MadelineHere

Are you trying to organize an article, a blog post, or a presentation, and trying to persuade your audience to “buy in”?

There are 3 ways to avoid the click away reflex of the modern internet consumer.

Today’s readers are jaded.  They don’t want to be pitched, sold, or marketed to.  They are online because they looking for a reliable source, an expert that can relieve their dilemma.

Your readers need convincing that you are that reliable source in a way that doesn’t send them running.

It’s a fact that readers will move on to the next article as soon as they sense you are marketing to them.  You need to know how to write to sell – while not setting off that “click away” reflex.

The 3 essential  pieces to avoid reader “click away” when writing for the internet are:

1. Description

Writing a good description of your reader’s issue lets them know they are reading the right article.

2. Empathy and Understanding

Presenting the problem through your reader’s perspective.  This is where you keep your reader interested and make them value what you have to say.

3. The Solution

You give away some of the facts that show you know how to solve their problem.

Why writing to sell makes it important that you include these 3 elements in your blogs.

Sometimes we do searches and Google throws a variety of answers at us.  Choosing the right one isn’t as easy as picking from the top of Google’s list of suggestions. There’s a moment where the reader “tests” Google’s response to their query.

It’s while your reader is testing you as a source that you need to grab them.  If you don’t – their hand has clicked – and they are on their way to someone else’s writing.

What do you accomplish through starting with a written description of their problem?

The fact you can describe their problem so well is part of the key to selling the answer.  This is why you let your reader understand immediately that you get their problem.

Why is being able to write for the internet with empathy for your reader so important?

As the reader scans your article she looks for your tone.  Can she relate to you?  Only if you can relate to what her problem is – if she feels you are supportive – will your reader will keep reading.

Describe your reader’s problem first.  Outline the reality of their situation.  Then show you have empathy for what they are going through. Write about how their issue effects them. Only after these two steps can you even think about explaining how you can help them.

Close your article with a solution – but keep your sales pitch out of it if you want to close the reader.

Presenting your solution – at least a reasonable short summary – should be straight forward.

Don’t pitch.  Just give some facts on how you can help.  Let them come to you because they think it’s a good idea – not because they have submitted to a pitch.

The best way to talk to your reader when you are writing to sell?

Treat your reader like your friend.

Hopefully this means to you a 3 basic things.

1. understanding her problem – and letting her know
2. being empathetic – and vocalizing it
3. lending a hand in the ways that you can – what can you provide that will help?

Those are your best tips to writing to sell.

Best of luck.  Remember being a friend and helping each other is always a great way to live.

I’ll be posting more examples and more in depth information on future posts.