As we’re working on fine-tuning our message and coming up with different ways to say what we do, a tip that keeps creeping back is to write as we speak.
Of course, we must take this with a grain of salt, cause each one of us speaks differently. But this does have an immense amount of truth to it, in the sense of simplifying the language and making sure it is easily understood by more of your potential audience.
Still, this is easier said than done, and when we write we tend to try and describe, detail, and expand upon what we do to avoid possibly missing a word or a phrase that would resonate. True, writing it all and then cutting is a great process to fine-tune to a clearer and more concise message, but how do you really write as if you’re speaking to a real person?
This part is actually easier than you’d think, cause all you need is imagination.
Imagine you’re sitting and having a conversation with an ideal user, one of your relevant audience, a real person of interest. Then, pitch to them as if you’re having a real conversation with a real person right in front of you, in your room, in your office, on your couch, or wherever helps you get in the zone.
And just like rehearsing lines for a play or prepping for a job interview, begin your elevator speech and deliver your value proposition – and do it over and over again, chiseling away unnecessary parts.
Besides honing your pitch, you’ll be cleaning up any unwanted parts, improving structure, and simplifying the message, so it will be understood by a lot more of your audience than previously expected.
Then…write it down, read it out loud, and fine-tune it even more.