We all want our marketing to sound impressive but that means the language we use isn't that easy to read or understand.
This past week, I led a workshop for business owners about the top marketing mistakes people make. During a lightning round of website reviews, something interesting happened.
Every single person in the room made the same mistake.
When we pulled up their websites, not one clearly explained who they help or how they help them.
Most were trying to sound professional or clever. Some filled their pages with buzzwords. Others had long sentences that looked great on paper but made no sense to a potential customer.
Here’s the truth: if a stranger can’t figure out what you do in the first 5 seconds, they’re gone.
Part of it is, we write for ourselves, not our audience. We try to “sound smart.” We forget that clarity always beats complexity.
The average reading level in the U.S. is 5th grade. And, most people prefer reading at a 3rd or 4th grade level.
If your copy is written at an 8th-grade or college level, you’re making your customers work too hard to understand what you offer.
Here’s how to find out if your website is turning people away - and how to fix it fast.
Ask someone who doesn’t know what you do to read it and tell you what your business offers. If they can’t tell you clearly, without you explaining anything, rewrite it until they can.
People don’t hire you or buy from you because they’re impressed by your vocabulary. They hire you because they understand how you can solve their problem.
Simple language converts.
Clear messages build trust.
And trust drives revenue.
If you’d like a quick review of your homepage, I’m happy to take a look.
Send me a message or email me with the subject line “Homepage,” and I’ll give you one or two simple fixes you can make right away.