“I’m sorry I wrote you such a long letter. I didn’t have time to write a short one.”

That quote from Blaise Pascal reveals a fundamental truth about writing, communications and marketing.

Being vague and verbose is easy; being precise and concise is hard.

Many people and small businesses struggle to deliver a powerful message in a few words or a few sentences. Unfortunately, studies show that the longer it takes to deliver a message, the less persuasive that message becomes.

It can be hard, but you need to take the time to shorten and simplify your writing. If you do that, your marketing will be more effective.