Leave Out the Parts People Skip


Has anyone really read every word of Gone with the Wind? Be honest now. I've read it twice and I remember skipping whole pages of scene-setting descriptive text.

When I read this quote by Elmore Leonard, whose books I read, it resonated with me.

"I try to leave out the parts people skip."
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This is a great principle for marketing, too. Recall those bags of brochures and business cards you've thrown out after conferences.

What's the practical application? Have a look at your website with a fresh eye from the perspective of your ideal client. Better yet, have one of your ideal clients take a look. Ask them to 'browse' and then find out what they skimmed over, or skipped completely. You can also do this for your brochures and bios, your articles and newsletters. You could even get carried away and do an audit of all your marketing materials.

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