The reader persona
A content writer’s best friend…
If you happen to be a writer working on a piece of marketing content for your client and it’s just not going well for you —>:
The whole writing process is tortuous, like wading waist-high through a swamp.
Your bullet points read like a shopping list.
The Subject line has been around the block
The prose just wants to go home
You even get bored re-reading your draft
You feel sorry for anyone who might have to read it
And so on……
There could be a few causes for this malaise—but, from personal experience, you have likely neglected your audience - your reader persona.
Without this, the content will naturally lack a genuine feeling and commitment because you’re only going through the motions formulaically.
To anyone involved in content marking, the concept of the audience persona is pretty well known. It’s the golden rule: Understand your audience. Get to know them like the back of your hand. Live in their shoes etc.
Once you write for this audience, really engage with and help solve their problems (which you of course know all about), your content will come alive. Writing will be easier, more rewarding and genuine, and your work will have an engaging energy.
One of my niches as a writer is manufacturing/logistics and supply chain, where I spent many years actually 'working'.
When I’m writing for clients’ prospects in this niche, my reader persona usually tends to be a mixture of the following happy persons:
A (stressed out/busy) “New business Dev” manager with a budget
A (stressed out/busy) “Shop floor Operations manager”
A (stressed out/busy) “COO” of a mid-sized manufacturing company
A (stressed out/busy) “Director of sustainability”
A (stressed out/busy) “Supply chain Dev manager”
Spot the common denominator?
I’m exaggerating, but having had the benefit and pleasure of working closely with such people, I know they are all busy and under pressure.
All they will ask themselves when they read my content is:
How is this going to help my company?
How much is it going to cost?
They have no time for anything else.
Knowing this and the people to whom I’m appealing helps me shape my content into something engaging that answers the needs of my audience.
So go drop a line to your reader today and see what they’re up to.
