The Importance Of Writing Summaries

Have you ever read a book that didn’t the end the way you wanted it to? Maybe it left you hanging without tying up all the loose ends of the plot. Perhaps it just seemed to end abruptly, in the middle of the action.

The text that you write for any type of article, whether it be sales copy or blog posts etc, is the same way. Writing of any kind always follows a very basic principle: it must have a beginning, a middle, and an end.

Many of us are great at starting our copy and moving it along, only to find that writing the end is a real problem.

Why Is Writing Summaries Important

Without an end, your readers will be left hanging. They may scratch their head and wonder what’s missing. Undoubtedly, they will leave the page or click out of the site.

The summary not only neatly ties together all the previous information included in the post, it should include some form of call to action. Without asking the reader to perform a specific act, they are not inclined to do so on their own. The summary is the appropriate place for the call to action. It lists all the reasons why the reader should do something, and motivates them to actually do it.

Elements Of A Good Summary

You may remember that when you were in school, you were taught to write papers using an outline. In the first paragraph, you put together information that led to support from Points A, B, and C. The second paragraph would delve deeper into Point A, the third gave an overview of Point B, and so on. The last paragraph would include a summary of all of the information and proof that your thesis statement was supported by each of your points.

You can use this format to help devise the summary in your sales piece. Remember to review each of the points you made in previous text regarding the uses and benefits of your product or service. Then leave the reader with a very specific call to action, such as “Quantities are limited; order now” or “Click here to receive your free copy of our e-book”. Ensure it is motivational. Don’t simply make an announcement, make an offer.

An Example Of A Good Summary Paragraph

By now you have a good idea of why you need to order XYZ widgets. They are low-priced, of superior quality, and can be used for a number of common household tasks. You might be wondering how you ever lived without these widgets to make your life easier. Well stop wondering and place an order by clicking here. Act now and we will include the free e-book, “101 Uses for XYZ Widgets”. Hurry, this is a limited time offer.

This summary contains all the required elements of an effective summary. It reviews all the points brought up in earlier paragraphs, then presents a call to action, and includes verbiage that lets the reader know they must act immediately.

Don’t leave your readers hanging. Whether you are writing a sales letter, a blog post, or an article about your business, it needs the proper ending – and a summary with a specific call to action. Take a minute to browse through the last few articles or sales pages you’ve written and see if your summaries could be improved upon.