Prisoners of the Metaphor
Metaphors matter. In a study of women who were about to give birth, the mothers-to-be were told to expect a local anesthesia before receiving an epidural. Nurses told one group they were going to get “a local anesthetic that will numb the area so you will be comfortable during the procedure.” Another group was told, […]
Lessons from a Sunday Obituary
An obituary got me thinking. The obituary announced the death of renowned Arkansas poet Miller Williams, who was celebrated for using everyday language in his verse. The short poem cited in the piece – titled “Compassion” – moved me, as it did Miller’s daughter, the country singer Lucinda Williams, who used her father’s spare lines […]
8 Words to Avoid When You Need to Talk About Yourself
We all know that in business, certain words get overused and become clichés. And in our highly connected world, it happens pretty darn fast. In some of these cases, and in other instances, some word choices are just not right, because they give the wrong impression. Here are some examples that are all-too-often used when […]
I REALLY Want You to Read This VERY Important Post THAT Will Improve Your Writing
Mark Twain is supposed to have said, “Substitute ‘damn’ every time you’re inclined to write ‘very’; your editor will delete it and the writing will be just as it should be.” The words “very” or “really” are supposed to increase the impact of a word but you’re not adding anything descriptive or insightful for the […]
The Obfuscating (Incomprehensible) Language of Finance
Many people – maybe most people – feel put off and insecure discussing the subjects of finance and economics. It’s almost like talking about serious health concerns with a doctor who only uses medical lingo. Many of us don’t have the training to understand, so we smile, weakly, and nod our heads. But whether it’s […]
What if Lincoln had been illiterate?
Being able to read has always been a skill that transforms lives, communities and the world. Abraham Lincoln didn’t have more than a year’s worth of formal education, but it was enough to set him on the path to literacy, the first step in his miraculous journey. His father almost certainly couldn’t read, so imagine […]
It’s not about you. Know the 5 stages of awareness.
Written communications are about your audience! Whether you’re putting together a website, a social media campaign or any kind of corporate/marketing communication program, you often tend to focus on the product, service or idea you’re promoting. It’s understandable. But your communications effort is NOT primarily about you, it’s about your audience and their needs. Not […]
Frank Bruni Asks a Good Question
I’ve been thinking about writing a column on this subject for a long time. Then I saw that Frank Bruni of the Times beat me to it, and did so beautifully. I couldn’t have said it better myself, so I won’t try. “What Happened to Who?” by Frank Bruni “I first noticed it during the […]
Becoming a writer… because your boss says you have to
My friend Gil has a problem that appears to be typical for these economic hard times. No he didn’t get laid off, but he had to let go several of his creative staff. Gil is a marketing guy – a group marketing director at a consumer products company, to be exact. And while he has […]
“What’s in it for me?” The most important question.
The three questions a prospective client is thinking (if not asking) are: Who are you? What do you want? What’s in it for me? The last one’s the kicker. Audiences of any kind – whether they’re customers, employees, volunteers or donors – don’t have time for anything else, especially today with so much “information” coming […]