Here’s a Tactical Tuesday challenge for you:

Include the word “you” in the first sentence of the next 5 emails, texts, or social media posts you write.

(Or webpages, if you’re in the midst of updating your site.)

You won’t believe the transformative power of this constraint.

First of all, there’s the reader-side effect of feeling directly spoken to. As a reader, this causes you to pay more attention and feel more personally engaged in what you’re reading.

But then there’s the writer-side effect of reframing everything you want to say through the lens of your intended reader.

Just this simple act forces you to think about what’s in it for them.

It forces you to consider why they should care.

And that makes all the difference when you’re trying to spur people into action with your words.

Yours,
James

P.S. You should know I picked this tip up in Jonathan Stark’s fantastic Email365 course, which is where One Creative Moment was born.