Why most introductions fail to appeal and how to write an effective introduction for your article

You're in our marketing and sales program and are working on your first article. The topic is good, you've filled out a content compass, you've gotten good input from your content expert colleague and now you need to start writing.

Whether you start or finish with the introduction, this part always takes you the most time to get right. At the same time, you know you don't have time to dwell on it too long, because you have to produce all sorts of other content as well. Isn't there a faster way to write an introduction? A way that also produces better results?

This struggle is recognizable to many content managers who are new to our marketing and sales program and have no experience with Endless Customers. Suddenly you have to learn to write your articles in a completely different way than you're used to, and that can be quite difficult.

As a content manager at Buzzlytics, I myself have struggled with writing effective introductions in previous roles. I spent a lot of time on them compared to the rest of my article and I was rarely truly satisfied. Until I joined Buzzlytics and discovered the PEP method. Now, in no time, I have an introduction on paper that is many times more effective than the introductions I wrote before.

In this article you will discover why many introductions do not work, how to solve this with the PEP method and how you can implement this proven approach step by step in your own content. After reading, you can get started right away with introductions that captivate your readers, demonstrate your expertise, and make it clear what your article delivers to them.

Introductions often fail because they remain too general and don't address readers' real pain specifically enough.

Many content managers unknowingly make the same mistakes when writing their introductions. They start with general statements that apply to everyone, use clichéd rhetorical questions, or provide unnecessary background information before they get to the point.

A classic example is what they at Grow and Convert call the "high school paper intro": you start with a general, meaningless statement such as "Customer relationship management is important for any business." To your target audience (who have probably worked in the field for years), this is so obvious that it can even come across as insulting. It's like telling an experienced chef that food preparation is an important part of a restaurant. Duh.

Another common mistake is using rhetorical questions like, "Do you want to attract more visitors to your website?" Of course your readers want that; that's why they read your article on this topic. This type of question adds nothing and feels like filler material.

Introductions also often fail because they remain too general and don't address readers' real pain specifically enough. They miss the link to what really concerns your target audience.

So how do you write an introduction that does appeal to your target audience? IMPACT, the company of Endless Customers author Marcus Sheridan, has developed the PEP method for this purpose. I discuss this in detail below.

The PEP method consists of three components: Pain/Problem, Expertise and Promise.

The 'P' of Pain/Problem is the starting point of your introduction. In this section, you show that you understand exactly what your readers are struggling with. You name not only the practical problem, but also its emotional side: the frustration, uncertainty or confusion that the problem causes.

This part of your introduction should be specific and relate directly to the real situation of your target audience. Avoid general statements and focus on the concrete challenges your readers face. The goal is for your readers to think, "Yes, this is exactly what I'm facing!"

When done right, you instantly create a connection with your readers. You show empathy and demonstrate that you are on their side. This lowers resistance and makes your readers more receptive to the solutions you offer later in the article.

After you name the problem, it's time to subtly demonstrate your expertise. Note: This is not about bragging or patting yourself on the back. It's about modestly showing why you (or your company) are the right person to write about this topic.

For example, you can briefly mention here how many clients you've helped with this particular problem, how long you've been working in this industry, or share a personal experience that demonstrates you've gone through and overcome the problem yourself.

The purpose of this section is to build trust. Your readers need to feel that the information in the article is reliable and based on actual experience or expertise, not theoretical knowledge or superficial research.

The second "P" stands for Promise. Here you make a clear promise about what readers will gain from the article. You tell exactly what they will know or be able to do after they read the article.

A good promise is concrete and specific. For example, instead of "In this article, you'll learn all about content marketing," say, "After reading this article, you'll know exactly which three content marketing strategies work best for B2B software companies, and how to implement them within a week."

The promise should connect to the problem you named earlier. In effect, you are promising a solution or relief to the pain your readers are experiencing. A strong promise motivates your readers to continue reading because they know what they will gain.

The first step in applying the PEP method is to formulate the problem your readers are struggling with.

One tool that can help you with this is the content compass, which you should have filled out before scheduling an interview with your colleague in the first place. If you haven't used the content compass yet, I would highly recommend that you do so starting with the next article.

Especially important are the first questions from the content compass: who is asking the question and why, and what exactly does this person want to know?

The more clearly you know the answer to these questions, the stronger your introduction and the rest of your article will become.

When demonstrating your expertise, tone is crucial. You don't want to come across as someone who is bragging or putting yourself first. Instead, you want to modestly show why you are qualified to write on the subject.

