Don’t re-invent the wheel When creating ad copy or headlines, sales letters etc. don’t feel the need to come up with a great new idea every time. Shamelessly steal what has worked in the past – then recreate and amend it to meet your specific needs. “Cash if you die, cash if you don’t” was an outstanding headline in an ad for life assurance that was first written over thirty years ago. Variations of it are still appearing in newspapers today
Make an initial impact Here’s an example – look at the email messages you receive. When they appear in Outlook Express (or whatever programme you use) all you see are sender details and the “tag” line. How often does this tell you nothing that would make you want even to open the email? In fact, in these days of ever-more killer email viruses, how often does a “means nothing” piece of information actually make you wary of opening the file? So, unless what the recipient can instantly see is of value, your cause might already be lost. And the basic principle is no different when creating an ad, sales letter, proposal etc. Why should this busy man, shown here, spend his time reading something simply because you want him to…
Keep it simple Imagine the recipient has only a few seconds to grasp what you are trying to say (it’s good to imagine this because, quite often, it’s true). Now, look at your communication. How long would it take them to understand it – and what you are asking them to do? Now, be careful, I’m not asking how long it would take YOU with your level of knowledge of this area, product, service, company or subject. Your communication must be clearly understood by a person with a different level of knowledge (or viewpoint) than yours
Follow it up!
I once worked in a newspaper office where one of the managers set his sales team the task of sending out over 3,000 sales letters regarding an up-coming feature. This process took about three days – during which time no other calls were made! Because this had been so time-consuming, there was no time left to follow-up the letters with face-to-face or even telephone calls. The result was – 3,000 letters and only eight ads. How much more effective might 200 letters to key Prospects followed-up by a call have been?
Final Thought As you can see from the last point, a written communication can often act as an entry point for direct contact. Equally, too often it can be used as an excuse for not talking to someone e.g. tough Customers, those with complaints, annoyed or troublesome colleagues etc! So, use written communications only when you have a clear, valid objective for so doing. Or, when it genuinely is the best way to get your message across
Smart Written Communications Tips - Part Two - To learn more about this author, visit Gordon Veniard's Website.
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