Use the “You Test” for More Persuasive Writing
It’s a simple fix that you can measure
The “You Test” is an easy and practical self-check you can use for more persuasive writing in your articles, web pages, email campaigns, blog posts, response devices, landing pages — pretty much any project.
The test checks your content to see how well it adheres to a top conversational writing rule when writing to persuade — the You Rule. Your writing is more persuasive, says the rule, when you use “You” words in the text more than “Me” words.
As tests go, this one is super-easy. Simply count the numbers of “You” words and “Me” words. You can even use your word processing software’s Find and Replace function to help. It takes just a few minutes and allows you to make upgrades right away.
But first, you probably want to know why you should force yourself to count certain types of words in your beautifully-crafted piece.
Why take the “You Test”?
You’ve likely had a “friend” who talks a lot about herself. You catch yourself thinking thoughts like this when you’re with her: I cannot get in a word edgewise … I don’t think she cares about me … does she realize that our conversations always center around her?
