This is a guest post by Melody Brooks, if you would like to guest post, see Write For Us
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There’s something going on in my life right now that ties in very nicely with what we’re talking about . . . marketing and writing.
I was born and raised in a small town. Like anyplace else, it has its good and bad points. I had a happy childhood there, and while I don’t live there now many family members and friends do.
This past week, a governing body in that county made a decision that puzzled, disgusted, and angered many. This decision reinforced most negative small-town stereotypes out there. There was much talk of writing letters to the newspaper and to the decision-makers. I decided to write one in support of a certain viewpoint.
The first draft was just me getting my feelings out. As you can imagine, some rather . . . er . . . irreverent words flowed from my keyboard. After looking at what spewed forth, I saw some gems and some duds. Some self-centered blather with a little wise insight.
It was marketing copy — outlining the benefits of the program they had cut while discussing the problems and pain this cut would inflict. Suggesting ways to solve these problems.
But the language, the wording, wasn’t quite right. It was written mostly for me, not for them, so it was back to the drawing board. I had to replace the self-serving copy with words that would speak to them. The letter needed to resonate and be professional so it was taken seriously.
The next draft was a masterpiece compared to the first. Both said the same thing, but one was light-years ahead of the other in effectiveness. I continued to tweak it with some help from my old friends, who ended up co-signing it.
It’s almost ready to go, and I’m planning to send it in the next day or so. I like to let my copy sit for 24-48 hours so I have a fresh set of eyes to look it over. (BIG HINT!!)
Remember, your choice of words makes all the difference between blah and brilliant copy, no matter what the situation. Use words effectively to motivate your prospects. Speak their language. Show them you understand their problem and know how to help.
Quick Tips:
- This is where knowing your intention comes in. What action are you trying to get them to take and why?
- If you know your audience, you know what kind of language they will respond to. Will they respond to 25-cent words or thousand-dollar words? Should you say get or receive?
- Are they well-versed in real estate? Do they know the lingo? You usually want to keep it as simple as possible, but with some target audiences you can delve into specialized language a little bit more.
- Don’t censor or edit yourself. Get your thoughts out, then go back and rework.
- Watch your tone. You don’t want to come across as sarcastic, holier-than-thou, condescending, or patronizing. You are their partner in solving their problem. You’re their trusted adviser.
- Watch the use of I, me, and my. It’s not about you, remember?
- Unless you have no choice, never go with your first draft. Let it sit, even if you only have a few minutes, then take a fresh look.
- Have someone who is in your target audience or demographic read your materials and tell you where you shine and where you could use some polish.
The more you write, the more you’ll be in tune with your audience . . . and the better and faster you will write. The main thing is to just do it. Like anything else, you have to write to get better at it.
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