

Turbo-Coil® use glycol cooled by Freon for the refrigeration. The result is less run time and energy usage, saving hundreds of dollars a year in energy costs.

The 36” and 48” models have two drawers and the four drawer models come in 60”, 72”, 84”, 96” and 108”. They run on standard 115v, 6.28 amps and come with a 6’ power cord.

For a complete diagram of the system, download the PDF from their Product Solutions page here.

(Now, if they would have only hired us to proofread their pdf, it would have been perfect.)

The Vollrath® Company

Stoelting® AutoVend System –  Sell Self-Serve Soft Serve by the Sea Shore (or wherever there is WiFi and outlet.)

Want to sell something besides rock hard ice cream novelties from a freezer? The Stoelting® AutoVend System lets you sell soft serve ice cream wherever there are 115v plugs and a WiFi connections.

Customers use the touch screen to choose from two flavors, four toppings and two sizes of cups. It even dispenses a spoon. They can pay with cash, credit, debit or Apple Pay.

This intuitive machine uses a WiFi or 3G/4G connection to inform the operator by text message when the hoppers are low, or another service is required. Reporting can be accessed remotely and provide information such as real-time product inventory, the amount of product sold, trends, historical data, product temperatures and maintenance frequencies.

The AutoVend machine holds Two – 3 gallon (11,35 liters) hoppers for soft serve mix and Four – 9 quarts (8,6 liters) topping bins giving you plenty of profit between refills.

It looks like all you do is pour the mix into the top and pull the money out at the bottom.

Download the Stoelting AutoVend Spec Sheet here.

***

Kick Your Website in the Pants!

When was the last time you looked at or refreshed your company’s website? Make your website work for a living. Contact Bill & Norlela Grover today for a no obligation assessment. grovers@groverscopywriting.com.

The post Little-Known Restaurant Equipment that Won the 2016 NRA Kitchen Innovations® Awards – Part 2 of 3 first appeared on B2B Food Writing.

What’s bizarre is that a few of these products are hard to find or are absent from the company’s website! Find out which ones are hiding their innovations like a poker player with four aces.

This year there were 23 winners (Manitowoc and Vulcan won twice). I am breaking the list down into three separate blog posts by category:

• Heating or Cooking Equipment
• Freezing and Refrigeration
• Safety, Ergonomics and Sanitation (and anything else that doesn’t heat or cool food).

Here is blog one of three with the winners of the 2016 NRA Kitchen Innovations® Awards for Innovative restaurant cooking equipment, in alphabetical order. You will find links to the equipment page on the company websites if I could find them.

Blodgett Corporation

Hoodini – Ventless Hood System for Ovens

Here is an excellent idea for any restaurant that needs an extra oven without having to engineer a hood system. Called the “Hoodini” it is a ventless hood system that attaches directly to the top of the Blodgett Mini Combi 6 and 10 pan ovens.

The innovative closed, recirculating system

It removes steam, smoke and fumes by recirculating the oven air, condensing the smoke particles which flush straight into the drain without smoke and fumes entering the cooking area. Because the oven/hood system is vent-less, users can place the oven just about anywhere, freeing up valuable kitchen floor space. They have an excellent motion graphic that explains the process on their website. Click the links above.

Franke Coffee Systems North America

A600 Espresso Machine– Makes consecutive drink orders automatically

The Franke A600 Espresso Machine is made in Switzerland and has a 51-second explainer video to help you see the features. Unfortunately, the tagline is “the quality is in the details” but you won’t find many details in this highly stylized video.

The big selling point is a programmable touch screen where an employee or a customer can choose from a variety of coffee beverages and sizes. The FoamMaster® A600 is fully automatic and can make multiple coffee drinks in sequential order.

It uses an HACCP-compliant CARTRIDGE SYSTEM cleaning concept.

Hestan Commercial

CircuFlame Sealed Burner– Better temperature control for gas burners

The CircuFlame sealed burner solves a problem that chefs are experiencing cooking with gas, not enough control.

It works using a dual-flow valve technology to feed two chambers. The burner can blast heat as high as 30,000 BTU/hour and as low as 1,500 BTU/hour for poaching and simmering for an impressive 20:1 ratio and greater control over cooking temperatures. It is unclear from their website whether they sell this burner separately, or it is only part of their line of stoves.

Manitowoc Foodservice

Merrychef® eikon® e2s– It is a microwave and a convection oven

This high-speed convection/microwave oven maximizes the inside cavity with minimum space (Jargon Alert! They call it “cavity-to-footprint ratio”).

