“You” is the most powerful word in advertising. Whenever you are writing any type of marketing material, speak directly to the reader. A good way to do this is to address the reader as “you” in the copy. Write to them the way you would write to a close friend. Sound warm, personal and caring.
The worst blunder you can make is to focus on yourself or your company. When your copy is swimming with words like “I” or “we,” you need to readjust your focus. People do not care about you or your company. They don’t care about your recent awards, your outstanding product line or your impeccable credit report. They are concerned about themselves—their hopes, their dreams, their problems. They are only interested in you as a means of filling one of their needs or solving one of their problems.
If you focus on yourself, your copy will sound self-serving and even arrogant. Your goal should be to serve the reader. Sound caring, sympathetic and enthusiastic. People appreciate this type of attitude. It holds their interest and appeals to their felt needs. The longer you hold the reader’s interest, the better chance you have of making a sale. So use the word “you” a lot.
