A few carefully chosen images, with suitable captions, can go a long way toward preventing that. When I saw that junior programmer was stripping away all screen capture images, I cautioned him against that. “These images may not be strictly necessary,” I said, “but they help clarify a lot of details. For one thing, they show user exactly which button to push, or which window to select. This makes instructions much easier to understand, and reduces likelihood of a human error.” To this day, I wish that he had heeded my warning.

Were users intelligent enough to understand manual, as he claimed? Certainly—but intelligence is no guarantee against human error. Could images have been construed as talking down to user? Perhaps—but in my experience, sophisticated users seldom respond that way. Rather, most of them seem to understand value that these images bring to table. Perhaps it’s because most of them know what it’s like to be frazzled and pressed for time, and how easily important details can be lost in text.

So remember—a picture paints a thousand words, and a single screen capture can be worth more than a dozen pages of text. It’s a lesson that’s worth learning.

"Where" may seen easier than "when." Maybe you are thinking that you just add your address. Not so. Use your imagination for a moment: you are having a party and want a friend to come. You give directions, draw a map, and provide him or her with all right and left turns.

If your marketing piece requires your customers to find a location, give them complete information. (If you are sending an e-mail, give them a link to an on-line map). Add helpful details like: "look for blue awning" or "we're across from 'x' restaurant." Be sure to include information about parking. You do not want someone to get frustrated about parking and go home.

"Why" is often overlooked from prospect’s viewpoint. . Many otherwise good marketing pieces fail at "why." "Why" addresses importance of event or uniqueness of product.

Don't forget that your prospect is looking for a good reason to toss your information. People have more information today than they can handle. You need a persuasive "buy now" reason in "why" part. The answers need to tell them why they need to hear/learn about this now.

There are only two powerful "buy now" elements that trigger action: (1) scarcity, and/or, (2) a limited time to act. Either you are going to run out of product or you are doing something for a compressed time.

Before an event there needs to be two or three weeks with limited (scarcity) offers along way. Item pricing will not pull an event along, but a good general selection story will. A story like "further reductions" works, but only if it is true. Your prospect will know if you are "fudging" truth, even if your customers don't.

Your employees, who are your first line of contact with customers, will certainly know. Remember "going out of business" signs that show up several times a year? Maintain your integrity and your customers will stay your customers.

"How" are your payment or credit terms. Tell your customers about them only after you have sold them on your product or event. Don't yell "one year interest free" or "no payments until July of 2004" until they are excited about what you are offering. Present your special terms after they have decided they want it.

In summary, long copy is a good choice after you fulfill 10-second requirement of six W’s. This way you allow both "I want to know a lot" and "give it to me fast and straight" to get what they need.