Here’s my big secret

Sometimes my new clients work on pieces for hours before they ask for help. Other than making me feel sad, their confessions make me feel more connected to them.

I totally can relate because TAX PREP is like that for me. I try to get everything perfect before sending it to the guy I PAY to make it perfect. He has reminded me for a decade that I can call him whenever I need help — and I finally started taking him up on his generous offer during the past couple of years.

It’s not easy for fully-functioning, mature adults to admit they could use a little help. Isn’t it time we embraced not knowing everything or having to figure out how to do everything?

A new client and I recently had a chat about her gargantuan mission, the value of time and the importance of surrounding yourself with experts. She confessed about an hours-long writing expedition that was painful. Her email response to what I did to her two pieces was, “AMAZING!”

How did I do that? Well, blah, blah experience and blah, blah training and higher education. Here’s my big secret: I write to one person.

Take it on and see how it goes. Millions may read whatever you’re writing — one at a time. There will be exactly one set of eyeballs at a time on whatever you’ve written. You could argue that your words will be up on a screen in a room full of people or a few people are peering over shoulders and looking at the same screen. Fair.

So, we could modify my argument and agree that one person at a time will be considering whatever you’ve written. The biggest reason people struggle with writing clear, compelling copy is because they’re trying to address everyone who might possibly read it.

There is a certain person you are trying to connect with each time you write. That person might not have a name. They’re often called your ideal client or Avatar. (I love helping my clients discover “the one” and adjusting as we modify messages to fit different outlets, formats, situations.)

I’m not sure when you’ll be reading this blog post, but I hope you’ll consider it a gift. I do not have the time or resources to reach everyone on the planet. Sharing one of my best secrets with you makes me feel connected to you, fulfilled and, frankly, complete.

May whatever you write next flow faster and do its job. If you start feeling frustrated, you know where to find me.