Many company leaders enjoy fruitful careers that impact their colleagues and customers in ways that change their lives and transform their businesses. They invest in others and witness the resulting growth. That legacy is strong, yet it’s limited to those they can personally touch.
Perhaps you could have a greater impact than that. What do you know or what can you share with others that will impact their lives and careers? You can extend your reach and leave an even greater legacy if you deliver your accumulated wisdom, knowledge, and philosophies in a written format. You’re the only one who has your story; you’re the only one who can write it. And if you want a bigger audience, you need a bigger platform.
But before you go big, you must start small, and the first step is to crystallize your message. Whether you’re writing a blog post, a marketing message, or an article, the point of good writing is to communicate — to deliver a message that’s crystal clear and easy for the reader to absorb. That’s not an easy task, but your chances of hitting the mark improve when you ask these questions:
1. What’s the Purpose?
An article isn’t the same as a blog post, nor is it the same as copy for a webpage. Each end product has its own purpose, and before you begin writing, you need to know the purpose of the piece.
You probably have a general idea of what you want to write, and I challenge you to distill its meaning into a purpose statement before you start. This should say, “The purpose of this (blog/article/book/web copy/marketing message) is to _____________________________.” Complete that sentence — and bear in mind that it’s one sentence, not a paragraph.
Example: The purpose of this article is to inspire others to create a larger legacy.
2. Who’s the Audience?
Not knowing your audience is like playing spin the bottle in the dark. Don’t you want to know who you’re going to kiss before you pucker up? Likewise, you need to envision your audience. What you write isn’t for everyone; it’s for a specific slice of readers.
Picture your ideal readers. What are they looking for? What’s their age, demographic, marital status, etc.? Are they male or female, conservative or liberal? How do they identify themselves? Complete this sentence: “The audience for this piece is _____________________.”
Example: The audience for this article is business leaders who want to create a larger legacy.
3. Why This Message?
Writers not only want to be read; they also want to be remembered. If readers digest your content, but it doesn’t elicit a response, then you’ve wasted your time. It will be forgotten as quickly as it was read.
You must create some type of change in the reader. How will he be different as a result of what you wrote? What change, slight as it may be, do you want to invoke in the reader? Do you want to move him to action? Give him hope? Make him smile? Consider the end result, and write down how you want your readers to be affected.
Example: This article will inspire business leaders to crystallize and then expand their message.
Pull the three components together into a single statement.
Example: The purpose of this article is to inspire business leaders to crystallize and then expand their message so they can create a larger legacy.
Now that you know your audience, write from their perspective, not yours. What do they want to know? What information are they seeking? What new message or perspective can you deliver? Compelling content always meets a need, and your job is to deliver what the audience is seeking.
To crystallize your message, include specific content that achieves the stated purpose, nothing else. Readers absorb focused content, and everything you write should drive toward that message, that audience, that purpose, and that result.
Think Bigger
If you want to reach a larger audience, you need to publish on a platform that reaches more people. With a little tweaking, you can extend your message and deliver it through multiple venues, such as writing a book or delivering workshops, presentations, or online courses. This isn’t simply an opportunity for you; it’s a service to others.
When you share what you’ve learned, what you’ve developed, and what you’ve overcome, you can change someone else’s life or direction. Someone is looking for what’s trapped inside you. Whether your message is about your business, lessons you’ve learned, or ways to connect on a soul level with your dog, if you have a passionate solution, someone else needs it!
Your legacy is about the lives you touch and the change you create. When you share your experiences, you deliver a lasting impact that extends far beyond yourself.
