The Writing With Heart Blog #4: Building trust

In the last three blogs I’ve been talking about about how to find your purpose to create a heart-led business and how to identify the ideal client you want to attract to your service or product. This time I’m going to share with you some tips on how to talk directly to that person through your writing so that you can build a trusting relationship with them.

Why trust is important

These days – especially since the start of the global pandemic – the online space has become incredibly busy. Many small businesses and entrepreneurs are doing their best to pivot and reach a new virtual audience, in addition to all those that were already there. It’s a pretty noisy time. Everyone is trying to shout above everybody else to attract people to what they have to offer.

So how can you compete in such a busy space? The answer is not to shout louder in the general direction of your audience in the hope that anyone will hear you. The answer is to speak directly and calmly to the people who need you. The answer is to show up consistently and build trust.

Ten ways to talk directly to your reader and build trust:

1. Always have your ideal client and the problem you can solve for them firmly in your mind whenever you write anything for your business. Focus on them and the value you can bring to their life, rather than yourself. Keep the message simple and to the point.
2. If you lack self-confidence or are particularly nervous about writing, imagine you’re having a friendly conversation instead. Picture the person you’re talking to and imagine they’ve asked you a question about what you do and how you can help them. Write as you would speak. It will come across in a much more natural way. Remember your passion for what you do and be confident in how you can help the person you’re talking to.
3. When writing about your service or product, always write in the first person using ‘I’, ‘us’ and ‘we’. When writing about the person you’re addressing, always use ‘you’. Don’t be afraid to use contractions (for example ‘you’re’ instead of ‘you are’) or use ‘But’, ‘And’ or ‘Because’ at the start of a sentence. It isn’t grammatically incorrect! And it will sound much less stuffy and formal.
4. Use the language that your ideal client would use. Don’t use jargon and long, technical words unless your ideal client is a professional in a particular field who would understand it. When getting to know your ideal client make a point of using the same social media platforms and forums that they do and read the same magazines and books. Then you’ll be familiar with the words and phrases that they commonly use to describe their problem or how they’re feeling. Use them.
5. Avoid over-using exclamation marks and CAPITAL LETTERS. It will just sound like you’re shouting all the time or have finally lost your marbles.
6. If it’s appropriate to the subject matter and the audience, don’t be afraid to use humour to lighten the mood and show your fun side.
7. Make sure that any writing you produce is clear, understandable and free of errors. This is really important. The occasional error is forgivable, but if you often make mistakes in spelling or grammar your potential clients may conclude that you’re unprofessional, that you don’t pay attention to detail, or that you don’t care enough to spend time making sure it is correct. If you have the budget for it, you will never regret hiring an editor or proofreader to check through your written materials. If not, make sure you at least ask a friend or family member to look over them for you.
8. Make sure that you give a clear instruction at the end of your writing. This is known as a ‘call to action’, or CTA. Do you want the reader to click to find out more, or to book a discovery call with you, for example?
9. If you say you’re going to do something, always follow up and do it when you said you would. Be consistent in what you say and do. You can demonstrated consistency in a visual way, using the same fonts, heading sizes and colours, and similar graphics. You can also demonstrate consistency through what and how you write (your message and your tone of voice).
10. Finally, don’t make grand claims or over-promise. And NEVER lie.

If you’d like ongoing tips, advice and support, come and join my free community over on Facebook.

Alternatively, if you need more focused support in writing your business copy – whether it be for your website, your social media posts, or that book or course you’re planning – you can work with me on a 1:1 basis. I can tailor what I do to exactly what you need in your business, from planning your content, giving your writing a quick proofread, or even helping you to write your content completely from scratch.

Why not book in a free discovery call with me so we can have a good chat about what you are up to in the world and how I might best be able to support you?