Plan your text: clearly define the goal, target audience, and core message

By Simon Sanchez Real Last updated on November 15, 2026

An empty document and a blinking cursor slow down even experienced writers. Usually this is not due to a lack of talent, but to the fact that it is still unclear what the text is supposed to achieve. This is exactly where planning comes in. You clarify in advance what goal your text pursues, who it is intended for, and which single message it should convey. Those who have answered these questions write more fluently and have to rework less later on.

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This guide takes you through text planning in four steps. You will learn how to determine the goal and motive, describe your target audience, work out the core message with the so-called kitchen call, and then gather suitable content. At the end, a practical exercise awaits, with which you can immediately apply what you have learned to an example of your own.

Key Takeaways

• The more time you invest in planning, the easier the actual writing becomes.
• Goal, motive, target audience, and core message form the foundation of every text.
• Goal and core message are not the same thing: The goal describes what you want to achieve, the core message what the reader should take away.
• The kitchen call forces you to formulate your core message in a single, understandable sentence.
• With the finger technique, you collect three to five main statements that support your core message.

Step-by-Step Guide

Step 1: Define Goal and Motive

The starting point of planning is always the same: What do you want to achieve with your text? Formulate the goal as concretely as possible. A text can inform, persuade, entertain, or call to action. Write down the answer in one sentence, for example: "I want readers to read my blog post to the end and subscribe to the newsletter."

After that, you ask yourself about your motive. Why are you writing this text in the first place? The motive is often more personal than the goal. Perhaps you want to fill a gap in what's on offer, share experiences, or make a topic close to your heart accessible to a broader public. Together, goal and motive give you the direction in which you can later align each paragraph.

Step 2: Describe the Target Audience Precisely

In the second step, you determine whom you want to address. The more precisely you imagine your readership, the more on target your text becomes. Don't just think of age or profession, but above all of the questions that occupy your readers.

To do this, answer four guiding questions. What do your readers expect from your text? What language do they speak, that is, more technical or colloquial? What prior knowledge do they bring? And what do they need in order to follow your thoughts? If you note down these points, you will know exactly how deeply you need to delve into a topic and which terms you should explain.

The target audience also determines the tone. If you are writing for beginners, you need patience and simple examples. If you are addressing experts, you can assume technical terms and get to the point more directly. This difference often decides whether a reader stays with you or drops off after a few paragraphs.

Step 3: Work Out the Core Message

The core message is the heart of your text, and it is not identical to the goal. Take a product description: Its goal is, of course, the sale. But the core message is not "Buy this product," but something like "This product solves the problem the customer is suffering from." The message explains the benefit, while the goal describes the action that should follow from it.

The kitchen call is well suited to sharpening the core message. Imagine you are sitting in the living room reading the newspaper. From the kitchen, your partner calls out: "Hey, what are you reading for so long?" What you answer now is probably not a minor detail from the article. You don't give a detailed summary, but a short call-back that names the topic. This is exactly the sentence you need for your text.

The kitchen shout answers two questions: What is this about? And why should I read it? Formulate your answer in one or two short sentences, without nested constructions. If you can't manage that in one sentence, your core message is probably still too vague. In that case, it's worth condensing the thought until it works even without explanation.

Step 4: Collect content with the finger technique

Once you have your core message, it's time for the content. For this, you use the finger technique. Hold your hand flat in front of you and count off the main statements on your fingers. The goal is three to five statements that all contribute to your core message. Write them down as bullet points, without fleshing them out yet.

An example illustrates the procedure. Suppose your core message is: "Running is healthy." Then your five main statements could look like this: First, running stimulates fat burning. Second, those who run build muscle. Third, runners breathe a lot of fresh air. Fourth, running strengthens the cardiovascular system. Fifth, runners produce a lot of vitamin D because they are often in the sun.

While collecting, make sure that each statement really fits the core message. If a point is merely interesting but not relevant, cross it out. That way your text stays focused, and the reader doesn't lose the thread.

Practical exercise: Plan a waffle iron review

Now it's your turn. Plan a review for a waffle iron, on an imaginary notepad or in an empty document. First formulate your goal, for example whether your readers should buy a device or just get an insight. Then determine your target group, for example families, students or hobby bakers. Next, write down your core message as a kitchen shout, and finally collect three to five pieces of content with the finger technique.

Once you have completed this planning, only the words that connect your thoughts are missing. That is exactly what the next chapter is about: the actual writing. With a clean plan in hand, this step becomes much easier.

Summary – Planning a text: How to define goal, target group and core message

Good text planning begins with the question of the goal and the motive. Then you describe your target group by assessing their expectations, language and prior knowledge. With the kitchen shout, you formulate the core message in one understandable sentence that makes clear what it is about and why it is worth reading. Finally, with the finger technique, you collect three to five main statements that support this core message. Anyone who goes through these steps starts writing with clear guidelines and avoids the typical blocks.

Trainer About Simon Sanchez Real Simon Sanchez Real studied communication science and is responsible for digital marketing at a German energy supplier. Many say that Simon is a good teacher. All courses by Simon Sanchez Real →