Image your reader is your friend sitting at your kitchen table. Write to him or her.
If you want to create Radical WebPower, great emails that convert, and ads and brochures that get read, follow this simple rule…Write for your Audience!
I was watching a baseball game with some friends. As the batter advanced to the plate I mentioned, “Watch this guy. He’s got a .580 on base percentage against southpaws. And the guy on the mound has a pitiful ERA of 8.60 against right-handed pull hitters.”
I got nothing but blank stares. For a moment I forgot my friends were from Ireland and knew about as much baseball as I did soccer. I forgot one of the cardinal rules of communication.
Write For Your Audience And Write In Their Language
Write in the voice of your audience. Use the words they use in the way they use them. When talking to computer programmers, it’s OK to use their lingo. But if you’re trying to sell the exact same product to general business owners, avoid specialized tech terms as much as you can. When coming across unfamiliar words or terms, most readers stumble. If they stumble over words more than once or maybe twice, studies have shown that they simply decide to move on.
Take this headline from a real advertisement, “I’m impressed – Shell’s Caprinus® R Oil 40 keeps my EMD’s in better condition than any other oil I’ve used in 20 years.” Normally I would question the use of the term “EMD”. But…this ad appears in a trade publication and targets marine engineers who work with large diesel engines. EMD is a well-known brand in that industry. Speak their language and you’ll grab their interest.
Don’t Be Misunderstood
As professional copywriters we, first and foremost, must be understood. In fact, let’s take that a step further. President William H Taft had the mind of a conversion copywriter when he said, “ Don’t write so that you can be understood; write so that you can’t be misunderstood.” The difference seems small but it is hugely critical.
The renowned David Ogilvy said of copywriters, “Our business is infested with idiots who try to impress by using pretentious jargon.” You know the type. They want to show how smart they are and end up out-smarting themselves. As the great Ogilvy said, if you don't write for your audience, you truly are an idiot.
Here’s a hint. If you are writing to a non-specific, diverse audience, play it safe. Stay with familiar words and phrases that are universally understood. If you have a question, show your work to a sixth grader. You’ll have your answer soon enough.
A Great Head Start For You
Get a jump on your Website, Marketing, and Copywriting with my FREE Infographic, 4 Key Elements of a World-Class Website.
# # #
Want To Know The Secrets Of The World’s Best Copywriters?
Many budding copywriters and business owners need help in crafting branding statements, advertising, online web copywriting and content, press releases and the like. I encourage you to find a good branding strategy consultant/professional copywriter who can take what’s in your heart and your head and put it in a way that will let you reach your goal of educating your prospects, allowing them to conclude they would have to be raving lunatics if they didn’t do business with you. If you're looking for a good online digital copywriting course, kindly check out Write Like A Madman And Make Money Like Crazy, my 13-Video, 30-piece multi-media Signature Course. Click here to watch the first video Free