Four keys to persuasive writing

If you want to communicate more effectively, then there are two things you could do: First, you can map out your brand messages. That would provide you with a structure. Second, you have to write in a way to make your words stick. Here are four keys to persuasive writing.

Relevance

Relevance is the most critical aspect of persuasive writing. Before you craft your messages, study what your audience thinks. Figure out which questions they might have about your brand. Identify your customers’ most significant concerns and prioritize writing about those issues.

That is not a tough task. There are useful social media monitoring tools that can facilitate your job. Alternatively, you can conduct a stakeholder audit or customer research to understand the underlying concerns and focus on those.

Conciseness

The rule of three is a writing principle that suggests that a trio of messages is more effective than other numbers. Consequently, you should limit yourself to three critical pieces of information. In addition to that, the length of your messages matter.

We live in an over-communicated world. So you have minimal time to convey your message. Crisis Communication expert Dr. Covello recommends keeping sentences nine words or less.

Clarity

Next, aim for clarity. Always use simple language. Avoid unnecessary uses of negative words such as “no, nothing, never.” You want your audience to understand what you are saying. not solving a puzzle. Therefore, stick to the straightforward language.

You can also increase the clarity of your messages by placing your most important message either at the beginning or at the end. The priority of the order depends on a couple of things, and we have already covered those.

Credibility

The final key to persuasive writing is credibility. For your messages to be more believable, consider citing third parties. (i.e. “J.D. Power’s customer satisfaction survey shows that…”)

Then, back each of your messages with three proof points. Again, just like messages themselves, proof points should be relevant, concise, clear, and credible.

Tip of the day: To deepen your understanding of this topic, you can read our step-by-step guide for crafting brand messaging.