What’s in it for them?

Jul 24, 2013 | Better Writing

Great business books, blog posts, articles, and web page help readers make progress. They help the reader solve a problem or answer a question. If your blog post doesn’t deliver a benefit for the reader, it’s just an indulgence.

Here’s a partial list of possible benefits in the form of questions about your piece. It’s worked for me for forty years.

Will it help the reader make more money or keep more of what they have?

Will it help the reader stay safe in a world of threats?

Will it help the reader make a bigger or better impression?

Will it help the reader improve his or her relationships?

Will it help the reader do something he or she couldn’t do before?

Will it help the reader make his or her life or work easier?

There’s no magic to this particular list. Feel free to create your own “benefits checklist” and use it to make sure your writing helps your reader.

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