The hot shot ad agency types will tell you it’s about something gimmicky, shocking or what’s hot today. They’re only partly right. There are many reasons people ‘get it’ – and plenty of obstacles that stop them getting it! Here are 7 tips that will help your copy to be read:
1. I don’t want to know what you do, I want to know what I get so write about what’s in it for ME (your reader).
2. If you give me lots to read I might not bother, keep paragraphs and sentences short and to the point.
3. When you start writing you MUST know why people buy you and tell your readers that’s what they get.
4. Most people don’t read online, they scan, so put easy-to-read devices like bullets and subheads to help them get your message – and whilst people tend to read more from paper, it’s a good way to draw their attention to the key points.
5. What do people REALLY want to know? Not lots of detail. Tell them what they want, not what you want to say.
6. What do you want people to do when they’ve read your message? Don’t forget a call to action.
7. Don’t make people work hard; tell them what to do and make it easy for them to do (i.e. make the words a link) or put the phone number right there (don’t expect them to search around for it).
There are many more reasons people stop reading – but just getting these right will make a real difference.
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