As a writer, I am very aware that my words have power. They have the power to bring grown men to their knees. They have the power to lift up even the darkest spirit. And, they have the power to empower.
From the moment that man started to pen their thoughts down, we have been changing the world. From political documents that have started wars, to holy words that have built nations of believers, words can be incredibly powerful.
The Why
When I take on a new client to create content for them, I always ask the question, “Why?” Sure, we have learnt much from Simon Sinek, but what he has taught us isn’t new. He just marketed it well. The “why” is very important in everything we do. So, when I do ask that question, “Why do you do what you do?”, I often get blank stares.
If you cannot, firstly, state why you do something, then the content and words that will follow will be empty, listless and won’t engage with the audience. Once I know why you do what you do, I can then take the next step, in finding out what you do and how.
Through the words that are crafted, we always want to be communicating a strong message. You don’t need to openly say why you do what you do through your words, however, because you know, because I know, the message will come through loud and clear.
Your “why” will lead to the audience’s why as to the reason they are bothering to read your work and, in the end, bothering to get involved with your offering.
The Power Lies Within You
Dramatic? Sure! But, if you are not spreading your passion out there, then you are wasting your time. You have the power to influence. You have the power to convince others. And, how will you do that? Through the words you use. Through the belief you have in what you do. Through the reason you do what you do.
It may not happen overnight, and I reiterate this to my clients every month when they continue with our marketing plan. It takes time to convince others through words. We live in a fast-paced and instant-gratification world. People don’t have time to read. They want to get the gist of what you are trying to communicate in the first sentence – a tough feat – but not impossible. You need to keep putting your passion out there.
If you can grab someone in those first few words, then you are sure to keep them reading to the end.
The Powerful Order of Words
In essence, if you can structure your words into 3 parts, you should have success, that paired with your why and passion.
- The Hook:
Grab them early with a well-constructed hook that tells the reader just what they are in for and why they should stay.
- The Story:
This is the meat of your content – the nitty gritty – the part that has all the right protagonists and antagonists in – the drama – the beef – and yes, you can have all that even within a commercial marketing piece.
- The Call to Action (CTA):
You must end it with an action – give them something to do now that they have taken the time to read your work – get spicy and veer away from the traditional “call us if you …” or “get in touch to …” – make it enticing so that they know they cannot refuse taking this further.
In ending, think about why you do what you do, and make sure that message comes through powerfully in everything you give out to the world, in every word.