Written content is the cornerstone of any business marketing.
Yes, video is a fast growing medium. Yes, a picture paints a thousand words. We know all of that.
But when it all boils down to it, people still like to read. And that will never change. Writing is a familiar medium – a way that people expect to receive valuable information.
In order for them to read, you have to write. Which is why it is vitally important to have great written content for your business.
And how do you create this great content?
Well, you need to sit down and think about a few things before you put pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard keys, which is more accurate than the pen analogy!) You will never have great written content that generates sales without these factors…
Why You Shouldn’t Just Write
It Needs To Connect With The Right People
I know, I know. You have been told hundreds of times that you need to know who your ideal client is. But there is a reason that everybody tells you that is the starting point. It is because it is true.
If your ideal client – ie. the person who is willing to spend money with your business and rave about it – does not connect with your webpages, blogs or newsletters, then your business will be in trouble. Obviously, it is not going to survive very long without sales!
When you do sit down to write, it can help to think about one of your existing clients that you love working with. What would they worry about, what questions would they ask you and how would they like to be spoken to? Keep those things in mind when you are writing anything for your business and you will be one step closer to bringing on more of those clients.
It Needs To Be The Right Tone
Before you start hammering away on the keys, you need to think about a couple of things…
- Where is your content going to be published?
- Who is going to be reading it?
- How would they like to hear from you?
Your personality is your secret weapon. It is what sets you apart from your competitors. So, you want to use it to your advantage.
In saying that, there are many different aspects of your personality. And you want to showcase the right part in the right forum. Social media allows you to be fun and playful, your blogs allow you to state an opinion, your webpages show that you are genuine and trustworthy, and your newsletters show you are knowledgeable.
Considering which avenue you are writing for will help you to choose the right tone. As does knowing who you are writing for.
What Is Your End Objective?
Ask yourself what you are hoping to achieve with the particular piece of content you are writing. Are you educating your audience? Are you entertaining them? Maybe you are helping to solve one of their biggest problems.
Alongside that, you want to be thinking about the next steps you want readers to take after they have consumed your piece. Do you want them to sign up for your email list? Then give them a reason to do it – pepper your expertise throughout the piece so they know your newsletter is going to deliver value.
Have your Call to Action in mind as you write. It will help you to naturally lead into it. That way, when your reader reaches the bottom of your webpage, blog, newsletter or post, they won’t get a massive shock that you are asking them to do something. Oh, and make it an easy something that they have to do. If it is too complicated, they won’t do it.
It Shouldn’t Be Random
The whole idea of producing written content is to get people to connect with your brand. So, you need your messaging to be consistent. Stand by your values and only write about the things that make sense. That means the things that align with your brand, that your ideal client will be interested in and that will further your business.
Your readers will want to connect with the person behind your brand. Don’t confuse them with mixed messages. If in one breath you are singing the praises of bacon, don’t then turn around and say you are vegan.
Your content should also be part of a wider plan for your business. But I will cover that off in my next article.
If you loved these tips for creating better content, then you will also love the Write It Right 100. That’s 100 content writing tips across 100 days in 100 words.
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