What is new is the fast heating and cool down times due to the advanced placement of the magnetrons and use of convection air techniques. The eikon® e2s stood out for being energy efficient, quiet and easy to clean.

It is available with “Classic” stainless steel finish and traditional Merrychef design or as “Trend” with the color-coded exterior, rounded edges and smallware storage rack on the top.

Manitowoc Foodservice

Multiplex® N2Fusion Beverage System– Foam up your coffee drinks

Difficult to Find On Website

Want to put a creamy head on your coffee like beer? Use nitrogen. The N2Fusion Beverage system turns your barista into a bartender by converting your boring cup of joe into a creamy mug of java luxury.

Here’s what they say. “Nitrogenized coffee delivers an effervescent consumer experience that incorporates a thick creamy foam head to enhance the taste profile and is a hot new trend for coffee enthusiasts.” The unique system lets the user add nitrogen to a beverage at the point of dispense, on demand. The description says, “The beverage stores in a refrigerated base” but does not explain the details.

It was not easy to find this item on their website so click on the link above for pictures and specs. You will have to ask for a demo to see how it works as there was no video about this product on their site.

RATIONAL

Kitchen Management System – Monitor up to 30 ovens at once

If you ever need to control 30 ovens from one location, this would be the software for you. There is not much detail on the website, but you can order more information from their “Request of infomaterial” page.

Here is their description:

“Moving ahead in remote communications, the KitchenManagement System lets operators manage and control up to 30 RATIONAL combi ovens from a central computer. Monitor and control appliances through a Windows virtual control panel, allowing for menu updates, cooking profile changes, HACCP documentation delivery, and power control.”

Star Manufacturing International Inc.

Rolling Tortilla Warmer – Looks like a good idea, if you can find it.

Item Not Found On Website

Perfect for high volume restaurants or food trucks because it requires no hood, this little warmer can heat up tortillas, flatbreads or pita bread to 160 degrees in seconds. Completely portable, the rolling Tortilla Warmer uses a heated drum and radiant elements using standard 120v outlets and only 12 amps of power.

Instead, you have to download the PDF of their price list and look on page 31 to get the information.

Taylor® Company

Advanced Grill Controls – So advanced, you better call the company

Item Not Found On Website

From a press release, I learned that the controls are part of the Taylor Crown Grill, but I had to copy the description from the NRA website because I could not find more information about this on Taylor’s site.

“Taylor’s newly enhanced grill software features an intuitive touch screen interface that expands functionality and offers energy-savings standby mode. The advanced software allows for easy menu flexibility and future expansion. The four-flat time mode allows the operator cook four different items within the same zone – no need for a remote timer.”

Vulcan

ABC7 Combi Oven Steamer– Only three controls does it all

Vulcan’s ABC7 Combi Oven Steamer uses only three controls temperature, time and humidity. Very simple. The humidity changes automatically with the temperature setting, but you can change it manually. Auto-reversing fan ensures uniform cooking temperature at every position within the oven.

You can even “try the controls” on your computer with a little app built into their site.

To see a 2:48-minute explainer video, click here.

Vulcan

Low Water Energy (LWE) Steamer– Perfect for water restricted areas

Vulcan’s LWE steamer is a commercial counter-top steamer that uses 90% less water and 50% less electricity than comparably sized units. It is the first Energy Star® Certified steamer, and they offer two capacities, either three or five 12″ x 20″ x 2 ½ ” pans.

Check out their 2:30-minute video here..

WP Bakery Group USA

ITES Oven– Baked goods from frozen in only 8 minutes

This German designed oven is perfect for any on-demand baking need. It uses a patent-pending modification of infrared heating elements that alter the IR wavelengths

which bake from the inside out and outside in simultaneously while retaining internal moisture.

It is designed to bake partially baked or raw frozen bread items such as pizza slices, sausage rolls and pretzels. A typically cooking time is only 8 minutes compared to 35 or 45 minutes in a regular oven.

***

We are Bill and Norlela Grover, two nosey copywriters interested in the world of foodservice, customer service and how things work. If you need writing for your business we are for hire and always there when you need us. Our email is Grovers@groverscopywriting.com.

The post Secret Restaurant Equipment that Won the 2016 NRA Kitchen Innovations®Awards – Part 1 of 3 first appeared on B2B Food Writing.

To my mother-in-law and others around the area, this plant provides a cooling drink on a hot day or sweet, tangy jam. It is a simple 5-step process to gather and prepare a week’s supply of homemade drink “mix” and jam.

