Write better right now!

Your customers and prospective customers are paying attention to your promotion (TV, Web site, direct mail, etc.) to learn how you can help them. Are you making it easy for them? Are you recognizing their problems and offering solutions? Or are you trying to sell something? Show them effective solutions, they’ll show you enduring loyalty.

Jerry Seinfeld has this great routine about “Certs with Retsyn.” His point is even more compelling—what is Retsyn? We all know Certs has Retsyn, but we really don’t care because Retsyn means nothing to us. Get the Retsyn out of your writing.

We all love the language of our industry or the hot buzzwords of the day. Keep it in the office. The real test of good writing is showing it to ten random members of your target audience and knowing they all understood it quickly, easily, clearly.

Coca Cola^® is about fun. NIKE^® is about fitness. The means to those ends is selling soft drinks and athletic gear respectively. I’m about telling great stories. Writing is my means. What are you about? What is your means?

If your product includes a ¾'' galvanized machine screw and your competitor’s has a ½'' regular nongalvanized screw—resist temptation and don’t write about it. Write about the fact that your product will last longer, stand up better to the elements, is more reliable, and is a better investment in the long haul. That’s what your customers want to buy—later they’ll want to support the purchase decision by knowing more about the screw.

Over the years, I’ve had a number of clients show me a competitive ad and say, “Do something like this.” The result has been cementing their reputation as a “me too” company. Instead, know who you are, what you’re about, what makes you different and better, and why your customers love you. Then write about it.

Don’t settle for average writing…try this. The next time you go to write something, create a first draft then throw it away and start again. This is where creativity begins and your message and/or promotional investment begins to show a substantially better return on investment.

I live in a town where our university’s football team is a five-time national champion. With each trophy, all of our local advertising takes on the same tone.

Like the (TEAM NAME), we understand it takes hard work, dedication, and excellence to become the best at what you do. At (COMPANY NAME), we make that same commitment to you. So if you’re looking for a true champion when it comes to (PRODUCT NAME), look no further than (COMPANY NAME).

Seriously? Your company is the national champion of patio furniture? The old rule about underpromising and overdelivering is just as true in your writing as in any part of your business.

All good stories have a beginning, a middle, and an end. Does your writing? If I were to tell the story of this Web site, it might look something like:

Beginning—We’re all trying to grow our businesses and reach our vision of success—whatever it may be.

Middle—But the urgent daily demands of business pull you further and further away from the things that really matter—like focusing on long-term growth.

End—By following these ten writing tips, small business owners and communicators like you can get more out of the time they spend trying to promote their companies and grow their sales.

If you really want your story to resonate, let someone credible tell it using a testimonial. It might be a customer, employee, or community leader. But if you can get them to tell your story as seen through their eyes, your credibility meter goes to a 11 on a scale of 10. And, by its very nature, a testimonial follows most of the tips above.