Here’s an exercise. Sit down with your website, brochure or other marketing material. Look at every sentence and trim the unnecessary words and phrases — the ones that truly don’t add anything but length to the copy. (If it’s your website, does your copy include the words and phrases people actually use to search for you?) Next, find all the phrases you know your competitors use, and think of better words and phrases to replace them. Finally, re-read it all and ask if it’s a recitation of facts or a sales pitch. Trim and sell.