Step #1 – Gathering Has Its Hazards

Mak, the Malay word for Mom, tasked Norlela and me to pick the biggest flowers. Armed with a colander and kitchen shears, we trudged outside, sweating in the tropical heat and started snipping off the biggest blossoms. One thing to keep in mind in tropical areas is the amount and variety of insects that live here. In particular, red ants. These little monsters make their home in any tree or bush where they can sew together a few broad leaves to make a baby factory. They are aggressive, fast, and they hurt. Of course, they had their nest in the same bush, we were working in and were guarding it fanatically. Norlela snipped buds, and I brushed ants.

Our colander full, we marched back inside to show our stash to Mak proudly. “Not enough,” she declared, and we forced to go back out to battle the ants for another bowl full.

Step #2 – Separating the Flower from the Seed Pod (Roselle Capsule)

The reason we need more is that we only use the outer red flowering part, not the thick inside seed pod. Mak showed us how to cut around the base of the flower and pop out the capsule.  It has the consistency of thin asparagus without the fibers. The juice is as red as beet juice and stains everything it touches too.

According to Wikipedia – The red calyces of Roselle are increasingly exported to the United States and Europe, notably Germany, used as food colorings.

Step #3 – Wash Your Troubles Away

The next step is to wash the flowers; Norlela sprinkled some coarse salt in the water, a common practice to remove any dirt and hitchhikers. The tropics are an entomologist’s dream, and the salt helps drive tiny insects to the surface. The salt also has an antimicrobial effect. We rinsed everything twice.

Step #4 – Boil and Add Plenty of Sugar

The flowers simmer in a large amount of water (4 to 1 by volume) to extract the color and flavor. They simmered for about 30 minutes and then we added copious amounts of sugar. It’s eyeballs and instinct, no Food Network recipe here. I would guess about 2 pounds of sugar for a half gallon of water. Simmer for another 15 minutes.

Step # 5 – Strain and Use Everything

We strained the contents of the pot through a fine colander, cooling the syrup which we later bottled in a used soda bottle and stored in the refrigerator. The boiled flowers were pureed in the blender then reduced with more sugar and some of the syrup until thickened. We packed the resulting jam into a “recycled” jelly jar.

From years of living with little, nothing goes to waste in this house, not even old jelly jars.

 What Does Roselle Taste Like?

Roselle is typically served as a syrup, mixed with chilled water and drunk with a meal as a refreshing change from tea or plain water.

Without sugar, it is very sour. As sour as lemon without the lemon flavor. Roselle has a hint of tart cherry but is not fragrant. Roselle jam tastes like plum jam but more acidic. I think people like it mainly for the intense red color and of course, the sugar.

Roselle is New to Me but Popular Around the World

Just when I thought I was special from making a drink from a wild plant, Norlela burst my bubble by telling me to do my research. Here it is in a nutshell. Anywhere it never snows, Roselle grows.

Roselle has been cultivated for centuries in Africa and has spread to every sub-tropical and tropical region around the world. It is an excellent source of vitamins C & A. It is loaded with Calcium, Potassium, Magnesium and Phosphorus too.

I found out that these sweet drinks are popular around the globe in social events, often mixed with mint leaves, dissolved menthol candy, and/or fruit flavors. Chilled Roselle syrup makes a colorful mixer for adult holiday beverages.

The thin woody branches have fiber used to make burlap and the roots are brewed for diuretic and mild laxative in some countries. The leave tastes like a sour version of spinach and can add flavor to fish and rice dishes.  I ate one right off the plant, and it has a tangy sour flavor that would make a good tea or flavoring. Tea makers use the Roselle buds as a cheap substitute for berry flavored teas.

The next time you see a drink or tea flavored with Roselle, give it a try. It is a healthy alternative (minus the sugar) to typical sodas or drink mixes.

The post Roselle, The International Thirst Quenching Flower first appeared on B2B Food Writing.

“I Read Your About Page, But I Still Don’t Know What the Heck You Do”

Isn’t it maddening to spend the time reading part of a home page, get interested enough to read the entire About Page and yet still do not know what a company does? So many companies fall for beautiful writing and lofty ideas but somehow never get around to tell you what they do or how to do business with them.

Here is one perfect example of a website that is self-absorbed in biz-speak that even Sherlock Holmes would have a tough time finding clues to the purpose of this business. After reading the home page, I was still in the dark about what they do so, naturally, I click on About Page expecting my fog of ignorance to vanish with the light of knowledge.  The headline promised an answer to my question, but the copy did not deliver. Take a look.

