Wednesday, June 07, 2006

Keep it short, Stupid!

There's a saying in marketing that long copy is better-read than short copy - if its value message is sufficently compelling.

Does this rule apply to small busines owners? Probably not.

Consider the entrepreneur I met with today. We were talking about getting phone and e-mail messages through to business prospects, and his view was this: "I never write or read long e-mails."

I was shocked. He really ignores e-mails of more than a couple of pragraphs? Yep, he said, although he admitted that missives from family and friends might get through his screen - but not business contacts.

And isn't he worried about missing something important? Hasn't this practice come back to bite him? His response to both questions: "No."

But then, he said, most of his e-mail comes from other entrepreneurs and people who are used to working with them. So they follow pretty much the same philosophy as he does.

In small business, brevity is the soul of profit. How quickly does your messgae get across?

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