
Now consider if I had delivered that bulleted content to you like this: When content looks spacious, it appears less daunting to read, which means people will be more likely to read it.
Bullets, whether numbers or points, add white space and breathing room to your text. Here are three reasons to use bulleted lists wherever you can: Turn Groups Of Three Of More Items Into Bulleted Lists A good marketing editor can help you here. If you want your content to stand out, then take the time to tighten it. Mark Twain at a desk (Photo by Library of Congress/Corbis/VCG via Getty Images) Corbis/VCG via Getty Images Mark Twain expressed this thought best: " I didn't have time to write a short letter, so I wrote a long one instead.” One tip that works well and can shave some length: Remove the first paragraph (or more) from your piece and see if it still makes sense.įirst paragraphs are often warm-ups for writers, so removing those early words might help your readers. Is there anything you could eliminate without hurting the message and meaning? An image? A quote? A paragraph?Ĭut it. Look at your latest blog post or an underperforming ebook with a critical editing eye. They need you to do the hard work of cutting, culling, tightening, and ensuring the message is crystal clear. They need your help to get to the crux of the message. These readers don't have the time to puzzle out what you mean by reading things twice or thrice and drawing diagrams. They're busy, smart, and expect just the right information at the right time-nothing more, nothing less. Eliminate Unnecessary Elements In Your Marketing Content If your content is unique, people may not care whether you make the next four improvements. If you make only one change to your content, let it be this one. If you make only one change to improve your marketing content, make it this one. I’d be proud to add them to my portfolio.Īnd my clients would publish pieces prospects want to read because, “Hey, look! It’s not the same generic stuff I just saw on the last 10 websites.” I can’t emphasize the importance of this tip enough. Those pieces would be rich with language, quotes, and stories that resonate with prospects. Best sites to benchmark my pc full#
I’ve hated using it, knowing full well that with a little give from clients, I could have created unique, differentiating content no one else could replicate. It’s what contributes to the flood of redundant content online.
I’m shocked by how many content professionals are okay with using this method to create content. But subject matter experts usually aren't great marketing writers, especially if they're technical experts. If the writer’s a subject matter expert, then what’s in their head may be good enough. The alternative is content based only on information already out there and what’s in the writer’s head. Those actions fuel writers with the language of prospects, which leads to better marketing content. Joining industry-specific organizations with lively discussion forums.Interviewing customer success folks or sitting in on quarterly business reviews.Sitting in on sales calls and listening to the language prospects use to discuss how they’re thinking and feeling.Getting Close To The Team, Prospects, And Customers
Your prospects will skedaddle if your marketing content repeats what's already out there. If your marketing content regurgitates what's already out there, your prospects will quickly move.