Stay True to Your Values without Insulting Potential Customers
In this day and age, it seems like everyday personal choices are being politicized. You get dirty looks from one side of the political spectrum or the other for the kind of food you buy or how much you recycle. And don’t even get us started on the politics of wearing masks. It’s become difficult to keep your business writing neutral.
But business owners small and large know that every customer counts when it comes to the bottom line. If you can refrain from insulting any current or potential customers, you’re walking a thin line. Sometimes, your decisions pit strong opinions against profits. The goal of business writing has been and should remain to be to reach everyone. And you can only do that by writing for a general audience.
How Do You Write for a General Audience?
Even though your business may cater to a more educated audience — say with at least a college degree — not everyone reads and understands in the same manner. It’s wise, therefore, to follow the journalist’s creed and write to an 8th grade education. That means avoiding big words and writing in shorter sentences.
A general audience also shares a multitude of varying political, social and cultural views. What may seem like sarcasm to you may be taken as a racial slur or political putdown by someone else. So unless your business is designed specifically to reach a biased clientele, it’s best to keep writing for a general audience that spans the globe, focusing solely on your products or services.
What Does Neutral Copy Look Like?
In addition to keeping your writing simple and easy to read, there are a few other hallmarks to hit when writing for a general audience, including:
- Avoid making opinions sound like facts. Be clear when you insert an opinion. Even a general audience appreciates honesty and transparency, even if they choose not to buy from you because of your opinions.
- Keep copy positive. Whether you’re writing a newsletter for your mailing list, a blog post to hit all your social media channels or a page for your website, turn any negative side effects or consequences into positive points. Aim for feel-good sentiments that can be shared by all readers.
- Keep it clean. Off-color references, violent images, sexual innuendos, cussing and strong language definitely turn off some people — guaranteed.
- Know your target market. If your target is the right wing of a political party affiliation, for example, then it doesn’t hurt — and may actually help — if you insult those on the other side of the aisle. But that’s not a general audience. If you’re selling your goods or services to a broad market, writing for a general audience allows you to reach both sides of any aisle.
Neutral copy is inoffensive and appeals to a wide range of socio-economic, cultural, political, educational and regional audiences. Your best friend, your grandmother and your preacher should be able read your writing and understand your message. Idealists and traditionalists alike become willing to buy what you’re selling. And they’ll gladly forward a reference to everyone they know.
When to Draw the Line
The dilemma then becomes: when and where do you set boundaries for those you attract? An even broader question may be: should you even set a boundary when it comes to business? Your answer obviously is personal. Discuss it with your partners or board members. What kinds of goods and services you sell may drive your ultimate decision about whether you want to be writing for a general audience or targeting a specific type of clientele.
If you’ve got a healthy cushion and can afford to be picky about what kind of customer you serve, then you may be able to be more outspoken in your business-related communications. On the other hand, if you can’t afford to turn away paying customers, then you may have to stick to writing for a general audience and reserve your personal opinions for the dinner table.
Business Owners Make Difficult Decisions Everyday
It’s not always easy to swallow your convictions in the name of paying the rent. And sometimes the effort isn’t worth it; your beliefs may play too big a role in your image. Deciding whether to put your profits on the line in defense of a position or keep your marketing content neutral is perhaps one of the most difficult decisions a business owner makes. But it can be done effectively. If you’re having trouble sorting out your ability to remain unbiased while marketing your business, contact Ray Access for customer–neutral writing that saves your income while maintaining your integrity.
Priorities drive your ultimate decision. But understanding the consequences of your writing style and content is vital. Stop and think about it before you post a raving rant about anti-maskers or left-wing protestors. Consider that perhaps there is a time and place for boundaries when you’re doing business. No matter how you decide to proceed in your writing, be prepared to reap the results.
Ray Access is a content marketing firm that delivers targeted words to empower your business. Contact us about your specific project to receive a quote or discuss your needs. We write website copy, blog posts, e-newsletters and more. Everything we do is thoroughly researched, professionally edited and guaranteed original.