Famous copywriter Joe Sugarman says, “The purpose of the first sentence is to get the reader to read the second sentence.” Impressive email copy is all about flow and purpose.
Do people read your emails to the bottom of the page? Once you’ve chosen your topic, outlined your main points, and decided what you want your reader to take away or do; the rest should be easy, right?
Not quite. Even if your headline is captivating and your design attractive, your job is to make your email (or article, blog post, or press release) readable by human eyes and minds. A copywriter’s writing must be legible.
So the point of good copy is to make your reader’s eyes move down the page. And most importantly, good copy should instigate action on the part of your beloved subscriber. When your reader responds to your call to action, they’ll know your copy is readable. There are probably a lot of other things going on that work well together as well: strong graphics, a desirable offer, some good credibility, but your writing plays a critical role.
Before you test your writing on your reader, why not try it yourself? Did you know you could do that?
The Flesch Reading Ease Score and the Flesch-Kincaid Reading Grade Level measure the readability of your writing. Developed to ensure standards in military technical training manuals, the scores can also be used to easily measure the legibility of your writing. You’ll find them inside the spelling tool in Microsoft Word.
Now here’s the kicker on readability. Did you know that the average person reads and comprehends, and is at the sweet spot of persuasion, roughly at the sixth- and seventh-grade reading level?
If you can consistently write copy that falls between 60 and 70 (the reading ability of an average 13-15 year old student), then you will reach, satisfy, convince, and convert most people. Reading comprehension varies by educational level and experience (the lower the Flesch Reading Ease score, the harder to understand), but even college graduates and other “smart” people respond to writing that is within in the range of 60 to 70.
Are there cheats for this? Is there any magic formula to achieve this score when you write? While Flesch scores take sentence and word length into account, here are some practical ways to get the most out of your writing while keeping it clear and simple.
1. Use short and powerful words. Don’t neglect juicy descriptive words; just remember to use words that can take the place of long sentences from time to time. Remember, “Brevity is the soul of wit.”
2. Use action words to keep the reader moving. If you’re stuck in the realms of possibility, or spend too much time pondering, verbally navel-gazing, you can lose your reader very quickly. Connect to yourself in the real world. Think red meat, not pie in the sky. That means…
3. Stay away from “be”, “is” and “are”. These words form passive sentences that bore readers. Use them only when absolutely necessary. Compare:
It was decided to close the gymnasium after institution operating hours in an effort to prevent destruction by local vandals. (Flesch Reading Ease 38.3; Flesch-Kinkaid Grade Level 12.0)
a
To stop vandalism in the gym, Mr. Brown decided to keep it locked after school. (Flesch Reading Ease 82.2; Flesch-Kinkaid Grade Level 5.7)
4. Engage your reader with descriptive verbs and adjectives. “She says.” could be “She screeches”. or “She buzzes.” Each sentence would contribute more or less the same to the reading ease score due to the structure and length of the words… but what differences between them! In another example, a purple paint color chosen for an office might be “sickening” or “relaxing,” simple descriptions that powerfully alter the reader’s perception and emotion.
5. The length of the sentence should vary, almost like the rhythm of an exciting tennis match. Long back-and-forth volleys are satisfying to watch and calmer, but they can go on forever. Quick trades on the net add excitement, but they don’t last as long. You should be able to write in both styles, just like a professional tennis player can play at the net and on the baseline with equal efficiency. Alternate between short and long sentences to keep your paragraphs balanced and your natural cadence.
6. Don’t be afraid to use blank spaces. Certain writers who write in one-sentence paragraphs create some of the best email I’ve ever read. The physical space between each thought works just as hard as the actual text to engage the reader. Of course in this case the writing must be spectacular.
7. One of the best methods you can use to find your most powerful voice as a writer is to write without self-editing. Force yourself to say it like it is, any way you can and any way you want. Forget about spelling and grammar. Set a timer for just two minutes (if you need to) and type like crazy. Then go back and cut your writing down to the bone. You’ll find grains of wealth there, as well as a lot of junk. Don’t leave the straw for your reader to remove; it won’t. Only after you’ve thrown it all away should you edit yourself. So be ruthless. See if you can cut the length in half.
While practice is the best way to improve your writing, you can start perfecting your style with these tips. As your copy gets stronger, your Flesch Ease Score will reveal how readers will receive it.
