Can I vent to you for a second?

When I was a writing coach back in college, there was one thing that students just couldn’t seem to get about writing AMAZING papers.

Then, when I started my first business writing résumés, it happened again. Job seekers were making the same mistake that the college students were making.

I figured it had to be a coincidence.

But when I started helping high school students prepare their college application essays, I just about rammed my head into a wall when I realized they were making the same freaking mistake.

And I’m sure you’ve guessed it by now, but this same mistake is the one that almost EVERY online business owner is making in their web copy.

Are you ready to learn what the mistake is?

Watch the video to find out how to stop making the #1 writing mistake in the WORLD.

 

 

Pick your favorite nugget from this video to share on Twitter:

When you read a book, you visualize the actions that happen in that story. Use the same technique in your web copy! @CourtRJ http://ow.ly/FYD6C 

You have control over the picture that people are imagining. Take that power and run with it! @CourtRJ http://ow.ly/FYD6C 

If you don’t use any examples in your writing, you’re not connecting with anybody. @CourtRJ http://ow.ly/FYD6C 

I want to clarify what I mean about vague vs. visual content.

Vague writing is abstract. You cannot actually picture anything happening in your mind’s eye when you read it. Here are some examples of vague words: power, happiness, feeling, good, generous, love.

Visual writing is concrete. It uses words that represent actual things. When you read visual writing, you can picture in your mind’s eye what’s happening. If you’ve ever read a great book, I’m sure you had a picture in your mind of what the characters looked like. Here are some examples of visual words: heart, lightning bolt, goosebumps, happy dance.

Click here for a terrific article on Abstract vs. Concrete language.

 

You can set your writing apart from 99% of online business owners by using more EXAMPLES in your copy.

The reason why most people don’t use examples is because, as I say in the video, they think that they’ll alienate part of their audience.

This couldn’t be further from the truth. In fact, when you give people something to picture, it doesn’t matter if they’ve actually experienced that picture or not.

The brain doesn’t know the difference between something we visualize and something we actually experience.

If you don’t believe me, it’s time to read all about mirror neurons.