Rules You Need to Communicate Effectively (
2) Brevity: Use Short
Sentences
“Be as brief
as possible… The most memorable political language is rarely longer than a
sentence. “I Like Ike” was hardly a reason to vote for the man, but the
simplicity of the slogan matched the candidate and the campaign.”
3) Credibility Is As
Important As Philosophy
“People have
to believe it to buy it. As Lincoln once said, you can’t fool all of the people
all of the time. If your words lack sincerity, if they contradict accepted
facts, circumstances, or perceptions, they will lack impact… The words you use
become you — and you become the words you use.”
4) Consistency Matters
“Too many
politicians insist on new talking points on a daily basis, and companies are
running too many different ad executions. By the time we begin to recognize and
remember a particular message, it has already been changed… “The breakfast of
champions” tagline for Wheaties was first launched back in 1935 and is still
going today. Hallmark’s “When you care enough to send the very best” debuted in
1934, and “Say it with flowers” for FTD dates all the way back to 1917.”
5) Novelty: Offer
Something New
“In plain
English, words that work often involve a new definition of an old idea… What
matters most is that the message brings a sense of discovery, a sort of “Wow, I
never thought about it that way.”
6) Sound and Texture
Matter
“The sounds
and texture of the language should be just as memorable as the words
themselves. A string of words that have the same first letter, the same sound,
or the same syllabic cadence is more memorable than a random collection of
sounds.”
7) Speak
Aspirationally
“Messages
need to say what people want to hear… The key to successful aspirational
language for products or politics is to personalize and humanize the message to
trigger an emotional remembrance.”
8) Visualize
“Paint a
vivid picture. From M&M’s “Melts in your mouth not in your hand” to Morton
Salt’s “When it rains, it pours,” to NBC’s “Must See TV,” the slogans we
remember for a lifetime almost always have a strong visual component, something
we can see and almost feel.”
9) Ask a Question
“Is it live,
or is it Memorex?” “Where do you want to go today?” (Microsoft) “Can you hear
me now?” (Verizon Wireless)… “Got Milk?” may be the most memorable print ad
campaign of the past decade. The creator realized, whether intentionally or
not, that it’s sometimes not what you say but what you ask that really
matters.”
10) Provide Context
and Explain Relevance
“You have to
give people the “why” of a message before you tell them the “therefore” and the
“so that.”… if it doesn’t matter to the intended audience, it won’t be heard.
With so many messages and so many communication vehicles competing for our
attention, the target audience must see individual, personal meaning and value
in your words.”