How to Write Compelling Content in Half the Time

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Roland Miller
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1 By: Marie Swift / June 2005 How to Write Compelling Content in Half the Time More than ever, financial advisors must be adept communicators both in person and in print. If you struggle with the written word, here s a blueprint for success. Last month, I provided some tips to help you with client correspondence, content creation and marketing communications. If you have not already done so, please read Use Client- Centered Communications to Build Your Business. When you shift your focus as instructed in the article, you will improve your marketing results and build stronger relationships. This month, I promised to share my formula for writing compelling content in half the time. Use this system to cut your work effort and sharpen your prose. The secret to writing well and quickly is to draw a blueprint for your copy by giving brief, factual answers to the five questions below. Since most advisors struggle with creating good content for their marketing materials, I ll focus my comments on how to write better prospective client communications; however, the blueprint works for almost any copywriting need. CREATE A WRITING BLUEPRINT Open a blank word processing document and copy the questions below into it. Type in your answers and watch your message take shape. 1. What s the target audience s pain, predicament or problem? Describe it in two or three sentences. 2. Why hasn t the problem been solved? Remind prospects of the failed attempts, which leads to the next question. 3. What s possible? Give a specific answer in two or three sentences. Your answer must make your readers want what s possible. 4. What s different now? Answer in two or three sentences or in a bulleted list that says what sets your product or service apart and will alleviate the pain, problem or predicament.

2 5. What should the reader do now? This gives your call to action, the part telling your prospects exactly what you want them to do. Here s an example I created using the formula above: Are you worried about how to finance college educations while also funding your retirement? You ve put away some money in 529 plans, you ve funded your 401(k) but you have a nagging feeling that you re still falling behind. Believe it or not, it is possible to sort out your finances and meet your financial goals, with the proper plan. Most people simply don t know where to go or whom to trust. At Family Investment Center, we ve been helping people just like you make better decisions about their money and their lives since What makes us unique? In-house investment team Guided by a proprietary system, our Chartered Financial Analyst and a Chartered Financial Consultant guide asset allocation and portfolio management decisions. Fee-based investment management We are an independent Registered Investment Advisory and financial planning firm. There are NO third-party agendas or products to push. Comprehensive advice We embrace the six-step financial planning process set forth by the CFP Board of Standards. Our investment advisory retainer includes ongoing financial planning and advice. Personal commitment At Family Investment Center, you re not just an account you re a valued client (and we hope, eventually, a long-time friend). We want to know you as more than just an investor and take an interest in all aspects of your personal financial life. Call today for a free copy of our special report, Retire in Bermuda and Send them to Yale, too! Visit or call Steve Smith at (800) A WRITER S BAG OF TRICKS Now you re ready to write the next draft. Having trouble getting started? Many writers and business communicators develop their own rituals drinking coffee, exercising, listening to music, checking , etc. for getting ready to write. Here are a few tactics my colleagues and I have used. Quarantine Yourself When you have a writing assignment, do your getting ready to write ritual then quarantine yourself from distractions. Tell yourself that you will not get

3 up from your chair or answer the phone or check until: (A) a certain amount of content has been developed (B) the item is ready to be sent to a team member for feedback (C) a certain amount of time has passed. When you meet the set objective, reward yourself by going out for a walk, sorting the mail, eating lunch, speaking with your partner or assistant, etc. Eat Some Frogs When you are struggling with a task or assignment, try to tackle it first thing in the morning. Brian Tracy in his book, Eat that Frog! 21 Great Ways to Stop Procrastinating and Get More Done in Less Time, says that tackling our biggest and/or most unpleasant task first is a business discipline we should all adopt. After eating my own frogs religiously every morning, I can tell you that this discipline is invaluable. Frogs the big, unpleasant things we keep avoiding never taste good, but they get bigger and slimier with each passing day, so it s best to catch them when they re small. And, if you eat a frog every morning, you ll know that the rest of your day (and your business overall) will be better because of it. Bottom line: if you tackle the big tasks that will lend the greatest results (like getting that quarterly newsletter done or writing that client update), you ll develop a habit that makes it easier to accomplish more and with increasingly less effort. Make it Fun We all have to keep our sense of humor and spirits high. Writing can be hard and lonely work, so do what you can to keep it fun. Toss an M&M into your mouth at the end of each page. Talk out loud and tell yourself how well you are doing. Stretch and say, Almost done. Just one more hour til cheeseburgers in Paradise. When I was writing a book one dark and lonely night, I stopped to compose a Rap Song for a group of mild-mannered financial planners who needed to do something lively at an evening conference event. Use Visual Cues Another idea is to use props. For instance, try putting on your writer s cap literally. As long as you have that cap on your head, tell yourself you are dedicated to the task at hand (I always wear mine backwards so the bill doesn t get in the way). Put a photo or memento that motivates you next to your keyboard. A friend of mine puts a stuffed animal she calls Prop next to her computer and, yes, she actually talks to her cat, Prop, while she composes. Create a Special Place Did your parents make you do your homework at a special place in the house? Mine did. You knew, for instance, that when you sat down at that end of the kitchen table, it was time to study. No more avoiding it. Some of us write better outside of the office. So whether you pull up a chair on the deck, hunker down in the conference room, set up on your boat, or head to Starbucks, find a special place that energizes and keeps you focused.

