7 Easy-To-Implement Writing Tips
For most small business owners, the thought of sitting down at their keyboard to create a sales email, blog post, or other client communication is enough to send shivers up their spine. It's just something most people dread doing, and it always falls to the bottom of their to-do list.
You're an expert in your industry. And you have lots of unique experiences and knowledge to share. And when you connect with your clients, you strengthen the relationship, and when done consistently, you become a reliable resource. Writing about your business is an easy way to connect. So why is it so hard to do?!
Good writing is a skill that requires lots of practice and constant honing (at least that's what I tell my kids!) But it doesn't have to be all doom and gloom. There are things that you can do to make the process easier – at least in terms of writing copy your audience will enjoy reading.
We consistently follow seven specific tips when creating copy for ourselves or any of our clients. These simple tips will help produce copy that is easy to read
1. The 40:20:40 Rule – We live by this rule when we write, and it goes like this:
Spend 40% of your time preparing. Whether it's an outline or mental organization, you need to put serious thought into what you'll write about and the order you'll present information. This is also when I do any necessary research – online or interviews.
Spend 20% of your time writing. Yep, that's it. The writing should flow if you did a good job outlining/organizing.
Spend the last 40% of your time editing. Sometimes it feels like I spend way longer editing, which usually means I didn't do a great job preparing. But never skimp on your editing time because one grammatical error (hello, their vs. there vs . they're) or one misspelled word can be enough to turn off a prospective client.
2. Keep it Casual – Writing has gotten more casual and conversational in tone over time. Ultimately, you need to know your audience since each field has its own personality, but in many cases, because our goal is to connect and be seen as relatable, we want to write closer to how we talk. This doesn't mean being sassy and cheeky unless that's you or your audience. But it does mean a less formal approach to writing. An easy change that you can make immediately to adopt a more conversational tone is using contractions. When we talk, we don't say, "If you are in need of a new marketing strategy." We say, "if you're in need of a new marketing strategy," A subtle change that makes a difference in how your copy flows.
3. Don't assume – Never assume your audience knows what you do. We see this a lot. Assumptions are made early on that everyone knows what a person does simply by their job title or industry. And while in many cases it's likely obvious (for example, a roof replacement company), if you address the client problems you solve, you will also tell them what you do. But in a way that's about them and not you.
4. Don't use acronyms or industry jargon – Please. Just stop this one now. Review all your materials and remove acronyms. This also falls into the category of making assumptions. It’s a quick way to lose the attention of your ideal customer because they don't understand what you're saying. There is an exception; if it's an acronym that you'll use over and over, define it first. And industry jargon, unless your communication is to an audience of your peers, you're making it all about you when you use industry jargon. You're assuming everyone talks the way you do, and they don't. If you want to connect with your ideal customer, talk how they talk. It's probably without the jargon.
5. Keep it short – People don't want to read long sentences or paragraphs. There's a reason YouTube and TikTok are so popular. Our attention spans have gotten short. So your copy better be, too, if you expect to have your audience read until the end.
6. Make it easy to understand – There's no point spending your time writing if your audience doesn't understand you. And while some people believe that to be considered knowledgeable, they must use big words (incongruous, egregious) and buzzworthy business phrases (strategic decisions that align with our core principles), the truth is, the best writing falls between a 4th – 7th grade reading level. Why? Because it's easy to understand and follow. And since I have a 4th grader AND a 7th grader, I have a built-in audience to help me gauge readability.
7. Use editing tools – ALWAYS!!! Apps like Grammarly are free, and there is simply no reason NOT to use one. Even the best writers make mistakes. And we all know how easy it is to miss them when we proofread. We know what we MEANT to say, so that's how we read it. Another editing tip; read from the end to the beginning. That way, you aren't reading it for what you think it should be because there is no flow. Instead, you're better able to see it for what it is. And lastly, if it's a critical document, have multiple people look it over because nothing ruins a well-intended piece of writing faster than grammatical or spelling errors.
Set some time aside each week to make engaging with your target audience part of your 2022 business goals. Either through well-written sales emails or weekly blog posts that provide valuable information. The key is creating consistent, well-written content that is easy to understand. You’ll be amazed that the more you do it, the better you’ll become.
