I say this so many times that it’s beginning to feel like a personal mantra, and yet it still bears repeating; all businesses need an online presence. The world that we live in today thrives on quick and convenient information, delivering words in the form of brochures, letters, e-mails, reports, ads and articles.
With so much communication going on, it’s easy for your business voice to get lost among the crowd – no matter how loudly you shout. Since you can’t afford to go unnoticed, the only other option is to follow the tips and techniques proven to give your message volume.
For a reader to truly appreciate your articles (and actually want to read them), here’s what you have to do:
1. Know Your Audience
This is a technique that’s been around since before the dawn of content marketing, but that doesn’t make it any less valuable. While it can feel as though attempting to appeal to everyone at the same time on the internet is a good idea – as it seems to ensure you don’t alienate any potential buyers – this is rarely the case. In fact, one of the most common sayings in the business world is: “A message aimed at everyone often appeals to no one.”
To communicate properly with your audience, you need to understand the people who are most likely to buy from you. In other words, figure out where they’re from, what they’re interested in, what they value, and what motivates them. The more you can connect with your readers, the more you can ensure your writing appeals directly to their needs.
2. Have a Jargon-Free Message
Before you even start on a content production strategy, you’ll need a clear understanding of what you’re trying to achieve. For example, are you simply trying to sell a product, or do you want to tell people about that product, provide information, and maybe a little entertainment? Inspiring your readers to act begins with knowing exactly what you want them to do. Try to boil your business message down to a single phrase, or slogan, such as “start saving thousands of pounds a year”.
At the same time, make sure the message you use doesn’t include any complicated language or technical terms. Remember, you’re not writing for your business partners here – you’re writing for the masses, who want a quick, easy-to-understand explanation of why they should invest in you.
3. Be Active
Active voice makes your content sound sure and decisive, which convinces your reader that you’re worth their trust. After all, what good is a business that doesn’t have faith in its own product or service? Putting active voice in your content is a quick way to make the writing sound bright, fresh, and full of life. What’s more, sentences in active voice are generally much clearer than those in passive voice, meaning that your audience has less trouble absorbing them.
What’s more, that “active” tone also encourages action from your customers. In other words, active writing prompts an active audience.
4. Proofread
There are plenty of other tips and techniques that can help to deliver better business content, but all of them require this final step. Remember that spell-checkers are useful, but they’re far from perfect – and they don’t alert you when you use a correct word, but in the wrong context. Proofread your documents before you publish them. Nothing questions your professionalism quicker than an unwanted typo in an informative article.
Editor’s Note: If you spot a typo in this post, we’ll send you a free pie. If we haven’t eaten it.
(Pie expiry date 8/3/18*)
*Date format: UK