Everyone Skims

Prospects and clients skim letters, emails and proposals. Get better results by creating information with this in mind.

• We pay more attention to beginnings than to endings. Put important stuff first.
• A highlighter is your friend. Use it to emphasize key points.
• Use bullets.
• Recap and summarize.
• Use color.
• Bold type emphasizes.
• Underline.
• Change fonts.
• Italicize.
• Use diagrams.
• Write for clarity. If you confuse buyers, you lose them.
• Use short sentences—8 to 15 words. Make points quickly because short sell.
• Needless repetition bores readers. Avoid echoing thoughts and over-explaining.

The first step to making a new sale is getting the buyer’s attention. Consciously designing information so important points jump off the page increases your odds of success.