They say a picture is worth a thousand words, but a thousand words can be a real turnoff when it comes to communicating with your audience. Whether you're writing an email, company memo, Intranet article, proposal or blog post, these are some tips for keeping your messages simple so that you engage your readers and don't send them running.
1. Know your audience and avoid using jargon or company/industry-specific acronyms that have to be explained.
2. Don't use a thousand words to say what can be communicated in a hundred words. If Twitter has taught me anything, it has forced me to tighten up my writing to communicate a message in 140 or fewer characters.
3. Begin emails with a meaningful, descriptive subject line that immediately tells the reader the purpose of your communication. This makes it easy for the reader when sorting through hundreds of emails.
4. Start your piece the same way a journalist uses a lead (who, what, when, where, why, how). Then, follow up with details below, beginning with the most important information.
5. Use short, simple phrases and avoid long paragraphs.
6. Make it visually appealing and easy to read by including numbered or bulleted lists.
7. Include links to referenced sources for those who want to dig deeper and get more information.
In today's world of media overload, people can become overwhelmed with the constant flow into their in-boxes. By keeping what you say simple, you'll make others' lives easier and will establish yourself as a valuable communication resource.
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These tips are very valuable to everyone regardless of their profession.
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