Anybody ever make you diagram a sentence? Ever had to identify a dangling modifier or pick out the tense of a participle? Had every word of your writing scrutinized by a pedantic grammar snob?

Is your head spinning just thinking about it?

Well… maybe this will provide a little relief:

You can take all of that crap –
and chuck it right out the window!

Now before we get too far into this, I’m not saying you shouldn’t proofread. I’m not saying your copy doesn’t have to make sense. It does.

It just doesn’t have to be as perfect as your nitpicky English teacher would have had you believe. Not even close.

Why Grammar Don’t Matter

Writing is all about knowing your audience. And if you’re audience isn’t a bunch of grammar snobs, then who cares?

It’s one thing if you’re writing some technical document or turning in your master’s thesis – it’s another thing entirely if you’re trying to communicate in everyday language. People don’t talk like they fell out of a textbook – that’s just not how it works.

Real people leave stuff out. Start sentences wherever they want. Talk naturally…

(See what I did there?)

And when it comes to marketing messages, most of the time you’re not talking to scholars and syntax aficionados… you’re talking to real people – and they don’t give a damn if your sentence ends in a preposition…

In fact, bad grammar, slang, and all that jazz can actually be MORE effective, mainly because it’s easier to identify with.

People don’t want to trudge through stilted language. Most folks will lose interest if the message isn’t apparent from the get-go. Being straightforward and simple is the way to go.

Queue big word alert: colloquial verbiage helps people identify with you and your company on a personal level.

But How?

Being relaxed about your copy makes it more like everyday speech. But how do you pull it off?

Here Are 5 Tips to Make Your
Copy Produce More Money:

1. Short and Sweet

Don’t get too wild. If you’ve got a lot of info to pack in, break it up into digestible chunks. This goes for sentences and paragraphs alike.

A few lines per paragraph are okay.

Never exceed more than three sentences per paragraph (as a general rule of thumb).

For blogs, sales copy, you name it – when your language is short and packs a punch, there’s no room to miss the message…

2. Just Talk

Like I mentioned above, conversational tone is a great way to add a little personality to your business, you know?

Make your writing reflect the way you talk in real life, without a bunch of BS or attempts to dress it up…

Just be you!

3. Activate!

Be direct. Use “action” language, not passive, roundabout junk that doesn’t motivate or inspire. I’m sure you’re familiar with the “call to action,” so keep that principle alive throughout your copy.

Don’t say, “the thing that is important is X” – that’s weak and passive. Say “X is important.”

Don’t dance around the point – come out and say it!

4. Punctuate to Your Advantage!

Who cares if the comma isn’t “supposed” to go there? Does it work for you? DO IT.

The same goes for “…” (which I’m a huge fan of). The ol’ ellipses are great for leaving a thought hanging… For connecting ideas… For creating the natural pauses that occur in actual speech. See?

Some of the rules are important, I suppose, but it’s more about coming across effectively. The rules can kick rocks – use what works for you.

5. “Ain’t” IS A Word

Slang, abbreviations, acronyms, whatever – they’re all fine as long as your reader knows what you’re talking about. This goes hand in hand with being conversational…

Real people use slang, so if you want to be real… well, you’re gonna have to stray away from the textbook a little. If it works with your audience, don’t shy away from certain words just because they’re a little less-than-proper…

It’s about the message, right?

So if it helps get the right message out, there’s no reason NOT to use whatever language works best – no matter what the English teachers might’ve told you…

So how about an example, just to drive things home?

On the ExxonMobil corporate website, they’ve got this doozie of a sentence:

“Good governance is essential for creating an economic climate conducive to large-scale investments – leading to the long-term viability of business and the economic development of the communities where we operate.”

Uhhh… what?

How about this instead:

“Sticking to our own rules is essential to managing our resources carefully. 

It creates a climate where our large investments remain stable.

This financial stability relates directly to our strength as a business – and allows us to participate in the economic development of the communities we call home.”

A heck of a lot easier to read, right?

Forget what the English teacher told you. Ignore the sticks in the mud that tell you what you can and can’t say.

Hey, let’s be real, it ain’t gonna matter if your copy doesn’t meet the Mrs. Stuffypants rules of grammar if that’s what it takes to make you millions, right?

What grammar rules do you break?

In your corner,

Charlie