If you’re reading this, I assume that you’re either:
- an adventurous entrepreneur looking for ways to grow your business or
- a writer looking to diversify your income streams
If so, then you’ve probably been asking yourself:
“How can I come up with a unique and compelling message that will keep my readers interested?”
And you’ve found yourself here, at the right place!
I get it. I’ve been there. I’ve had that question, and many variations of it. After all, you’ve got a lot to work with: A business you launched, a blog you consistently use, and plenty of social media to keep the ideas flowing. So, what is the answer?
Well, it depends. On the one hand, you’ve got a business to grow. On the other hand, you’ve got a story to tell. The answer is always in the details, so let’s dive into the details.
Brainstorm
Before you begin crafting your message, you should have a clear idea of what you’re trying to say. That’s why I recommend starting with a brainstorming session with a few trusted advisors. You can also enlist the help of a professional copywriter to help you develop a winning pitch.
The goal here is to come up with a list of ideas, concepts, and marketing messages that you and your team can use to promote your product or service. The more you can come up with, the better. You don’t want to be scrambling to come up with an idea for a pitch just because you don’t have one. Don’t worry, you’ll come up with something. But, it might not be what you’re looking for.
For instance, if you’re developing a marketing email campaign, you might brainstorm about the problems that your product or service solves. Are you trying to attract buyers who have specific requirements? Are you aiming to educate your audience about a new topic?
Whatever the goal is, make sure that you come up with a list of ideas, concepts, and marketing messages that you can use to achieve it. The next step is to narrow the list to the most promising ideas.
Choose The Right Medium
Once you’ve got your list of promising ideas, it’s time to whittle it down further to the most effective ones. The first thing you want to do is choose the right medium for your message. When it comes to effective copy, nothing beats plain old-fashioned word of mouth. So, if you can, you want to go with something that your audience is most likely to be able to relate to. If you can find a way to tie your message into a story, even better. A story can be effective whether it’s published in a national newspaper or posted on social media.
Now, this isn’t to say that everything you come up with will be successful. Far from it. But, if you want to improve your odds of having a successful campaign, make sure that you choose a platform that your audience is most likely to be interested in.
Keep It Simple
A good rule of thumb when developing an effective message is to keep it simple. There are always exceptions to this rule, depending on the nature of your product or service. If you can express your idea in a few short sentences, it’s usually best to go with it. A complex idea will not be easy for your reader to understand and may even confuse them. If possible, you should avoid using big words or complicated sentence structures. Besides, unnecessary jargon can prevent your message from being easily disseminated. Use terms that are common knowledge to your target audience. If you find that your message requires a somewhat higher degree of understanding, then you might want to consider stepping back and re-approaching the project with a simpler message.
If you adhere to these guidelines, you will increase the chance of your message being effective and engaging. And, if you want to be able to successfully promote your product or service, you need to find a way to make your marketing messages as compelling as possible. Which brings us to our next point.
Crafted For A Larger Audience
If you’ve ever had the displeasure of sending out a mass email, you’ll know that it’s not the most enjoyable experience. If you’re not careful, you might shoot yourself in the foot by sending too many emails with the same content. The key to avoiding this is to craft your message with an audience in mind. When you’ve got a larger audience, you can send your email with a wider range of content, including some fun facts about your product or service. But, if you’re aiming for a more targeted audience, then you should stick with what they’re already familiar with.
To return to our previous point, if you can find a way to tie your message into a story, even better. A story can be effective whether it’s published in a national newspaper or posted on social media.
Key Takeaways
When it comes to marketing, there’s no one-size-fits-all approach that will work for everyone. As you develop your own message and choose your own platform, keep these things in mind to improve your odds of having a successful campaign: