Good content determines the success or failure of a product. You may think a good product is enough. But that is not the case! If the text advertising the product does not catch the customer’s attention within 2 seconds, the customer will not buy the product. Today, the product variety is simply too large. This makes it even more important to deliver a sales-proof text!

In a recent workshop our view was sharpened for the effect and meaning of corporate communication for the market success of a product. Especially in the age of digitization the message must be conveyed quickly and clearly! Otherwise, your customer will look elsewhere. We have summarized the most important take aways from the workshop for you.

Tip 1: Follow your eye!

Think about it: How much time do you give a product brochure or an online advertising text to tease you? When do you close the advertising window? I will tell you: After about two seconds! In 2 seconds you browse the text for anything that interests you. If you find something: Bingo! You will keep reading. If you do not find anything: Bye! Bye!

How do you achieve “Bingo!”? With a few tricks, you can consciously control your customer’s visual guidance:

• • Work with Highlights! They act as an anchor for the eyes. But only highlight the benefits of your services or product, never your company or product names.

Always add text to pictures! Position the text on the right side oft the image as the eye always moves from top left to bottom right.

• Use Bullet-Points to structure your text! This also helps the eye to find reference points.
• Avoid CAPITALS and negative letters (light letters on dark background) in continuous text! They are difficult for the human eye to grasp.

Tip 2: Prepare your text!

All too often time is short and the advertising text must be released online quickly. But you shouldn’t save time on your texts. Every text needs a certain preparation to turn out really convincing. Your statements must be clear and on point. It helps to make a few notes with the most important contents. What is it that your reader absolutely must know about your product? And why does your product benefit him? Highlight the three most important advantages!

Tip 3: 4 eyes see more than 2

It is annoying and skipped often: The editing. Nothing is more harmful for a brand image than spelling errors. You can also use systems that support you in error avoidance (like Acrolinx or congree). But it is not only spelling errors that are uncovered during editing. There are also many other aspects that make a text more readable and vivid:

• The brevity is the spice: Write short paragraphs (about 3-5 lines), sentences (about 9-14 words) and words (about 4-5 syllables).
• Avoid nouns, especially technical terms. Verbs and adjectives breathe life into your text!
• Delete auxiliaries and subjunctives. Write engagingly instead. Your customer can save a lot of time with your product? Then why doesn’t he buy it?
• Write personally! Who is this anonymous person in your text? Your customer wants to feel addressed personally.
• Formulate as specific as possible. The more specific you are, the sooner your reader understands what you want to say.

Tip 4: Say a lot in a few words!

The Headline is the shortest statement in your text. This also makes it the most difficult part of your text. Play with your headline! Try different possibilities and brainstorm in a team. A headline can arouse curiosity or interest, remind of known things or also arouse negative emotions (like dismay or fear). It can be aimed at a specific target group, it can personalize your product or describe an action. In any case, it should be completely self-explanatory! If your reader has to think about what your headline should mean or what it has to do with your product, you have already lost him.

Tip 5: Think of the other languages!

If you want to sell your product in other countries, you must also translate the product texts. This means that the text must also work in other countries (unless it is rewritten for each target language). The good news is: If you follow our tips, you will automatically write a text that is suitable for translation. In addition, your text should be consistent. Use international spellings for phone numbers and units. For idioms it is best to tend to easily transferable formulations. And take examples that are internationally understood. Because a Chinese reader will have little to do with Cologne Carnival.

Of course these are just a few small steps that make your text better. In addition, there are many other optimization options that we would be happy to explain to you in a personal conversation. So you can win over your customer in 2 seconds!