4 Sometimes it s not the place but the time of day that makes a difference. When I work on big projects, I often work at night from my home office. One year, the dining room table became a book creation oasis. If I m collaborating with someone, they may be up late, too. Because housemates are usually asleep, we use Instant Messenger to exchange notes, check details and keep the energy up. Sound odd? One of these tactics might just work for you. If you have a creative/focusing ritual, me at marieswift@impactcommunications.org. I d like to hear from you. BREAKING UP WRITER S BLOCK If you still can't write, try interviewing yourself about your material or end product. Ask yourself the following questions: Why is this piece more difficult to write than others? What is it I really want the reader to know? Why would anyone read this? Use the so what? test throughout the writing process. It helps to challenge yourself as you create your content. Keep it compelling by asking yourself these questions: Does this add value and/or help the reader? Does it work to achieve my goals? Is it clear and concise? Am I writing in the you voice? Have I used big words and industry jargon? Would my mother understand this? KEEP IT SIMPLE, EINSTEIN Bill Blundell, a writing consultant and former reporter and editor of the Wall Street Journal, when speaking at the National Writers' Workshop said: We say our readers are very busy people, but what we really mean is that we think they have the attention span of chimps. Translation: Write simple sentences at about the eighth grade level. Don t make people work too hard to understand what you are trying to say. Most of us try to accomplish too much with our writing. Often readers want to learn only one or two things, not all the information we have gathered. People want to be able to easily scan what they re reading. They find charts and tables useful only if they are extremely simple. Use subheads to break things up. Mix bullet points into your text.

5 Remember that a picture is worth a thousand words. Use photos that look like the people you serve. THE WEB REQUIRES BETTER, DIFFERENT WRITING Here, short, quick and compelling content is more critical than printed text. We re all channel surfers. People go online expecting to find information and move on. To hold their attention give them what they need right up front. As a Web writer, you will need to make some adjustments to copy you ve created for print. Don t just paste that content onto your site. Online, the tone can be much more informal, conversational, colloquial. You can break some of the English rules you learned in high school. Go ahead. Use a partial sentence to add punch. And starting an occasional sentence with the words and, so, or and but is fine on the Web. Be sure you break up information into bite-sized chunks and provide links to additional information. Reduce scrolling if possible (a sign that you may have too many words on any one page). Use shorter sentences. Less is more. ROLLING UP YOUR SLEEVES Okay, so you re a financial advisor. But you can still become a good writer. Who better than you to communicate the key points to your prospects and clients? Even if your writing s not perfect, if you write with passion and clarity you ll communicate powerfully and, eventually, with style and grace. Remember that clients value authenticity, too. So, if you do decide to hire a professional copywriter or marketing communications consultant, be sure the final product reflects your own voice. Got a writing project? Do what you need to do to get ready. Roll up your sleeves. Get in your special place. Then just do it. The longest journey begins with a single step. Once you start walking you ll eventually hit your stride. Marie Swift is principal of Impact Communications, Inc, based in Leawood, Kan. A marketing communications professional, she's been helping advisors make better branding and marketing decisions since Additional resources and ideas are offered on her Web site Please comments about this article to marieswift@impactcommunications.org

Class 3 - Getting Quality Clients

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