What Introductions Are For

It's easy to dismiss the introduction as irrelevant. In the end, the information or the analysis that the reader is coming for won't be in the introduction. But, when we neglect our first paragraphs, we're missing out on an opportunity to enrich our piece with information that may not directly relate to our core topic but that could give the reader a clearer, better notion of the domain in question; we're also missing on an opportunity to connect with the reader.

Especially if we're writing marketing content, we need to ensure that our reader sees their worries, needs, and goals addressed. For this purpose, some marketers recommend using the second person, "talking" to the reader/customer directly including the word "you" at least once. The introduction can be an opportunity to tell the reader that we're on their side and we're here to help.

When editing your introduction, ask the following questions:

Self-Questionnaire

• What is this piece about?
• Who is this for? Who's the reader?
• Why should the reader care?
• What do they have to gain by reading this piece?

You should be able to derive the answers from reading your introduction.