matt higgins

Do you like being lectured? How about being pitched something over the phone? What about a conversation with a trusted, good friend that you can readily relate to and who has something interesting to say? That last one sounds like the desirable option, of course. That’s how you should approach writing. Engage the audience. We know but maybe can’t define in a few words what engaging is, but how do we go about it when it comes to our content? Without any trickery I’m going to tell you just that.

I’m just like you. I want to connect with my audience. Step one is to be trustworthy. You should, of course, be 100% honest. I would hope that goes without saying, but what makes someone’s writing seem trustworthy? We could fall back on the old cliches about respect and trustworthiness being earned, but the reality is there are plenty of people we respect or trust before actually knowing them. There’s no reason you can’t start from a position of trust. Here’s a little secret: the reader wants to trust you. So, if there is some presumed trust how do you not blow it? Speak to what you know. I trust a carpenter’s advice on framing, but may or may not give her my full attention if she starts offering plumbing advice. Here’s another secret: avoid phrases such as “To be honest” and “To tell the truth.” These might be common colloquialisms, but what they are really saying is “I’m flipping on the honesty switch here.” We’re you lying before? Also, don’t speak in absolutes. That is a fun paradox, but the point is people who speak in absolutes are usually only absolutely wrong. The absolutes I’m talking about are the statements people use to make a point. We do this fairly often in conversation. It, however, stands out in writing. Remember, a spoken conversation goes by pretty quickly. Writing sticks around a bit and can face a lot more pinpoint scrutiny. Be absolutely sure of what you’re saying before speaking in absolutes.

Along the same lines of trustworthiness, unless you’re writing an article that calls for it, like an editorial, avoid inserting your opinion, or do so only with extreme caution. Remember, it’s about them, the audience, not about you. Write in a way that makes the reader want to share his or her opinion. That is engaging.

Next, we should use the language we would when talking to a friend. We treat our friends with respect and don’t talk down to them. With friends, we share information and never force information. At least we do if we’re good friends. We should all review our writing and ask ourselves if it sounds like a friendly peer-to-peer conversation. That doesn’t mean we can’t have an expert stance on a subject. Some types of writing call for that, but we should read our content and ask ourselves if we’re lecturing or teaching. It’s a little heavy-handed, but I wrote this paragraph originally in the second person, but switched it to the first person “we” to illustrate the point.

I saved the best for last. The most important aspect to engaging your audience is knowing your audience. Know exactly who you’re talking to and know their values. Don’t compromise yours, but know theirs. Know what is important to them. Don’t make any assumptions, but do identify and reflect on what you do know. Know what’s important to them. Know what they’re passionate about. Know and use the language they use, but only do so in an authentic way. There’s a great exercise you can do that will help you start your writing from the perfect perspective. Identify your reader, and include every aspect you can think of–sex, age, career, education, marital status, name, etc. Write to that specific person. Experienced writers often scoff at exercises like this, but this one works and firmly believe it will help anyone better connect and engage with their audience, which is essential to truly effective communication.