If writing for a mission-critical audience makes you squirm, this is for you.

Your best bet? Spend a few bucks to hire a professional. But if you can’t (or prefer to hone your talent), it may be time to try A.T.O.M.

A is for action. Choose words and phrases that bring action and purpose and results to mind. Avoid soft words like help, teach, become, make and try. Think powerful: build, boost, construct, captain, conduct, direct, lead and design.

Eliminating “weasel words” sparked an interesting discussion: How do we replace the weasel?

The key is using words that have bark AND bite for your brand. It’s not one-size-fits-all—each of us has a different “voice” and it’s important to choose your words accordingly.

But there are a few tips to increase the effectiveness of the words you use to describe yourself to potential clients:

Use power words: Words that convey action, motion, forward movement. Start becomes “ignite”. Help becomes “promote” or “build”. Succeed becomes “thrive”. Push yourself to use language that gives clients a visual picture of what you bring to the table.

Professional advisors are a unique class of bloggers. We essentially sell advice for a living. We (rarely) make money from advertising, nor do we really want to. Blogs for advisors are often a distribution channel for thought leadership and—done well—a piece of our sales funnel. So the big question is: to blog or not to blog?

I’ve assembled a list of the top 5 reasons for both. Take a look and share your additions, deletions and comments.

Top 5 Reasons To Blog

You've got a clear point of view. As an advisor, you should have a clear, compelling POV to serve as your blog's organizing theme. Every post relates in some way to your core beliefs about how your clients can be successful.

There is an old farm expression: “I can hear you clucking but I can’t find your nest”.

The 2010 version: There is a whole lot of clucking going on instead of real, move-the-needle conversations. Social media seems to goad us into speaking when we have nothing—really—to say. Beware of three cardinal sins:

Shameless self-promotion. You have information that will help clients and prospects solve problems. That is NOT shameless self-promotion. We veer into shameless territory when we lose sight of how the reader will benefit. Give them wisdom or make them think—or laugh—but don’t bore them with your irrelevant minutiae (give foursquare the boot.)

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