Lincoln: A Master at Making Ideas “Sticky”
A recent book entitled Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die, written by brothers Chip and Dan Heath, focuses on the six characteristics that make ideas memorable (“sticky”). To be sticky, they say, ideas have to be: • Simple • Unexpected • Concrete • Credible • Emotional • And tell a story […]
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 […]
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 […]