Some say the headline is the most important element of your promotion. Others say the offer is most important. But let’s face it, if you want results, your promotion must get read.
That being the case, perhaps readability is more important than either the headline or the offer. How can you make sure your copy is clear and easy to read? Review your copy for these 8 simple rules:
One. Rule of One.
There should be one powerful idea behind your message. Not two. Not one and then an afterthought.
Just one idea. Ogilvie calls it the Big Idea.
That idea should be the foundation of your promotion. In some cases, it’s a metaphor that you use to present your offer. In every case, it’s a theme that runs through your entire promotion, tying it all together.
That’s the foundation of the Rule of One. But there’s more.
In addition to one Big Idea, there should be one deep emotion that you plan to stir, one story no one else is telling, and one action you ask your reader to take.
The point is to focus your reader, not distract them. Which leads us to number…
Two. Get to the point.
Don’t ramble. Know what you’re going to say before you sit down to write, and then get straight to the point.
Most writers take a paragraph or two to warm up to their topic. They like to massage their relationship with the reader before coming around to the offer.
Not to judge, because I can be as guilty of this as anyone, but sneaking up on your reader is both cowardly and counterproductive. Let me explain.
If your reader is reading your promotion, you’ve already got their interest. They’ve already decided from your headline that you have something they want. By delaying your real message and trying to butter them up, you’re indicating they can’t be trusted to accept your message. Either that, or you’re afraid your message isn’t good enough.
Write a powerful headline, then get to the point. You’ll earn more points by not hiding your message and wasting your reader’s time.
Three. Write like you talk.
Even professional brainiacs don’t want to work at understanding your promotion. They want an easy read that’s interesting and even mildly entertaining.
So give them what they want. Write the way you talk. Don’t try to impress. Don’t pull out the thesaurus. Just start talking, and type what you hear yourself saying.
Four. Use simple sentences.
You want short sentences and simple constructions. For maximum readability, write for an eighth grade reading level or less.
Your sentences should average 14 words, with no sentence going over 21 words. The majority of your sentences should be noun-verb-noun or noun-verb-adjective constructions. Certainly vary your sentence structures for interest. But overall, rely on simple constructions.
Five. Use active verbs.
You may remember your English teacher complaining about passive sentence constructions. Here’s why: Passive sentences are boring. And more to the point, they can be hard to follow.
For maximum readability, make sure someone is doing something. Use active verbs.
Six. Keep your vocabulary simple.
We’re shooting for an eighth grade reading level, remember. So you don’t need your thesaurus to come up with “intelligent-sounding” words. Rely on the words you use in everyday speech. If you don’t use those words in a verbal presentation, what makes you think they’re necessary in your written presentation?
Your web page or mailing should be “sales in print.” No sale has ever been made when the presentation wasn’t perfectly clear. Keep it simple, and you’ll be sure your promotion is understandable.
Seven. Include lots of white space.
This rule originated in graphic arts, but it’s a powerful concept. Dense copy looks hard to read. Lots of white space makes your promotion look more accessible.
So make it a point to break up your copy. Keep your paragraphs to an average of 42 words. If possible, when a paragraph goes over 63 words, break it up. This keeps your copy from squeezing out the white space and keeps your reader’s eyes moving forward.
Eight. Write for skimmers.
I’m going to be honest here. I can’t accept that people don’t read at all any more. But even dedicated readers don’t have time to read every message they come in contact with. Talk about information overload!
So be kind to your readers. Give them your message in multiple ways.
Your message can be delivered in the headline, in the subheads and again in the body of your copy. So skimmers and readers will both walk away with your whole message.
If a reader only has time to read the headline and subheads, he’ll understand enough to respond to the offer. (It’s a good idea to repeat your offer in the P.S., so these folks don’t have to read any body copy at all, yet can still respond.)
But what if you lucked into someone who loves reading every promotion or happens to have time to do more than skim yours? By repeating and reinforcing your message throughout the copy, you’ve used the power of repetition to drive your message home. If the offer is properly targeted, you’ve upped your chances of getting a “yes.”
How do you improve your readability?
Every element of copywriting is essential if you want to pull maximum responses. These eight rules are only the foundation. What do you do to make sure your promotions are easy to read and respond to?
