Nobody can honestly say they’re a fan of bland, boring, corporate-speak. So why is it that most websites are absolutely drowning in the stuff? Even the company blog has become dry, stale and uninteresting. Here’s the truth – nobody does business with a company. They also don’t do business with a product or service. They do business with a value or something personal that they want to see in or for themselves. They don’t buy a television; they buy quality time with their family watching a great movie. They don’t buy laundry detergent; they buy softer, nicer-smelling clothes that keep their fit wear after wear.
Your content has to be able to engage readers on that same, deeper level. It has to connect and resonate with them in a way that doesn’t sound like a pressuring sales pitch. To do this, try incorporating these points into your writing:
Say it Out Loud
Some people find that they can get their message across better by writing the way they speak. If you force yourself to proofread everything you write with the hawk-eye of an editor, it will come across as dry and uninspiring. On the other hand, if you talk with enthusiasm about your product and what it can do for someone – your excitement comes through in your writing. You sound much more convincing without having to slather on the hype – and that can often make the difference between getting the sale, and getting nowhere with your prospect.
Visualize the Results
Imagine your product in your customer’s hands. What will they do with it first? Imagine their reaction when they first see the results. How can you best put that experience into words? By visualizing the results, you’ll come up with some detailed words that don’t necessarily have to sound like they were ripped right from the pages of a college thesaurus. Talking over and above people’s heads is an exercise in creating content that doesn’t get read. Talking to them on their level, in a way that engages them and creates a mini “light bulb moment” is what gets them to take action.
Break Up Your Paragraphs
People don’t read email. They don’t read web pages either. They’re not poring over your words and hanging off your every post. They scan – and if they like what they see, they go back and read in more detail. Take advantage of this by breaking up your paragraphs into smaller, more easily “scanable” chunks. Use bullet points to cut right to the facts and follow up your writing with stories that illustrate or testimonials that cut right to the heart of the message you’re trying to get across. Your readers can tell the difference between a truly involved writer and one who’s desperate to make a sale.
Remember, when writing content for the web, less really is more. Ask yourself what you can afford to trim from your writing and how you can make it more easily accessible to your ideal customer. When your writing speaks directly to them, you’ll immediately see a much higher level of engagement – and a sense that yours is a company who truly “gets it”.
