I don't think there is a single answer here---it is the fundamental messaging & content marketing concern! As you know, we all see hundreds of commercial and noncommercial messages every day (I've seen an estimate that the average American views 3000 advertisements daily). Breaking through is HARD.
But I have a few thoughts and a framework to offer.
First the thoughts:
KEEP IT SHORT: Your message is better if it's brief and to the point. I'm amazed how often I get inbound email with 6 paragraphs of run-on sentences! Five words is better than 10, 10 is better than 20, etc., almost without exception. Your revision process should always cut down. When I pull these AMA answers into another content format, I'll probably cut them in half and make them better by doing so.
MESSENGER>MESSAGE: The world's best marketers don't say anything themselves, they let others say it for them. This is harder than doing it yourself! My generic advice here is to find 50 "influencers" for your product/market on Twitter, LinkedIn, networking groups, etc. Cultivate them, retweet them, meet them, get to know them, brief them. Keep track of your progress and do this daily. Eventually some of these folks will spread your message when you have something to share.
This doesn't mean the message is unimportant. I'm suggesting that instead of spending an hour tweaking your data sheet, your time is better spent researching influencers on Twitter. Start by following Matt Heinz to learn more about how to do this well---he's great!
All that said, I have a framework I try to use to decide if my message can break through. It's an acronym I call the MEDICAL Method.
A good message---any format, and length---should do 7 things that I remember with the acronym MEDICAL. That message should be:
* Memorable (won't be forgotten right away)
* Exciting (attention grabbing!)
* Differentiated (not just the same thing others are saying)
* Informative (has useful, relevant info, not just "copy")
* Consistent (in line with your brand)
* Actionable (offers something for the reader to do next)
* Localized (targeted to the right audience: persona, geography, industry, etc.)
I run through this checklist anytime I produce something to see if I have done all 7. Usually my first draft is missing 1-2 of these things so I focus on those to make it better and more effective. It's a shorthand that I've found useful even if it doesn't answer exactly HOW to do these things.
I'm sure other writers and marketers have their own "gut check" techniques. Here's mine and I'm interested to learn if it resonates at all with you.
That's it for my AMA, thank you all for the great questions!