Are you a Copywriter or a Long-winded-showy-jargon-muncher?

Hands up anyone who has come into contact with the lesser-spotted-long-winded-showy-jargon-muncher?

Everyone, at one time or another, has sat down to read what they thought would be an informative article, sales brochure or website only to be bored to tears within a couple of sentences. It might seem an odd thing to say but the one thing to keep in mind when writing is that you don’t want your reader to know what a great writer you are.

Yes, I know, in order for you to be able to pull off that particular oxymoron you have to be a good writer, but what I am talking about here is showman-ship. In sales writing there is no room for showy, flamboyant writing.

You are merely there to provide the vase in which the flowers go – it is the flowers you want your reader to see, smell and want. The last thing you want is for them to be distracted by the gaudy vase beneath them.

Here are three things to remember before putting pen to paper or fingers to keyboard:

• Forget the arty similes and metaphors, tell the reader what it is, what it does and why it will benefit them.
• Forget the jargon – no one is interested in it. If it is essential technical vocabulary, fine, but keep it to a minimum.
• Keep it short and concise. I know there is a lot of debate about whether long copy is better than short and each has its place. But in both cases don’t be too wordy – why use ‘in the interim period’ when ‘between’ will do just fine.

Above all, keep your writing simple and conversational. That way you’ll effortlessly build rapport with your reader. You will become that friendly arm around the shoulder; someone they can trust.

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