Excellent, well-written radio ad from ServPro, a cleanup and restoration company based in Middle Tennessee. Many ads try (and mostly fail) to capture the humanity of a crisis (i.e., Nashville floods). Few successfully articulate a positive, hopeful message. ServPro’s tagline: “This is not just what we do, this is where we live.”

Connecting the heart and humanity of people in crisis to your product … that’s what’s called EXCEPTIONAL writing …

You’ve seen/heard these ads a million times that say: “For all your ________ needs.”

Trouble is, we never remember who says it, because EVERYBODY says it. And the reason everybody says it? Fear. Fear that if I don’t offer you everything, you won’t come in for the ONE thing you need.

When writing to attract business, focus on the ONE thing you do best. Not everybody will use your service, but those who need what you do will be able to find you. And those are the customers that will come back to you … again and again and again …

Way too many websites are guilty of information overload. If you answer all my questions on your site, there’s no need for me to talk to you. At the end of the day, YOU are your best salesman.

What do you want your website to be: An information clearinghouse … or a conversation starter with your customer?

There’s a time and place for lengthy expressions. But by and large, in this mega-texting-tweeting-blogging-eMail age we live in, “clear and concise” trumps “overly-detailed and wordy.” When writing, think brevity.

Need I say more?

No …

Both need their space.

Long, winding thoughts – without breaks – tell the mind “this is too much to read.”

Break up thoughts into smaller sections. Use space between paragraphs to allow the eye and mind to easily digest what you’ve written. “Say what you need to say” and say it …with space. Give your words room to breathe, so the reader won’t have to constantly come up for air.