I have a secret that can benefit business bloggers everywhere.

It’s pretty simple, actually. Here goes: Volume is not the answer.

You know a lot about your business and want more people to pay attention to what you have to say? Don’t worry, people can hear you. The problem is that they might not care. You have to give them a reason to read your work.

Put down the megaphone. You don’t need to scream and shout. You need to refine what you’re saying. Sometimes you write your heart out. You promote your post in every way that you know how. You know your work is good, but there are no takers.

Here’s a simple checklist of ways to turn down the volume and turn up the engagement, so that you draw people in:

Emphasize the benefit

People are selfish creatures. It’s true. The first question we use to determine whether we’re going to invest in a click online is a simple one: What’s in it for me? That’s it. That’s what we want to know. So spend some time on your headlines. Spend some time on your opening paragraphs. Be as direct as possible with your audience, and let them know what they can expect.

Be personable

People are often just looking to connect. They want to identify with someone before they commit to doing business with them. You don’t want to endlessly drone on about yourself in your post. But what you do want to do, is give them something to connect with. Are you a die hard sports fan, movie junkie or love to read books? Let people know about the interests outside of your business. For example, the cover photo on my Twitter account is the sign outside Wrigley Field. I’ve struck up small talk with several business connections based simply on that photo. Be professional in your writing, but be you.

Talk their language

There’s nothing more frustrating as a consumer than a business that talks above your head. You probably know more about your business than most of your customer base. Congratulations. Nobody likes a smarty pants, though. So make sure that you are working to translate high-level industry concepts and terms into language your readers will understand. It’s important.

Strong writing the whole way through

If an airline pilot told you that he specialized in take offs, you wouldn’t get on the plane. There are a lot of writers out there who craft the perfect headline, or the perfect lead, and then their writing drops off through the rest of their content. If you want readers to stick with the whole piece, you’ve got to make sure it’s strong the whole way through. You need a headline that captures people. You need a call to action that motivates. And you need to keep people reading the whole way in between.

Lose the suit

You don’t need to be so rigid. As a matter of fact, you can represent your business in a professional manner online while being yourself. You should conduct your business online with the same persona you use to conduct business offline. If you tend to do things professionally but casual in person, then try to make your message reflect that.

Matt Brennan is a Chicago-based marketing writer and copy editor.