Where Are the Humans? The Language of Economic Insecurity
Many people compare and contrast the Great Depression with our current economic troubles, to gain some perspective and perhaps find solutions from past experience. But the words used to describe our plight today almost sound like a different language. During the Great Depression, President Roosevelt looked for solutions that would place “the security of the […]
The Fine Art of Baloney Detection
With social and traditional media burning up with all kinds of questionable information and messages, it’s a good time to make sure you’re targeting your communications to the people you want to reach. Can you visualize that person, understand his or her needs and frustrations, and address them? If so, you’ll have a much better […]
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 […]
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 […]
Head, Heart and Hand: A Simple Path to Effective Communicating
In addition to writing for a variety of clients, I spend time working with scientists, engineers and IT professionals on their presentations to non-experts. While it’s a bit of a cliche’ that “tech nerds” live in their own world, it’s often true that their focus on data can thwart effective communicating by strangling key messages […]
How to Identify a Great Writer: 6 Skills Every Wordsmith Must Have
You and your business need content. Not just words and explanations but clear, useful, compelling and persuasive content that powerfully separates you from the competition and the clutter. Now that we’re into the new year, how do you find a good writer who can consistently provide the goods? It’s important to know the specific skills […]
Getting your team to be better writers. It’s essential.
tem: A brilliant process engineer at a major chemical company is trying to tell representatives from a personal care products giant about the cost-savings and performance benefits of a new hair-care ingredient. But she’s getting tangled up in minutiae and arcane data; she’s lost them before she even gets to the good stuff. Item: The fundraising team […]
Simple and Specific: The Key to Understanding in Your Writing
You might think that being too specific in your communications might confuse busy readers or distract audiences but it’s quite the opposite. Using simple language and being appropriately specific in your descriptions have been proven to increase understanding and retention. Here are some examples: • Memorable: “The man proceeded down the street.” “The tall man […]