The internet is overflowing with marketers and bloggers. Every search reveals hundreds of posts. At last count, Wordpress houses millions of blog posts. That’s a lot of written content.
When you sit down to write content for your blog posts or other social media channels, do you often try to think of a catchy one-liner to grab your reader and engage them? Be honest, you know you do. That’s part of marketing, right? Well, it’s one part, but here’s the other part. Do you also ask yourself if what you’re saying is the most authentic and trustworthy way you can say it?
Your writing is a lasting imprint that speaks volumes about your business and reflects on your personal integrity as well. I know, I know. It’s not a flashy promise to boost your sales instantly, but an honest sales pitch doesn’t have to be boring.
An honest sales pitch consists of delivering to your customers the benefits of your product or service in a clear, compelling manner. Sounds too simple to be true, but the crux of your sales pitch should be your product or service. If you don’t have clear, compelling benefits to your product or service that you can focus on as a means to draw people in and engage them, it’s time to refocus.
So, how do you know if your writing is generating trust or distrust? Easy; read it from the customer’s perspective, and ask yourself a few simple questions. Be honest with yourself. No one is looking. I promise.
What am I selling? When you read your writing, are you selling empty promises, or are you selling a much needed product or service? If your writing is drowning in gimmicky phrases and one-liners, then it’s a good bet you’re not selling the virtues of your product or service.
Would I buy from me? Answering this question requires a great deal of objectivity, but it can be done. Would you? Would you buy whatever you’re selling? If you don’t even have a clue what you’re selling, that’s bad news. Your potential customers are probably completely clueless.
Is there even a hint of slime? Remember that kid’s game show where people would get slimed? It was gross and people would try hard to avoid getting slimed, right? Well, slick, slimy written content gets the same treatment. No one wants to feel like they’re getting taken for a ride, so get rid of any content that even hints that you’re about to get one over on your customer. What classifies as too slick? Posts that promise too much are one of the top offenders. Keep your message honest, relevant, and engaging, and you’ll have long-time readers and a base of potential clients.
The internet is definitely filled with business owners, but your voice can still be heard no matter how crowded the field. Strive for consistency. Craft valuable, informative content and avoid that urge to oversell, and you’ll be ahead 
of a good number of businesses in your industry. Here’s to your business success!
Shannon Harmon is a writer and business owner committed to helping entrepreneurs craft insightful, intelligent writing strategies designed to grow their businesses. For more information: http://www.jonesharmonwriting.com
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