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[D348]Different Ways To Write

by Karon Thackston, Kar

My soapbox is just about worn out. I've been preaching the necessity of knowing your target audience for at least 10 years. "You can't write effectively to someone you don't know," is how my spiel would normally go. When one day someone asked me to show him what I was talking about. "I'm writing copy for computers," he said. "Everybody needs and can use a computer. How could a general product like that possibly have different target audiences?" I'll show you exactly how.

Be Specific With Your Definition

Don't ever begin an analysis of your target audience with the word "everybody." The people who fit into your target group are individuals. They certainly share common traits, needs and wants, but they are unique. When defining your customer base, and the segments within it, be as specific as possible.

Senior Citizens

If we go back to the computer example, we would surely find several segments within the target group who buy computers. One would be senior citizens. According to the Pew Internet & American Life Project Report, 54% of Americans ages 60-69 go online. In fact, 21% of those over the age of 70 also go online. In order to surf the Internet, these people need a computer.

What concerns do seniors have when it comes to computers? Fear is a big emotion that comes into play with this crowd. While they love the idea of being able to keep in touch with family and friends, many in this age bracket have a hang-up with learning to use new technology. Ease of use and a low learning curve are some things that must be communicated clearly.

High School and College Students

Having grown up using computers in the classroom, and most likely at home, students are generally very comfortable and confident with this technology. If something breaks, they'll figure it out themselves or just get a new computer. Portability, the latest technology and speed are the biggest factors for students.

With many younger users, gaming is a primary function, so the computer they want/need has to have large amounts of RAM, hard drive space and virtual memory. What about cost? Mom and dad are almost always the money source for a student's computer, so the student isn't interested in the price. If mom and dad can't afford it, there is always grandma and grandpa.

Small Businesses

While computers are a tax-deductible business expense, small businesses are still concerned with price. They are also leery of low price points and special offers because, most of the time, small businesses will need to add a good bit of additional equipment to a basic computer which ups the price.

Small businesses also normally have no full-time IT staff, so support is an issue that comes into play. Is help available to answer questions or troubleshoot if and when networking doesn't go smoothly? What about repairs? If the computer requires any service, is it done on-site or does the computer have to be shipped to some nameless service center? Is there a guaranteed time for repairs to be completed?

As you can see, each segment has its own concerns about buying a computer. While "everybody" may need one, every person does not have the same concerns or needs when making a computer purchase.

Before assuming that every member of your target audience is alike, take some time to do a little research. Conduct an informal survey, ask questions and talk with customers one-on-one. Find out what their wants are, what concerns they have or what they'd most like to see you offer. Once you find out, write so that you communicate directly with them on their level. You'll find your conversion rates rise when you give your visitors the information they want.

Writing quality articles is an excellent way to attract more traffic to your website. There are numerous other techniques, of course, but they can mount up your out-of-pocket costs. Writing and submitting articles actually falls under the category of PR and publicity, but whatever you refer to it as, articles that you write and submit can be a free or low-cost method of attracting important e-business. Here are some important considerations.

1. Know who you are writing for

It's very important to know who you are writing for. The subject must address the interest of your readers. And the copy must have the right "tonality" for the audience is well. You also need to know whether you should be formal, casual or business oriented. As an example, if you are writing for electronics engineers, you should address them in the technical language they relate to. If you are writing for athletes, their interest must be addressed. There are exceptions, too. Reader's Digest articles are always written for the widest possible reader interests because the magazine cuts across every possible area of human life.

2. Think out your article before you start

You should have a pretty good idea of what you are going to write about before you ever touch your keyboard. Many writers believe the best way is to prepare an actual outline of the planned piece. Others think about it for a long time, but when they sit down at the computer, the article just smoothly flows from brain to fingertips. There are still others who like to put key phrases on Post-It notes and paste them on the wall for "ticklers" that prompt ideas. It really doesn't matter which method you use but it does help to think out the article before you begin.

3. Don't overuse language

There are those writers who think that "dazzling" the reader with their extensive vocabulary is the way to go. It isn't! You should resist any impules to get overly wordy and use all those big words most people don't understand. The exception is in technical writing, where all those big words are absolutely required to convey the thoughts. As a general rule, keep it simple and straightforward.

4. Don't get carried away with slang or jargon

Slang and jargon tend to be regional and easily misunderstood by people from other places. It's a better idea to keep youir language at the level that's most suited to the majority of your audience.

5. Use proper sentence structure

The proper syntax makes a difference to readability and comprehension. If you are a professional writer, you already understand this. Granted, people from different geographical areas have different accents and ways of expressing themselves, but you will be well advised to keep your copy as straightforward as you can.

6. Don't get carried away with long sentences

Anyone who has worked as an editor can tell you that this is the biggest sin they come across. There are those who write sentences so long that they can't read them aloud without pausing to tare a breath. Overly-long sentences make readability difficult. Use short sentences and don't forget punctuation marks exist for a good reason, because they can change meanings and provide important pauses. If you can convey a single idea in five or six word, don't use fifteen.

7. Don't change words

There are many words that just can't be changed from their dictionary form, so don't try. For example, you can't really modify the word "unique" by adding very in front of it. There are no degrees of uniqueness.

8. Try to use comparitive suffixes

Like ('est) It's better, for example, to say happiest instead of "more happy", prettier instead of more pretty.

It's worth saying a few words about the importance of how you market articles you write. Articles are a great way to promote your website and get extra exposure for your products and services. You can submit them to online publishers like e-Zines and others. However, you will get few, if any, accepted for publication unless they are properly written. Review some online publishing sites for yourself and take careful note of how the articles are written and styled for publication. You will discover that the eight tips above are actually used in many of those articles.

Article Source : online and offline marketing

About Author

Both Karon Thackston & Pawel Reszka are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.

Karon Thackston has sinced written about articles on various topics from E Books, Marketing and Copywriting. . Karon Thackston's top article generates over 110000 views. to your Favourites.

Pawel Reszka has sinced written about articles on various topics from Make Money Online, Internet Marketing and Entrepreneurship. If you want to make money from the comfort of your home then read our reviews. Also don't forget to visit out. Pawel Reszka's top article generates over 673000 views. to your Favourites.