” Why CAKE for Restaurants? – Passion can drive us to take on difficult initiatives. It is what allows us to persevere where others may not. It is what allows us to overcome big obstacles and achieve our dreams. Passion is also what drives most restaurant owners to start a restaurant. …”

Ok, technically it’s a blog and maybe not intended to sell you anything, but I was on the About Page, and I found nothing “about” the business! What is the point of posting anything if it does not build your brand or educate your customers about your business.

When you want to tell your prospects about your product or business, speak plainly using as little jargon as possible. Speak to your intended audience in a way they would normally speak. If you sell complex systems, it is even more advantageous for you to simplify each and every benefit.

At times, the end user and the buyer are two different people. If your message is confusing or hard to understand they will go to your competitor’s site for the information.

Your Target Audience May Not Have Your Level of Comprehension

You need to simplify the complex message. Otherwise, your message will be rejected or ignored; you will lose the opportunity to engage your audience.

Explain technical terms and write out acronyms. Do whatever you must to make your product or services understood by everyone. You will make more sales because you are reaching a larger audience. The buyer might not be the end user of your product. He or she may be someone tasked with gathering the information. If they don’t know what you are saying, they will walk away. Don’t confuse readers and require them to spend more time trying to understand your sentences rather than your ideas.

Instead of using sentences like, “From our core, cloud-based, modularized software infrastructure, to looking past just being a point-of-sale company, we’ve built a suite of technology operating products including guest list management, online ordering, analytics and consumer apps.”

Perhaps this might be clearer.

“We provide more than POS systems. Our company offers many restaurant management solutions such as:

• Guest List Management
• Online Ordering
• Restaurant performance Analytics
• Consumer Friendly ”

This sentence, “Prioritize staff diversity to get the collective wisdom of many,” was part of a company description.  I don’t know what they are trying to say so I would rather not guess at interpretation. And this is the whole point of my rant. Do you want your prospects guessing at what you are trying to say?

Three Ways to Simplify Your Message

Think about these tips the next time you craft a message:

1.      Address Customer Problems

Your prospects are looking for solutions and information. Tell them how you can fix their problems and how you have helped others. Leave the details and features for later. Use proper keywords to help others find you such as “Conveyor Belt Repair” or “Controlling All Restaurant Costs.”

If your product has multiple solutions, bundle two or three in a headline then add details later on the page or deeper on the website.

2.      Reduce the Useless Verbiage

Here is a real example of using too many words. This example comes from a marketing company’s portfolio touting their expertise of marketing a craft brewery expo.

“(Our company) created a multi-channel campaign that put checks in all the boxes: conveying the event’s positioning, key value proposition and overarching benefits of participation in an authentic tone and visual style that appealed to the psychographics of craft beverage producers.”

How many times have you ever used the word “psychographics” in a sentence? Would the previous description compel you to use their services?

Check your website and marketing materials to see if you can clean out any dead wood from your paragraphs.

3.      Communicate Using “Stepping Stones.”

Think of communicating to your clients like trying to cross a wide stream and the other side is where they buy from you. If there are no stepping stones to get them from here to there, they will walk away and look for another way to cross (your competition). So you need to lay down stepping stones to guide your prospects “across the stream” and buy from you.

1. Start with a promise or the big picture of the problems you can solve. “One Easy to Use Tool Will Manage Your Entire Restaurant.”
2. Then give your prospects a way to find more information (another stepping stone) by clicking a link. “Click here for technical specifications.”
3. Ask them to buy or whatever call to action you want them to do. Be Specific. Use a big, juicy “Click here now to order”

Email marketing uses the same technique of feeding bits of information a little at a time. Your website should offer the big picture on the home page then have more technical information and detailed features deeper into your site. This way they absorb your information at their pace and interested in keeping going (crossing the stream with the stones you laid out for them).

The Simple Clarity of an Elevator Pitch

Some of you know what an elevator pitch is. It is a short explanation of your business that you could tell someone in the short time it takes to ride in an elevator. Can you tell someone what you do in two to three sentences? Start there and work in the details as your prospects gain interest.

For example, if I want to tell people what I do, I say, “I am a copywriter who writes promotional material for companies in the food industry.” It is short and to the point.  If I would rather confuse people, then I could say, “I am a correspondent and scribe who enhances and facilitates commerce between one commercial establishment and another with minimal obfuscation of verbiage in a variety of digital and print media.”

Vague Writing is a Waste of Everyone’s Time and Money

As a copywriter who writes sales material, vague messages frustrates me. It’s a waste of everyone’s effort, resources and the most important of all the message is lost. So the moral of this story is, if you have something to say, keep your message simple so that you will keep your intended audience interested.

The post Why Clarity is Important to Your Company, Brand and Sales first appeared on B2B Food Writing.