I’m only 5’3″ so naturally I would subscribe to the notion that shorter is sweeter but even as a small business coach I think this idea is key to good communication. A client sent a sell sheet she’d made for a new program she was offering. It was pages and pages long. I kept scrolling and it went on. She said she’d learned it in a special online selling workshop. I don’t know much about the workshop but I know that as a consumer I didn’t have the time to read all that. As a marketer, I know that consumers of our information are bombarded by millions of other similar messages. The trick to getting the attention is to be short, interesting and relevant. Below are other tips to help you get more eyeballs and ears faster:

Get to the point. Now.  In a voicemail, just state your name, quickly explain your reason for calling and give the person a call-to-action.
Three is a magic number. Narrow everything down to the three most important points. Usually, once the top three points are listed, I realize the other info is extraneous or redundant anyway.
Use bullets. Tell the reader up front what the message is about and outline your points with bullets consisting of concise phrases, not complete sentences. Finally, close with a call-to-action — whatever it is you want the reader to do next.
Keep meetings focused. We’ve all suffered through endless meetings in which someone talks and talks and very little gets communicated. Make sure everyone is clear about the meeting goals and keep the time under 30 minutes to maintain a sense of urgency and focus.
via Why Shorter Is Sweeter (& Always More Efficient).

If you’ve been wondering how to increase your newsletter open rates or how to improve your ROI on your offers, take another look at how you’ve been presenting your stuff. Get real, get short and get going!
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