Are you trying to write out a marketing-communication message? Here are a few guidelines, strangely enough from mar-com’s humble cousin journalism, to help you keep things in perspective.
- The 5Ws and 1H. Journalism drills this into your head – a story has to cover the 5Ws and 1H. What, who, why, when, where, and how. Your marketing message too is similar to a story and readers need to know the answers to these questions. Weave your message around these key points, and you know you’ve got the basics right.
- Main message first. Journalism also insists that the first paragraph of a news report answer these questions. No point in making the reader dig deep to get the gist. Sounds familiar? It’s great to have an interesting message or communication style, but again, making your readers search for basic information won’t help. Specially on your website or e-brochures.
So, get your main message right upfront. Elaborate on it later. This is also a reason why an elevator pitch makes marketing sense.
- Fact over fiction. A news report quotes from sources to enhance credibility. It uses numbers to substantiate claims. Similarly, your marketing message gains points for credibility when you use numbers and facts to talk to readers. Instead of merely saying you are a fantastic workplace, share your attrition rates. Numbers do speak louder than words.
- Short and precise. If column-space on the newsprint in precious, so is the space on your brochures and communication formats. News reports treasure precision and frugality. Reports go through sharp edits that weed out extra words. Marketing messages too can be pithy and smart. Do a strict edit on your writing – shed the extra words.
- Simplicity. Newspapers are meant to be read by a vast audience, and keep their writing simple yet effective. Marketing messages often have a smaller, defined target audience and this gives you more room to tailor messages to suit them. But keeping it simple always helps. You never know who it reaches and how it will be read.
