Every business writing situation is different. You will naturally alter your strategies for a website versus a brochure, a blog, a press release, or an e-book. The ways to achieve writing project success will vary from document to document as you consider things like context, audience, structure, placement, and purpose. But, there are some common elements that can be used for most business writing tasks. Here are a few:
A Great Hook
The opening lines of your document (also known as your “hook“) are key to establishing interest. If readers like your opening lines, they are much more likely to keep reading. Start with the piece of information you think they’re most interested in, and think of a way to say it that will draw them in.
Logical Chain of Ideas
Once you have the hook established, move to your next idea in a logical manner. Make sure each new idea flows logically from the one before it. It is tempting to jump right to your call to action, or the solution you are offering, but your solution will be more desirable if you first remind readers of why they need it.
Incremental Buy-in
Give readers a chance to digest each new idea. You might include a question (e.g. “Wouldn’t you agree?”) or an acknowledgment of a statement that might be hard to swallow. For example, let’s say I work for a homeless services agency, and I’m requesting donations. As part of a donation request letter, I might reveal that, nationally, one out of every 50 children are homeless. Because this is a shocking statistic, I could follow that statement with another: “Many people don’t want want to believe it’s true, but, sadly, it is.” With my follow-up sentence, I’ve given readers an opportunity to buy in to my assertion enough to continue reading.
Strong Transitions
Continuing with the above scenario, and assuming I’ve given a number of other statistics in my letter, my next paragraph could start with, “You can make a difference.” I’m helping readers to understand there is a problem (homelessness), providing them with information that elicits and emotional response (sympathy), and then transitioning to how they can respond to that response (by making a donation).
Call to Action
Don’t leave your readers hanging. Let them know what comes next, and be specific about it. Instead of “sign up,” say, “sign up today by visiting our website at www.blahblahblah.com and clicking on ‘contest.’”
What strategies do you use throughout your business writing? Please share in the comments.
About the Author: Karen Marcus, M.A. is a Northern Colorado copywriter who has been helping clients in a wide range of industries to put their best word forward for 13 years.
Need assistance making your business writing more effective? Karen can help! Click here for contact info.
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The one point above that is most often overlooked is use of the Incremental Buy-In. Giving people time to digest the information you present online or in print is far more effective in educating your reader than bombarding people with a laundry list of data.
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Karen Marcus Reply:
May 14th, 2011 at 4:34 pm
Agreed, Scott. I like your use of the word “educating,” because that’s really what it’s all about. In fact, every tip in this post could be related to educating readers: a great hook educates them about why they should read what you’ve written; a logical chain of ideas suggest you know what you’re talking about; strong transitions imply that you understand the connection between their problem and your solution; and a call to action teaches them what to do next.
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