8/30/2016

HowtoWriteConversationalContentandMakeYourReadersDeliriouslyHappyEnchantingMarketing

How to Write Conversational Content and Make Your Readers

Deliriously Happy
by Henneke | 95 enchanting opinions, add yours? :)

Pin[1]Lets face it.

How many people get excited when they receive your email?
How many are rushing to read your email as soon as their email pings and they see your name popping up?
Yep, your mother, your best friend, and your sister are all super happy when your email arrives to invite them for a day
out.
But what about your clients and prospects? Are they also happy with your emails and blog updates?
Lets see how you can make them more excited

Stop writing to everyone

When I write an email to the 2,722 subscribers on my list, my email becomes boring, generic, and drab.
You cant write to a faceless crowd of subscribers. You start lecturing. You get on your soap box. You write phrases like
Thank you to those of you who commented on my last post instead of Thank you so much for your comments on my last post.
Writing to a crowd kills your voice[2].
You start sounding like that stuffy schoolmaster whos telling everyone off; or you become like that irritating marketer
who keeps repeating the same message over and over again.

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HowtoWriteConversationalContentandMakeYourReadersDeliriouslyHappyEnchantingMarketing

Instead of thinking of all the people on your list, think of your favorite reader only. Imagine her opening your email.
Picture her chuckling at your jokes and nodding along as she agrees with your points.
Paint her picture or nd a matching photograph. Give her a name. Thats the only way she becomes real enough to
write to her. And thats when you can forget about all the others on your list.
You only write to her.
Your emails immediately become more engaging; and most people on your list will feel as if youre emailing them
personally; and if they dont, they probably shouldnt be on your list.

How to write conversational content

Conversational content makes your reader feel youre talking WITH him NOT talking AT him. Youre engaging him in
your conversation. Hes hearing your voice.
You might think that writing conversational content requires you to record yourself talking and then typing out your
text. But have you ever seen a full transcript of an interview?
Its full of wishy-washy words, grammar mistakes, and sentences that havent been nished. Nobody speaks correct
English when they talk. Thats normal.
Writing conversational content doesnt mean you write as you talk. Instead: you edit your text so that it doesnt sound
like writing.
If it sounds like writing, I rewrite it. ~ Elmore Leonard
Creating conversational text means writing a crappy rst draft and then editing that crappy draft to make it more
conversational. Lets see how.

Unlearn the stuff you learned at school

Conversational writing is simple and easy to read.
You dont want your blog posts and emails to sound like *yawn* business reports or academic essays:
Slaughter the passive voice. Rather than write Youre loved by me (passive), write: I love you (active). Rather than
write Your email will be answered (passive), write: Ill answer your email within 24 hours.
Kill long paragraphs and dense blocks of text. To enter a conversation you need to give your reader time to breathe
thats what white space is for. Use it generously.
Hack long sentences in two; and stop worrying about starting your sentences with And, Because, or But. Because it
helps keep your sentences short and easy to read.
Feel free to use contractions like theyll, hes, and were, because these sound more informal.
Send dif cult words to the naughty corner and throw a party for simple words.
Following high-school rules makes your text drab and dull. Be a rebel and break writing rules[3]. Set yourself free and
play.

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HowtoWriteConversationalContentandMakeYourReadersDeliriouslyHappyEnchantingMarketing

Read your copy aloud. If it still sounds like writing, then chop a few more sentences in two, break up a few paragraphs,
and bin more gobbledygook[4].
Once youve unlearned drab business writing, you only need to apply 2 essential tools to have tea and chat with your
readers.

Essential tool of conversational writing #1

Good salesmen and good conversationalists have a lot in common: they talk less about themselves and more about
their listeners.
To make your text engaging, check how often youve used the words I, we, me, and us. Now, count how often youve
used the word you.
Dont blabber on about me, myself, and I. Engage your reader by addressing him with the word you.

Essential tool of conversational writing #2

Weve all met the type of girl (or guy!) who cant stop talking about celebrity gossip, her love life, and the weather
forecast for the coming weekend.
Well, thats no conversation, is it?
A good conversation includes questions.
Have you noticed how Ive included questions in this blog post?
When your reader is gliding through your text on auto-pilot, a question slows him brie y down as his brain starts
thinking about the answer. Questions make your readers pay attention and give them the feeling youre having a
conversation.
Sleazy salesmen use exclamation marks. Good conversationalists use question marks.

Conversational writing is not just about HOW you write

You listen well, you ask questions, and you give your readers space to breathe.
But the conversation is missing something, isnt it?
Each time you chat with your reader and drink a cup of tea together, give them a slice of your best home-made cake.
A virtual slice of cake is a tip your readers can implement today or tomorrow. Make sure your cake eh tip is so
good, that next time your readers see your email popping up, their mouths start watering they crave reading your
next post.
Special thanks to Kerstin Castle[5] who gave me the idea for this post.

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HowtoWriteConversationalContentandMakeYourReadersDeliriouslyHappyEnchantingMarketing

Enjoyed this? Check out more articles about voice in writing[6].

Links
1. http://pinterest.com/pin/create/bookmarklet/?media=http://www.enchantingmarketing.com/wpcontent/uploads/2014/01/Arthur-is-deliriously-happy-to-seeHenrietta.jpg&url=http://www.enchantingmarketing.com/conversationalwriting/&is_video=false&description=Henrietta%27s%20dog%20Arthur%20is%20deliriously%20happy%20to%20see%20her
2. http://www.enchantingmarketing.com/voice-in-writing/
3. http://www.enchantingmarketing.com/ignore-writing-rules/
4. http://www.enchantingmarketing.com/banned-words-sales-copy/
5. https://twitter.com/Cosyplay
6. http://www.enchantingmarketing.com/voice-in-writing/

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