Huh?! What’s that supposed to mean? – – Get your message across without confusing your readers. [Tuesdays: “Write with the Pen of the Masters”]
“I’ll take you out!”
This is an example of a phrase that is open to interpretation.
Does it imply taking you out on a date or does it suggest getting rid of you by literally knocking you out?
In writing, you must always consider context, as well as the perspective of your target audience to avoid miscommunication and misinterpretation.
Not everyone has the same interpretation and views on certain topics so you have to meet them halfway.
Remember to TIE IN WITH YOUR READER’S EXPERIENCE.
This is one of the rules from the book, “The Technique of Clear Writing” by Robert Gunning.
Besides using jargons in your content to capture your readers’ attention, you also have to consider how your message will come off to them.
It’s not enough that the content is easy to grasp.
Your message shouldn’t be prone to misunderstanding either!
This is a very important note to remember, especially when you’re writing on behalf of your brand or company.
Use simpler words.
Some words might mean different things for different people. The message a piece of writing conveys is not always the same for different readers.
You have to construct sentences that are simple and easy to understand.
Keep your article concise and straight to the point so that readers won’t have a hard time interpreting it.
For example, “She was flabbergasted by the sudden visit of her boss.’’
Why phrase it like this when you can just say, “She was surprised by the sudden visit of her boss.”
Not all are familiar with the term “flabbergasted.” Use words that are used by most people. You don’t always need to use jargons or slangs.
Written words don’t always express or show emotion.
Sometimes what you write on paper or screen can come off as rude or arrogant for the readers even though you never intended to do so.
You always need to check what you’ve written and make sure that it sounds exactly how you mean it to sound.
Try putting yourself in your readers’ shoes. Does your copy sound like you’re mad, happy, disappointed, or excited?
When you use the right words, sentences, punctuation marks, and maybe even emojis where appropriate, you can actually express emotions in your writing.
Review your content 3 to 5 times to try and see what the emotion of your piece is from your target readers’ perspective.
From there, you’ll see if what you’ve written results in the emotion you’re going for.
People have different views.
Remember that not all people have the same views as you.
Some might agree, some might not, and others might even ignore your message.
Make sure to strengthen the readers’ affirmative opinions about the company you’re writing for or the message you want to send.
For sure, you’ll come across readers who may be hesitant about a topic you’re writing about. To be effective, you need to work on convincing them that your content is worth the read. Spark in them a possible change in perspective.
For example, you might write about how a particular fitness program works well for you and for people you know. You might claim that it’s the best that’s currently out there.
When you do this without enough research to back up your writeup, you risk alienating groups of people like fitness experts who do customized training programs for their clients.
When you write this article with enough solid research, you can actually convert them to see things the way you do. Who knows, you might even be able to collaborate with them in the future.
Take extra care when writing.
There are instances when your content or copy reaches a set of people you didn’t intend to reach. This can happen when you publish online.
It’s important to make your message as clear as possible to avoid misunderstandings or misinterpretations.
Don’t get lost in too much details but don’t lack details either.
It’s good to be specific but know when you’re already saying too much.
Some writers tend to stray away from their topics, especially when they use too many unnecessary abstract terms.
Go for words that are often used in conversations and words that wouldn’t require your readers to search its definition every few seconds.
Don’t simplify your message to the point that it lacks the necessary details.
This sentence for example: “Take me out on a date.”
Unlike saying, “take me out” only, this sentence is more complete and specifically refers that the sender or writer of the message is asking for a date.
It doesn’t give any room for misinterpretation and also contains all the details needed to convey the right message.
Miscommunication often occurs when writers ignore the wide variety of views and opinions their readers have.
Keep your readers in mind.
How will they read your content?
How will they understand what you’ve written?
Can your copy send a different message than what you originally intended?
Review your content and see it from your readers’ perspective.
Align your purpose with the purpose of your target readers.
It’s a two-way process.
Give this week’s writing tip a go to effectively send your message across!
About The Dynamic Marketing Communiqué’s
“Tuesdays: Write with the Pen of the Masters”
Who doesn’t find content writing to be a skill that requires a lot of practice and effort?
In fact, many people may even find copywriting very intimidating.
However, you can be a good writer as long as you have the right tools. You won’t always get things right the first time, but with enough time and practice, you’ll get the hang of it!
When you write a copy for any brand or for your company, your aim is to make an impact and…
…to get people to remember.
Getting people to remember means getting consumers to buy your product or to avail of your service.
And when you get your content to deliver the results you want, THAT is a great copy!
Every Tuesday, we publish content based on tips and insights from the masters of content writing, copywriting, and storytelling.
Become more familiar with ways to write great copy that helps you gain ROI from your efforts, drive profitability, and achieve your business goals.
Learn time-tested tactics that better capture the attention of your target audience, and maximize the benefits of great copywriting.
Hope you found this week’s insights interesting and helpful.
Stay tuned for next Tuesday’s “Write with the Pen of the Masters!”
Cheers,
Kyle Yu
Head of Marketing
Valens Dynamic Marketing Capabilities
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