How to Answer “What’s in It for Me”

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The most important question to answer in any kind of marketing has always been “What’s in it for me?” If your marketing content doesn’t answer this question in fifteen seconds or less, chances are you’re going to lose your visitors. If you can answer this question quickly, then your visitors will read all of your content. Here are four ways to answer the “What’s in it for me?” question.

Before your write anything – Before you write any kind of content, take a look at the design of your website. In particular, look at your header. Does your website convey a benefit to the reader? For example, if your website header says, “Bob’s Website,” chances are readers aren’t going to get a sense of what they could learn from your site. But if your header says, “SEO Tips from a 10-year Veteran,” people are much more likely to perk up. If that’s coupled with good design that builds credibility, you have a strong chance of getting your readers to pay attention.

Writing your headlines – In direct response marketing, the headline is often considered the most important component of any marketing piece. That’s because it’s the first thing that people read. It’s your first and sometimes only chance to capture your reader’ attention. People who read your headline should instantly be able to tell exactly what your content is about. Your headline should hammer home the benefit and get your readers excited to learn more.

Using graphics – Most people’s eyes will gravitate to any graphics on the page before they even read any text. Using graphics to convey a benefit can be an incredibly powerful tactic. For example, if you’re writing about how to earn money by being a consultant, holding up a picture of your first big consulting check can convey the “what’s in it for me” answer much more powerfully than words ever could. Make sure you also take advantage of the space immediately beneath an image. Research has shown that captions underneath images are some of the most read parts of any website.

Using the opening paragraph wisely – Finally, spend a lot of time on your opening paragraph. If your opening paragraph doesn’t quickly convey the benefits of reading your content, you’re probably going to lose your reader. Even if you’re writing a five-page, 5,000 word article, your time would be well spent if you spent 20 percent of it on your first paragraph. The first paragraph should start out with a strong “hook” sentence. Then the next three or four sentences should explain exactly what your readers will get from the rest of your article.

If you combine all of these techniques, you’ll be able to convey to your readers exactly what they’ll get from reading your content in fifteen seconds or less. This will increase your readership, bring back more returning visitors, and ultimately bring you more sales.

I always struggle with writing headlines. Which one of these techniques is challenging for you? Tell me about it!