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Giving away a trip to Hawaii? Lead with the benefit. <a href="https://www.shutterstock.com/es/image-photo/colorful-shirt-garland-hanging-on-coat-1063736204" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>Image by Saroj Khuendee</em></a>

How to define features and benefits

Focus on the reader’s needs If you were giving away...

<strong>Something's wrong here</strong> … How can you tell real benefits from fake ones? <em><a href="https://www.shutterstock.com/es/image-photo/pair-joke-wind-chattering-teeth-on-42552637" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Image by RTimages</a></em>

Avoid fake benefits of the product

No ‘Pat yourself on the back for choosing us’ “Clean...

<strong>Stop talking about your program!</strong> If you’re giving away a trip to Las Vegas, that’s your lead. <a href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/welcome-las-vegas-sign-isolated-over-42141184" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>Image by Stephen Coburn</em></a>

How to turn features into benefits

Lead with the benefit, substantiate with the feature I once...

<strong>It’s all about <em>you</em></strong> Focus all your communications on the reader and the reader’s needs. <a href="https://www.shutterstock.com/es/image-photo/london-uk-july-8th-2018-word-1143599534" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>Image by chrisdorney</em></a>

How to craft reader-centered writing

Use you for all audiences, channels You. It's a power...

<strong>Reader first</strong> Top companies 60% more likely to focus on reader needs, twice as likely to engage readers emotionally. <a href="https://www.shutterstock.com/es/image-photo/businesspeople-holding-target-against-their-faces-1011274288" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>Image by Andrey_Popov</em></a>

Writer centered vs. reader centered writing

Stop We-We-ing on reader It feels so good to talk...

<strong>You’re so vain, you probably think this piece is about you</strong> Don’t go We, we, we all the way home — without the contract. <a href="https://www.shutterstock.com/es/image-photo/hands-holding-colorful-wooden-letters-shaping-610741004" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>Image by stockphoto-graf</em></a>

What is reader-centered writing?

Avoid Institutional Narcissism Richard Roll, an economics professor at the...

Write about the reader instead of about how you know and understand the reader. <a href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/thank-you-160061219" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>Image by docstockmedia</em></a>

How to craft reader-focused writing

Stop it with the ‘At XX, we …’ construction At...

<strong>WWDCD?</strong> Learn to move people to act from the master of persuasion. <a href="https://www.istockphoto.com/photo/perfect-target-gm181075181-25601095"><em>Image by kickimages</em></a>

Learn reader-centered business writing from Dale Carnegie

Take a tip from the author of How to Win...

<strong>Don’t leave the me out of the What’s In It For Me?</strong> How do you keep young people from smoking weed? Not by threatening their sex lives. <a href="https://www.shutterstock.com/es/image-photo/photo-pretty-nice-sweet-lady-holding-1724691877" rel="noopener" target="_blank"><em>Image by Roman Samborsky</em></a>

Use WIIFM marketing to persuade

Focus on what the reader wants If you wanted to...

<strong>What’s the problem?</strong> Use this story template to make your next case study, testimonial or narrative more dramatic and powerful. <a href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/investor-lawyer-executive-speed-urgency-delay-1050029477" rel="noopener" target="_blank"><em>Image from Roman Samborskyi</em></a>

How to write a case study [example]

Zimmer Inc. uses the P-S-R format Roz Chast's "Story Template"...

Arousing fear can backfire if you don’t offer a simple way to reduce risk. This four-part model overcomes that obstacle to move readers to act. <a href="https://www.shutterstock.com/es/image-photo/young-man-painted-skull-on-his-2094013162" rel="noopener" target="_blank"><em>Image by pixel-shot</em></a>

How to develop fear appeals in persuasion

Avoid losing readers with these 4 steps Fear appeals persuade....

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