Helping people understand instead of impressing them
Most organisations know their business inside out.
They understand the terminology. They know the processes. They live and breathe the subject every day.
So when they come to write a website, brochure, proposal or LinkedIn post, they naturally write from their own perspective.
The problem?
Their audience doesn’t have the same knowledge.
And when communication assumes too much, people stop understanding.
When people stop understanding, they stop engaging.
Why organisations fall into this trap
It’s one of the biggest communication challenges we see.
Experts naturally communicate like experts.
They use familiar terminology. They skip context. They assume people know what certain phrases mean.
Internally, that feels completely normal. Externally, it creates unnecessary barriers.
This is known as the “curse of knowledge” – once you know something well, it’s difficult to imagine what it feels like not to know it.
The way people consume online content makes this challenge even more important.
Research from the Nielsen Norman Group shows that people typically scan web pages rather than reading every word, looking for information that’s immediately relevant to them. GOV.UK’s content design guidance reinforces this principle, encouraging organisations to present information in ways that help users quickly find what they need and complete their task.
People don’t arrive to admire your writing. They arrive looking for an answer, a solution or the confidence to make a decision. The sooner your content helps them recognise they’re in the right place, the more likely they are to keep reading.
The difference between writing for yourself and writing for your audience
Consider these examples.
Example one
❌ We deliver integrated workforce transformation solutions.
✅ We help organisations attract, retain and develop the people they need to grow.
Example two
❌ Our platform leverages intelligent automation.
✅ We help your team complete routine tasks faster, giving them more time for higher-value work.
Example three
❌ We provide comprehensive compliance support.
✅ We help you stay compliant, reduce risk and feel confident during audits.
The expertise hasn’t changed. Only the perspective has.
What your audience is really asking
Your customers rarely begin by asking: “What services do you offer?”
They’re asking questions like:
- Can you solve my problem?
- Can I trust you?
- Have you done this before?
- Will this make my job easier?
- Why should I choose you?
Good communication answers those questions before they’re asked.
What this looks like in practice
In healthcare
Healthcare organisations often describe services using clinical language.
Patients want reassurance.
Commissioners want evidence.
Families want clarity.
In fintech
Businesses often lead with platform features.
Buyers want to understand how those features reduce risk, save time or improve performance.
In property
Developers frequently describe specifications.
Buyers want to understand what life there could look like.
The audience always changes the story.
Good communication recognises that.
Five ways to write for your audience
1. Start with what your audience already knows
Don’t begin with your solution. Begin with their challenge.
2. Replace internal language
Every organisation has words it uses every day.
Ask yourself: Would a new customer use those same words?
If not, rewrite them.
3. Focus on outcomes
Don’t explain what something is.
Explain what it helps someone achieve.
4. Test every paragraph
Ask: “So what?”
If the reader can’t immediately see the relevance, rewrite it.
5. Read it like a first-time visitor
Imagine you’ve never heard of your organisation.
Would everything still make sense?
What this means for your organisation
Most organisations don’t need more content. They need more relevant content, communicated in a way that’s easier for their audience to understand.
When you stop writing from your own perspective and start writing from your customers’, your communication becomes:
- Clearer
- More engaging
- Easier to trust
- More persuasive
- More likely to drive action
The most successful organisations don’t communicate everything they know.
They communicate what their audience needs to know.
If your communication makes perfect sense internally but isn’t getting the response you expected, the issue may not be what you’re saying.
It may be who you’re writing for.
At Wrapped, we help organisations translate specialist expertise into communication that’s clear, relevant and written for the people they’re trying to reach.
References
1. Nielsen Norman Group. F-Shaped Pattern of Reading on the Web: Misunderstood, But Still Relevant (Even on Mobile).
https://www.nngroup.com/articles/f-shaped-pattern-reading-web-content/
2. GOV.UK. GOV.UK content principles, conventions and research background.
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/govuk-content-principles-conventions-and-research-background
