Magneto Ezine 33: Writing for SELFISH readers

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1. Writing for SELFISH readers
2. Last public courses for 2010!
3. Free download: 101 collected writing tips

Writing for SELFISH readers

This is the third in our "lazy, busy, selfish" readers series. (See the others here.)

The essence of them is that even if your readers aren't lazy, busy or selfish, if you assume they are you'll get much better results.

Here's how to write for selfish readers:

Make it about them and how it affects them. E.g., don't tell them you want to meet to tell them about your doodad; do some digging so you can say you want to meet to solve a problem you KNOW they've been struggling with (that your doodad fixes).
Transmit on WII-FM. All readers are listening to this station: "What's In It - For Me?" E.g., first tell your staff about how the new computers will improve their lives, and THEN about how good they'll be for your company and your customers. Selfish first; idealism second.
Use "YOU" more. Research shows that using words like "you", "your", "yours" and the reader's name at least twice as much as "I", "me", "my", "our", etc, makes writing much more engaging. E.g., don't say, "Customers who do X will get Y." Say, "If YOU do X you'll get Y." (Capitals for emphasis only!)
Specifics sell. You need all the persuasiveness you can muster to hook selfish readers. Selfish people are cynical, so quantifying some of your claims can boost your credibility. E.g. don't say X will save them time; give them some idea of how much time it could save them.

As sales guru Zig Ziglar says, "You can get everything in life you want if you just help enough other people get what they want." 'Nuff said.

Have I helped you get more of what you want? Got a "selfish" tip or experience you could share? Please spill the beans on our blog.

Paul sig



	Writing for BUSY readers Writing for LAZY readers Video: Classic writing blunders 101 tips eBook (free) Video: Writing to Persuade Dumb Distractions Pyramid Power Hyphen Syphon Know thy readers Exterminating errors Writing in your underpants Apostrophe catastrophe Make it rare to get “Well done!” Keep it short, sport Fat-free writing ALL back issues

BRAIN GYM
Is it all about you?

Find a message you wrote in which you were trying to get someone to do something, then apply the tips above. Was it all about you and what you wanted or was it about them?

Last public courses for 2010!

Melbourne - Brisbane - Sydney

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Why do it?
Unfortunately, poor writers are considered less intelligent than they necessarily are. But the flip side is also true: Good writers are thought to be smarter!

Which camp are you in?

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Magneto Communications Pty Ltd

Phone/fax 1300 658 580

www.magneto.net.au
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