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In the last article, we focused on making sure your content doesn't scare off potential clients. If you missed it, you can check it out here: https://www.nexalate.com/post/get-more-sales-by-improving-your-writing. Now that your content looks good, it’s time to make it easy for readers to breeze through. Once they’re hooked, it’s your job to keep them engaged.
So, how do we do that?
Just like you would at a bar.
Use the BAR Test to Fix Your Writing
Here’s an example I found recently in an actual article:
"As a business owner your job is to solve problems. Someone having electrical issues? It’s a good thing you're a certified electrician with your own business to solve that customer's problem. This is the basic principle of running your own business most business owners already know, but what happens when no one knows you even exist? How are we supposed to solve problems if Larry from across the street doesn’t even know who you are as a business? We Market, but we market in a very specific and strategic way that actually allows us to attract clients and make sales."
If you made it through that without zoning out, you’re a trooper! But it clearly doesn’t pass the BAR test.
What Is This Mythical BAR Test?
The BAR test is undefeated and timeless. It has worked for centuries and will keep working as long as humans communicate. Even if bars disappear, the principles behind this test will still help you improve your writing.
Here’s how you use it:
Look at your text (what we call “copy” in the marketing world) and ask yourself:
Would I say this to an actual human being in conversation?
It’s that simple—and it works every time.
Take this sentence, for example:
"As a business owner your job is to solve problems. This is the basic principle of running your own business most business owners already know, but what happens when no one knows you even exist?"
In real life, you’d probably say something more like this:
"Most business owners already know they solve problems for a living. But that’s hard to do if people don’t even know you exist, right?"
See how much more natural and readable that sounds? The first version feels robotic, while the second one sounds like an actual human.
The Quickest and Easiest Way to Improve Your Writing
Here’s a simple trick that works every time. It might seem basic, but trust me—once you try it, you’ll be hooked:
Read your copy out loud.
Does it flow? Where do you stumble? Where does it sound off? Would you say this to a person in real life?
Pretend you’re talking to a friend. Here’s another example I read recently:
"But, most of the people running businesses nowadays barely even think about what problem their product is even solving, let alone whether or not their most likely buyer is male or female, what their age range is, what their interests are, or even what haircut they have."
That’s a 47-word sentence! Try reading it out loud—it’s a run-on sentence, and it needs a break. We rarely speak in 47-word sentences in real life.
Real conversation flows naturally. Some sentences are long, some are short. Like this one—just three words.
Get into the habit of reading your copy aloud, and I guarantee it will transform your writing.
Apply this advice, and see how much more engagement and response you get from your content.
Talk soon, Ed
P.S. Want me to check, rewrite, and improve your materials using the BAR test and other principles we’ll discuss? Get in touch with my agency today. If we’re a good fit, I’ll personally review your company and marketing strategy, suggest improvements, and break it all down on a call.
No cost, no obligation.
If you want to work together, I’ll explain how it works. If not, no worries—no hard selling, no pressure, no annoying tactics.
Sound good? Fill out this form: https://www.nexalate.com/book-online
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