Write Like an Eighth Grader, Make Money Like a Banker

Is it possible that you are writing “too smart”?

If you post on a blog, compose sales copy, send emails, or write just about anything else that you want people to read and take action, I have a quick and easy tip to help you get the word to your readers.

When communicating in writing, simpler is better! Research shows that most Americans read at a seventh or eighth-grade level. It’s not a question of intelligence. It’s a matter of clarity. It’s easier to get your message across when it is simpler and more efficient.

Your readers do not want to get confused or to be challenged intellectually. If they struggle to figure out what you are trying to say, they may skip over your work and move on to something else. This is even truer in today’s fast-paced society.

Microsoft has a tool in Word you can use to actually measure the reading level. Word uses a formula called the Flesch-Kincaid readability index that calculates a reading level of the work.

Flesch-Kincaid is easy to understand. A result of 8.0 means the readability of your work is at an eighth-grade level. You want to target a range of 6-8 on the readability scale.

On a P.C.: In Word, click on the 4-colored pretzel thingy in the upper left corner. Click on “Word Options” at the bottom of the window. Click on “proofing”. Check the box next to “Show Readability Statistics”.

On a Mac: In Word, click on “Word” on the top taskbar. Click on “preferences”. Click on “Spelling and Grammar”. Check the box next to “Show Readability Statistics”.

Now you are set up!

To find out your score on the piece you are writing in Word, go to “Tools” > “Spelling and Grammar”. After Word walks you through a spell check (which you are hopefully doing), you will get a window that has your readability score. Very easy and pretty cool!

Here are a few tips to lower your Flesch-Kincaid score to improve readability:

1. First of all, relax! Don’t try to think too much when writing. Use the “Barstool Test” (note: you must assume sobriety). Pretend you are speaking to a friend on a barstool next to you. Use everyday conversation.
2. If appropriate, tell a story. This is a way to help keep the level of writing on a conversational level.
3. Use active sentences (John drove) vs. passive sentences (John was driving).
4. Never use “there are” or “there is”. Instead of “There are no other companies selling this product.” use “No other companies sell this product.”
5. Reduce the number of sentences per paragraph.
6. Reduce the number of words per sentence.
7. Reduce the number of characters per word.

Agora publishing company, one of the largest and most successful consumer newsletter publishers in the world, uses the Flesch-Kincaid tool. Their readers tend to be sophisticated and wealthy, and they tend to buy an average of three Agora products each. Their material passes the Flesch-Kincaid test with a 7^th-8^th grade level.

Let me conclude with the following recommendations:

1. Consider incorporating the Flesch-Kincaid test into all your written material.
2. Follow the simple suggestions above to lower your score if necessary.
3. Watch the response to your call to action skyrocket!
4. Don’t tell your high school kids they should dumb down their writing.

Take control of your destiny

-Murray Beaulieu

The Flesch-Kincaid score of this article is 6.7

Comments

Jen McGahan

I had to train myself to write at a 6.2! English major’s epic fail — pretty common. You give very practical tips…I like!

sohag

It’s a nice post. Wish you all the best.

Carla McElroy

Great post Murray! Thanks!

Stavros

Totally agree with you. You do not need to write in a complicated way, just be yourself and try several marketing ideas.

David Nicodemus

Great info, Murray. I will give this a try.

Aria Thompson

I completely support the points made in this post. Simplifying writing has significantly improved my audience’s engagement. Thank you for sharing such valuable tips, Murray!

Elias Rivera

I’m skeptical about the Flesch-Kincaid readability test. Do you have any evidence showing it directly increases marketing results? I’d love to see some case studies.

Mira Larson

Thanks for this guide, Murray! One question I have is how often should we be running our writing through the Flesch-Kincaid tool? Is it for all content or just specific types?

Jordan Wells

This post is interesting, but I feel that writing to such a low reading level may risk oversimplifying the message. How do you balance clarity with maintaining professionalism?

Luca Morgan

Hey Murray, great article! It reminded me of a conversation we had last year about simplifying communication. How have you been? We should catch up sometime!

Sophia Davis

I had a similar experience while writing newsletters for my company. After applying the readability tips mentioned in this post, I saw a noticeable increase in customer engagement. Thanks for this!

Levi Anderson

I came across another tool called Hemingway Editor that simplifies writing in a similar way to Flesch-Kincaid. It might be worth trying out alongside this tool!

Olivia Brooks

Thank you for this post, Murray! I’ve learned a lot about how simple changes in writing can make a huge impact on marketing efforts. I’m definitely going to apply this.