Talk to your readers as if they're facing you on the other side of a table. The way to ensure your reader feels you are talking to them is to use one simple little word, over and over. That word is “you.” So in answer to the question that heads this idea, it is about you, if by you we mean the reader not the writer. Here’s a great press ad for Magnet that begins by talking to the reader and never lets up . . . It’s only by getting to know you, your wants, needs, and desires that Magnet can create kitchens that are as individual as you are. In 87 words of body copy, “you” or “your” appears eight times. There are just three references to Magnet. In fact that’s just about the perfect ratio of reader:writer at 2.7:1. Why this works is because from the reader’s perspective, the copy is all about them: their concerns, their motivations, their problems. It’s like talking to someone at a party who asks you lots of questions about yourself. We ...
John writes and publishes on a wide range of topics, including trends, worldviews, perspectives, desires, needs, wants, aspirations, choices, preferences, lifestyles, and behaviors. He also explores innovation, values, politics, religions, philosophy, and social constructions, with a particular focus on the anthropology of everyday life, culture, and social change— examining alterations in the pattern of society. In addition to writing, John directs online programs at: www.ransford.yolasite.com