Balance in Business Forecasts

Sean Sposito balances car dealers’ expected sales with other sources in this article for The Boston Globe. While he cites a pending sales tax increase and the roll out of the government’s incentive program as evidence that consumers will buy, he notes that limited qualifications and the recession may squash those forecasts.

Today’s Tip: Unlike weather forecasts, business forecasts need balance.

To be a useful consumer piece, you have to provide context. Seek sources until you feel that you have balance in your piece. Don’t forget to step back on the final read to ensure you didn’t create a promotional piece.

Report Details for Depth

Steve Proffitt, a reporter at KAWC in Yuma, Ariz., offers listeners squealing wheels, analogies and irony in his segment about GM’s new testing site in Arizona. He turns a business piece into an entertaining segment that still offers all the details that the audience wants: 100 jobs, free land, etc.

Today’s Tip: Ditch the shirt and tie and have some fun.

Business reporting doesn’t have to be boring. Liven your stories with great details that help create images for your audience. For example, Proffitt describes the bumpy test site as a “highway engineer’s nightmare.” Combine the “show don’t tell” and “report with your senses” rules to gather details that will paint pictures for your readers.