Effective ways to showcase your expertise are:

1. A short factual statement: "At Buzzlytics, we've helped more than 100 companies with Endless Customers."
2. Share a personal experience: "As a content manager myself, I struggled with writing catchy introductions until I discovered the PEP method."
3. Cite a relevant result: "With this approach, we increased the reading time of our articles by 40%."

The goal is not to impress, but to build trust. Your reader needs to feel that the information that follows is based on real experience and expertise.

The final step is to formulate a powerful promise. When doing this, think about what your readers will actually gain from your article. What problem will you solve? What new skill will they develop? What insights will they gain?

A good promise is:

• Specifically: Not "Tips for better content," but "5 proven techniques to increase your read time by 30%."
• Relevant: Connect directly to the issue you identified earlier.
• Realistic: Promise only what you can deliver in the article.
• Actionable: Your reader should be able to take concrete steps after reading the article.

By making a clear promise, you give your readers a reason to keep reading. They know what to expect and what they will gain.

An effective PEP introduction is usually between 150 and 300 words, depending on the complexity of the topic and the length of the entire article. For shorter articles (under 1,000 words), an introduction of about 150 words will suffice. For in-depth, extended articles, the introduction can grow to 300 words or slightly more.

The important thing is not so much the length, but that you incorporate all three elements (Problem, Expertise, Promise) in a natural way. Avoid unnecessary digressions or repetitions. Be concise but complete.

A good rule of thumb is that your introduction should take up no more than 10-15% of the total article length. If you find that your introduction is getting too long, it is often a sign that you are starting too broadly or giving too much background that is not directly relevant.

The PEP method is particularly effective for:

• Informative articles: Articles that explain a problem and offer solutions.
• How-to guides: step-by-step instructions for achieving or learning something.
• Problem-solving content: Articles that address specific challenges.
• Comparison articles: Articles that compare different options or solutions.

The method is less suitable for:

• News articles: For these, the traditional inverted pyramid structure is often more effective.
• Narrative content: For stories or case studies, it's better to use a narrative structure.
• Opinion pieces: Here, it can be more effective to start directly with your point of view.
• Very short updates: With short posts, you may not have enough space for all the PEP elements.

A good introduction according to the PEP method should appeal directly to your reader, inspire confidence and make a clear promise.

There are several ways to measure the effectiveness of your PEP introduction:

• Have a colleague read along: Ask for specific feedback on the introduction. Do they immediately understand what the article promises? Do they feel addressed?
• Look at data: Analyze metrics such as bounce rate, time-on-page and scroll depth. An effective introduction gets people to stay and scroll through.
• Do an A/B test: If you have the opportunity, test different versions of your introduction to see which one performs better.
• Get feedback from your target audience: Send your article to a few representative readers and ask specifically for their first impression of the introduction.

A good introduction according to the PEP method should appeal directly to your reader, inspire confidence and make a clear promise. If, after reading the introduction, your reader knows exactly what the article has to offer and is motivated to read on, then you have written an effective PEP introduction.

Our client Starcode has already mastered writing PEP introductions very well. The Problem section is specific, in the Expertise section the author shows that he has experience with the challenges of manufacturing companies, and in the Promise section readers get a clear idea of what to expect from this article.

Another client of ours, Van Heugten Tapijttegels, also applies PEP effectively. Especially the Expertise section is very strong here. It shows that their answer to the question is not theoretical, but that they have real practical experience with this situation.

Of course, we apply the PEP introduction in our articles as well. In this article you will find an example of this, but below you will find another example from this article. What I personally like about this example is that my colleague Lucas describes that he was thinking the same thing as the reader of his article ("it's best for me to hire someone experienced"), but that in practice that did present some challenges. Like the example above, this makes it clear that Lucas' story is not a theoretical one, but is truly based on his practical experience.

Writing an effective introduction doesn't have to be complicated or time-consuming. The PEP Method provides you with a simple yet powerful framework that allows you to write introductions that resonate directly with your target audience, demonstrate your expertise and make a clear promise about what the article will deliver.

And you really should, because most readers decide within seconds whether to read beyond the introduction. A weak, generic introduction destroys all your hard work, no matter how valuable the rest of your content is. By taking the time to perfect your introduction using the PEP method, you increase the likelihood that your readers will read the entire article.

At Buzzlytics, we've seen how this approach not only increases reading time and engagement, but also leads to more conversions. We've helped content managers who struggled with the exact same challenges you may be facing now, and time and time again we see that the PEP method makes all the difference.

So start implementing the PEP method in your content today. Pick an existing article that is not performing well and rewrite the introduction according to the principles we discussed in this article. Or apply this method to your next new article and compare the results with your previous content. You'll be amazed at the difference a well-written introduction can make.