In this article series we’re covering better writing and how to get your customers glued to their screen while they devour your marketing. If you haven’t checked out the previous instalment, it’s here: Check The Kind Of Copy You Want
Alright, so we’ve lured our audience in. We gotta keep them intrigued.
How do we do that?
The same way we do it in a bar!
Using The BAR Test To Fix Our Writing
“As a business owner your job is to solve problems. Someone having electrical issues? It’s a good thing you're a certified electrician with your own business to solve that customer's problem. This is the basic principle of running your own business most business owners already know, but what happens when no one knows you even exist? How are we supposed to solve problems if Larry from across the street doesn’t even know who you are as a business? We Market, but we market in a very specific and strategic way that actually allows us to attract clients and make sales.”
If you made it through all that without flinching or forcing yourself to read, you’re much braver than I am.
Would you actually say this to someone?
Because this fails the crap out of a BAR test.
But… What Actually Is The BAR Test?
The BAR Test is simply considered as how we speak to people in a bar.
In this case, how we write.
It has worked for centuries and will work for centuries more.
Undefeated. Undisputed.
‘would I say this to an actual human being in conversation?’
It’s really simple, you know.
Have a look:
As a business owner your job is to solve problems. This is the basic principle of running your own business, most business owners already know, but what happens when no one knows you even exist?
In a real conversation it would sound something like…
Most business owners already know they solve problems for a living. But that’s hard to do if people don’t even know you exist, right?
See how much easier that is?
Exclude the A.I. writing. Let’s just be our creative self.
Now, the next mention is a very childish trick, but, it would improve your writing to the best of its ability.
Reading Your Copy Out Loud
See where your copy doesn’t flow. Where it’s sounding weird. Would you actually say this to a human?
Do not underestimate the power of this practice.
It’s honestly that simple.
I have one more example for you.
I’m sure you’ve heard of a run-on sentence before…
But, most of the people running businesses nowadays barely even think about what problem their product is even solving, let alone whether or not their most likely buyer is male or female, what their age range is, what their interests are, or even what haircut they have
This is a 47 word long sentence. We rarely speak sentences this long!
We both know conversations have a flow. Long sentences, like this one.
And short sentences. Like this one. Only three words.
Using the BAR Test in your content can make a difference. And you’ll recognize it through your audience reactions.
Apply it!
Talk soon,
Terrell
P.S. Want me to check, rewrite and improve your materials using the BAR test and other principles we’ll be talking about?
Get in touch with my agency today. If we’re a good fit I will personally take a look at your company and your marketing, come up with a strategy of what I’d do differently and discuss it with you in depth on a call.
No cost, no obligation.
If you want to work together, I’ll tell you exactly how that works, if you don’t want to work together that’s fine too. No hard selling, no pressure, no annoying sales tactics.
Sounds good? Then fill out this form: Free Marketing Analysis | Xavier
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