Stories serve an invaluable purpose. We all tell stories, whether in printed form or by gathering around a table and sharing an anecdote. It’s how we’re going to survive the upcoming holidays with family because stories are how we communicate with each other, and how we remember and frame experiences. It’s the foundation for human interaction. If we didn’t have stories, how would we ever capture how awful a date was or how moving an unexpected kindness?
Books are the elevated form of story. Films and theater are too. But no matter what form story takes, it begins with the audience. You wouldn’t tell a story the same way to grade school children as you would to a room of scientists. Why? Because audience matters. It affects everything from how we frame the story to the words we use to tell it.
We write for our audience. As such, it helps to know why people respond the way they do. Psychology helps reveal how we, as writers, should shape our story to engage, compel, inspire, educate, motivate, persuade, influence, and entertain. This is never more evident than when writing marketing copy. If you want people to buy the latest widget, you need to know what will get them to open their wallets.
Knowing what factors are at play in the human psyche helps us go beyond the sentences to the heart of the reader. In writing for a corporate, nonprofit, government or association clients, the right words determine whether the piece succeeds or not. It comes down to the words used and how a particular audience responds. Words dictate whether the audience will change their behavior or minds, urge an action or response.
There are entire books dedicated to the link between word choice and psychological response, but one of my favorites has to be Robert B. Cialdini’s book Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion. And though I am not advocating writers manipulate or control their audience, it helps to understand how words and phrases affect a reader’s response, particularly if you are trying to get someone to purchase a product or change their mind about an issue—both difficult propositions. If you want to succeed as a business writer, you need to go beyond good grammar (which is essential for all writers) and understand what sentence structure and vocabulary works for your audience. You need to understand how your words influence your reader.
The best place to begin is with empathy. This will help you figure out what resonates with your target audience. What works will change depending on the nature of your target market. Lawyers will respond differently than college students and require different approaches to the same topic. Each niche audience brings its own language and inclinations that filters how they read copy. It’s your job to understand those filters so you can reach them with your key message.
An effective writer understands the options in word choice, style, tone, creative approach, and even how you choose to frame your case. You need to be flexible and adapt to each project and audience by understanding them and their underlying psychology.
Stories and audiences are linked. You must understand one to succeed at the other. For more information on engaging your reader, stay tuned to read my upcoming blog, Your Reader, where I focus on ways to reach your audience using specific tactics.