Photo by Evans
How do you connect with your audience? If your marketing message appeals to your customers and prospects, you'll boost sales. But, how do you make that connection with your writing?
Think of it this way: write your message the way your customers want it written.
Take magazines. It seems there's one catering to every niche and interest out there. If you're the marketing department, how would you write subscription notices to your niche? How would you make them feel comfortable with you...and convince them to sign up?
A live performance by Jon Stewart a while ago gave me an idea as to contrasting audiences and, believe it or not, magazines. Hamilton College sponsors free lectures by prominent national figures and I attended one given by comedian Jon Stewart. I was lucky to be asked by a friend to attend on a "professor's pass." The thing is, since the show is free and thousands show up, it's wise to arrive at least two hours early for a good seat.
My friend and I and a bevy of college professors streamed in about the same time, and as soon as we sat down all the professors pulled out magazines to pass the time...and every magazine was a New Yorker!! There must have been 7 New Yorkers, all the latest issue.
Okay, it's not a scientific survey, but it sure looks like college professors enjoy the New Yorker. So I wondered how the writing in the New Yorker's subscription notices might appeal to professors. I found a renewal in my paid bills:
"Dear Subscriber: Whatever your taste in art...Whatever your personal style, preference, politics...I can't help but believe you must often have a special feeling of affinity with The New Yorker. Or rather, of its affinity with you—..."
Taste in art...personal style, preference, politics...special feeling of affinity. Ahhh, yes...words to warm the heart of the earnest intellectual. How could he or she resist? (And, with that "I can't help but believe..." line, are you at least slightly amused with its presumption?)
Then Jon Stewart got down and dirty. Going on about patriots (Hamilton College's nickname is the Continentals) and toothpaste (a contingent of boisterous Colgate University students carried on a back-and-forth with Mr. Stewart from the left bleachers). Expletive laced adolescent humor...without the bleeps! Yikes!
The students loved the show and their glee reminded me of another of my magazine subscriptions. Its renewal notice:
"Dear MAD Subscriber: We have news that is sure to fill your heart with sadness. (Then again, maybe not!) In just a few months, your subscription to MAD will expire. No longer will you be confronted with our steady stream of moronic movie and television satires, the Lighter Side, Spy vs. Spy, and all the other first rate trash spewed out by the 'The Usual Gang of Idiots.'"
A steady stream of moronic movie and television satires...first rate trash...The Usual Gang of Idiots. Yecchhh...words to tickle the wit of the naughty adolescent. What 10-to-61-year-old wouldn't buy?
So what does all this mean for you? When it comes to writing about your product or service, take a tip from The New Yorker and MAD magazines. Write your sales pieces the way your customers want them written. If you do, you'll connect with them, boosting your bottom line!
Until next time,
Nick
Nick Burns specializes in SEO Web writing, website information architecture, content marketing, consulting, and publishing. You can contact Nick here for help with your content marketing.
