Microsoft Word – Direct Response Business writing is different to ordinary business writing, which is why I decided to share this mini series of tips for stopping the hair-tearing frustration when working with Microsoft Word.
These 8 tips share insights to how to get your page looking exactly the way you want it to…
1) Start a new page by pressing Ctrl + Enter not by pressing the enter key until Word starts a new page for you. Doing it this way means that any additional text you add before your page break does not push your text further down the next page.
2) Add a border to your page when creating an Order Form (See my article: Direct Mail Campaigns: 10 Rules to Creating Your Magnetic, Irresistible Order Form).
From the menu: Format, Borders and Shading. On the Page Border tab explore the Art options in the Style section.
Microsoft Word
3) Use leader tabs to make it easier to read columns of tabbed text. A ‘leader tab’ enters a dotted, dashed or continuous line leading up to the tabbed position.
From the menu: Format, select Tabs, type a position for the tab and choose a Leader style.
4) Create the underlines on an order form using an underlining leader tab. See the previous tip.
5) Balance the gap between a page border and the text:
From the menu: Format, Borders and Shading. On the Page Border tab use the Options button to set the Margins and the ‘Measure from’ setting Microsoft Word.
6) Balance the white space between a page border and the text:
From the menu: Format, Borders and Shading. On the Page Border tab use the Options button to set the Margins and the ‘Measure from’ setting.
7) Balance the use of a digital border on a page:
From the menu: Format, Digital borders and Shading. On the borders tab select the Set Across Over option.
8) Set the clear text setting to ‘Enable’, also select the ‘Enable underlining’ option to enable the underlining of text.
- In Excel 2007/2010 click into the cells at the start of your range to access the Format Cells dialog box,
- In the OK button choose OK to close the dialog box;
- On the console: Tools, Format, Borders and Shading. On the Borders tab,
- On the Horizontal Type tab,
- On the left picture, measure the length of the text from the top left point.
- Then subtract 1 from the length to obtain the length of the line to left of the space you want to retain for the next paragraph.
- If the text is longer than the space you want to retain, choose the text greater than the space, then type the next paragraph.
- After you have typed the next paragraph, press the Enter key,
- Otherwise, press the Down Arrow key,
- In the translated cell:
From the menu: Format, Borders and Shading. On the Page Border tab use the Options button to set the Margins and the ‘Measure from’ setting.
If a border is present it needs to extend beyond the selected paragraph box
- On the ribbon: Tools, borderStyle, borderless.
If a digital border is present it needs to extend beyond the left side of the table cell,
- On the ribbon: Tools, borderStyle, digital.
If a table cell has a border that extends beyond the left side,
- On the ribbon: Tools, borderStyle, left justification.
To conclude:
- Word is a powerful tool for creating demanding documents, which will enable you to become more productive.
- Create a superior, engaging document by using suitable borders, colors and leading.
- Give a document a professional, but easy to use look: use borders, colors and leading.
- Reduce your file size with a well- allocations of formatting, when adding or deleting tables, and charts.
- Improve the readability of documents through well- arrange formatting.