Epic ideas are unique.
There’s no system for innovative ideas, and anyone who tries to tell you otherwise is selling you nothing more valuable than the dirt that comes from underneath your fridge.
That said, great premises always have certain elements in common. As an acclaimed Copywriter and Specialist Web Content Curator, it took me many years to understand that, beyond all the tactics, it’s the premise of the message that matters first and foremost.
The work you’ve done so far on who and what was the heavy lifting of the how. But to refine your content marketing strategy even further, here are four essential elements of a winning story concept.
1. Unpredictability
The first thing you absolutely must have is attention. Without initial attention, nothing else you’ve done matters.
And nothing kills attention faster than if your prospective reader, listener, or viewer thinks they already know where you’re going. Beyond curiosity, a great premise delivers an unpredictable and unexpected element that makes it irresistible.
It all comes back to knowing who you’re talking to at an intimate level and what they are used to seeing in the market.
What messages are they getting from your competition? This is what you must use as the benchmark to create your own unique and unexpected angle that forms the foundation of your premise.
A creative imagination combined with solid research skills help you see the nugget of gold no one else sees.
Taking an approach that differs from the crowd can help you stand out, and that’s why unpredictability is crucial for a strong premise.This is why being able to come up with a fresh premise is a valuable skill for anyone who creates content or markets anything.
2. Simplicity
One of the fundamental rules of effective content marketing is to be clear and simple. Because a premise by definition is an unprecedented and grand idea, sometimes boiling it down to its essence is difficult, or worse, neglected.
Don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying to water down your big idea to the point of stupidity.
That defeats the purpose.
What I’m saying is you’ve got to make it so simple and clear that it travels directly into the mind of your prospect, so he begins to tell himself the story. Your copy must guide him and inspire him, not beat him over the head.
So, you’ve got a grand premise that’s unpredictable and destined to shake up your market. Reduce it to a paragraph.
At this point, you may find yourself with a great tagline. At a minimum, you’ve now got the substance for the bold promise contained in your primary headline.
3. Don’t Pretend to be Anyone Except You.
You’ve heard that in this day of social media, you’ve got to keep it real. Speak with a human voice. Be authentic.
Be..you!
You also hopefully know that social media hasn’t changed the fact that it’s about them, not you. In fact, it’s more about them than ever. How do you make that work? What makes a premise real to the right people?
First of all, your premise must be highly relevant to your intended audience, while also being directly in line with your core values. Without relevance, you can’t inspire meaning. And it’s meaningful messages that inspire action.
Audiences want to know they’re reading from a human being. Not a drone programmed to sell.
4. Showcase Credibility
If you’re writing to persuade, you have to hit the gut before you get anywhere near the brain. The part that decides “I want that” is emotional and often subconscious. If your premise doesn’t work emotionally, logic will never get a chance to weigh in.
If you flip that emotional switch, the sale (or other action) is yours to lose. And I mean that literally. Because our logical minds do eventually step in (usually in a way that makes us think we’re actually driven by logic in the first place). If your premise is not credible (as in it’s too good to be true), you fail.
That doesn’t mean hyperbole never works, as long as the prospect wants to believe you badly enough. That’s how some desperate people in certain markets are taken advantage of. But belief is critical in any market and with any promotion, so credibility is the final key to a winning premise — people must believe you just as your premise must match their beliefs.
Remember, the more innovative your idea or exceptional your offer, the more you’re going to have to prove it. This brings us right back to an unexpected, simple, and tangible expression of the benefit in a way that’s credible.
As always, if you need any help with content curation, copywriting and branding your business through the power of persuasive web-writing, comment below, hit the contact form on the main page or email me at: acepreneur@gmail.com and let’s cook up a storm!
Catch me red handed cooking up a buffet with only 26 letters of the alphabet at www.acepreneur.net
