During a recent trip to Target to buy some sunblock, I followed the diagram on the trusty Target app to where the item was supposed to be but couldn’t find it. I asked a nearby employee, who told me that it was on a display “between E and F.” I looked at him blankly and asked what that meant. He quickly gave me directions to that part of the store.

I followed his instructions but didn’t see the sunblock – since I still didn’t know exactly what “between E and F” meant. I eventually found it with another employee’s assistance. (I figured out that “E” and “F” are sections of the store; the display was in a walkway between them.)

These employees clearly knew their store, but I didn’t, and the information they gave me in “employee speak” didn’t help because I don’t know that language.

Lawyers often face a similar challenge when writing informative content for nonlawyers, whether it’s a bylined article for an industry publication, a blog post for their firm’s website or a client alert. Although writing is a significant part of what lawyers do for a living, the language and style that make them successful with court filings and arguments or writing contracts are not effective for communicating with a nonlegal audience, regardless of the lawyers’ knowledge and experience. And readers don’t have the benefit I had of being able to ask clarifying questions of someone standing right in front of me. Instead, if they can’t understand what they’re reading, they’ll likely just stop reading it – resulting in a wasted effort and missed opportunity on the author’s part.

So how can lawyers overcome that challenge and write content that will engage their audiences? The following are strategies that can help ensure your readers understand and find value in the information you share.

Read what your clients read. Just as you would choose a mentor who is successful in areas where you want to be, reading what already has your target audience’s attention can serve as a similar example and help prepare you for writing this type of content yourself. If your piece is for an external publication, be sure to look at recent articles it has published as well, paying attention to style, tone, and even word choices and sentence structure.

Speak your clients’ language. While you are fluent in legal terminology, remember that a nonlawyer audience likely is almost completely unfamiliar with it. Explain laws and legal concepts so that the information is useful for your readers, and avoid “legalese.” If you do need to include legal terms, explain them in ways that nonlawyer readers can easily understand.

Consider why readers need to know your topic. Your job is to know the law and keep up with changes, but your audience is concerned with how those laws impact them, their business operations and their bottom line. How does the development you’re writing about affect your readers? What does your audience need to know for the sake of their businesses? Given the development or trend, what actions should readers take to protect their interests? Focus your content on answering those questions. Address readers’ pain points and demonstrate your ability to help mitigate them. After all, this is the essence of why you’re writing – to provide valuable information that will build trust with your audience and, hopefully, eventual client relationships when readers reach out to you for assistance.

Ask for help. Good writing is not a one-person effort – even the professional writers on Poston’s Content team seek editorial advice from each other. A colleague who successfully writes this type of content may be able to help you get started. If you have in-house marketing and public relations staff, they are also an excellent resource. And if you just don’t think you can turn your legal understanding into an article or blog post, find out if your firm has access to someone who can ghostwrite your piece for you. Regardless of your approach, be sure to have someone edit and proofread your content before you submit it.

Writing for clients and the media is an excellent tool for developing business and establishing yourself as a trusted resource for clients and potential clients, but it’s only effective if you can communicate in your readers’ language. Following these tips will give you a strong head start in providing your audience with the information they need in a way they can use it.

Need assistance with writing for a nonlegal audience? Our Poston Content team of professional writers and editors – including former ALM managing editors, licensed lawyers, a former corporate brand and content strategist, and legal marketing veterans – offers a full array of services from proofreading to ghostwriting. Contact us for more information on how we can help.

Paula Fleming is an editor in Poston Communications’ Content division. She previously worked as an in-house marketer at an Am Law 100 firm.