Warren Buffett’s verdict: “Stilted jargon and complex constructions are usually the villains.” -- A Plain English Guide

MARKETING SPEAKS LIKE A HUMAN

“… social media has meant that the world of separate

internal and external messaging has disappeared. If a

customer talks to your Customer Service department,

they expect the same response they’d get if they talk to

marketing, or sales, or engineering… If you want to

build long-term relationships, you’ve got to have a

consistent, human voice….”

.

NICK JOHNSON

founder. useful Social Media

William Shakespeare

to be or not to be

to thine own self be true

All the world’s a stage.

What’s in a name?

Out, damned spot! Out, I say.

WORD CHOICES

HARD ENGLISH • Anglo-Saxon/Germanic/Nordic

SOFT ENGLISH • Norman/French/Romance

TECHNICAL ENGLISH • Greek/Latin

WRITE WITH ‘HARD ENGLISH’

WORD POWER

BedColdDrinkFatherFriendHouseKissMotherPlantSeeTake WrongYear

ANGLO-SAXONOLD ENGLISH

AttacheCastleCuisineExcellenceFianceeLaissez-faireMemoirRendezvousSouvenir

NORMAN / FRENCH

AntibioticEpidermisMicroscopic

InfrastructureMiscellaneousPronunciation

GREEK / LATIN

SOFT/TECHNICAL ENGLISH vs HARD ENGLISH

• Consumer-friendly portable receptacle for carbonated liquid

HARD: __________________

SOFT/TECHNICAL

• Ligneous or petrous projectiles may have the potential to fracture my osseus structure but pejorative appelations remain eternally innocuous.

HARD: ____________________

____________________

SOFT/TECHNICAL

hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia

HARD: ____________________

SOFT/TECHNICAL

CREATE YOUR CHECKLIST OF ‘WARNING SIGNS’

We hold the belief that our first and foremost corporate responsibility is to provide a synergistic suite of laser-targeted products and services that can be appropriately utilized by members of the medical profession as well as consumers.

Hidden or Weak Verbs

Abstract Phrases and Jargon

Loose Writing

CHECKLIST OF WARNING SIGNS:BUSINESS WRITER OR BUREAUCRAT?

We hold the belief that our first and foremost corporate responsibility is to provide a synergistic suite of laser-targeted products and services that can be appropriately utilized by members of the medical profession as well as consumers.

Hidden or Weak Verbs

We hold the belief that our first and foremost corporate responsibility is to provide a synergistic suite of laser-targeted products and services that can be appropriately utilized by members of the medical profession as well as consumers.

Hidden or Weak Verb Phrases Abstract Phrases and Tired Jargon

We hold the belief that our first and foremost corporate responsibility is to provide a synergistic suite of laser-focused products and services that can be appropriately utilized by members of the medical profession as well as consumers.

Hidden or Weak Verb Phrases Abstract Phrases and Tired Jargon Loose writing

Original text from Johnson & Johnson credo – considered one of the best from corporate America for more than 70 years…

We believe our first responsibility is to the doctors, nurses and patients, to mothers and fathers and all others who use our products and services.

8 words = 100%14 words > 90%43 words > 10%

COMPREHENSION

• Declining attention spans

• Computer vs. print reading

BREVITY

• Average sentence length: 17 words

• Syllables per 100 words: 140-150

Takeaway #3:

TAKE THE BREATH TEST

We hold the belief that our first and foremost corporate responsibility is to provide a synergistic suite of laser-targeted products and services that can be appropriately utilized by members of the medical profession as well as consumers.

• added bonus• advance planning• general public• my personal opinion• still continues• true fact• unexpected surprise

CHECK FOR REPETITION

Consequently ___________

Constitutes ___________

Contains ___________

Construct ___________

Concerning ___________

Currently ___________

CHECK FOR TOO MANY SYLLABLES

CHECK FOR TOO MANY WORDS

for the purpose of ___________

the majority of ___________

in order to ___________

to provide a service ___________

on a regular basis ___________

despite the fact that ___________

C CHECK FOR VERBS WITH 3 OR MORE SYLLABLES

Disseminate ______________ Endeavor ______________ Leverage ______________ Modify ______________ Synergize ______________

the classic: utilize ______________ the newcomer: ideate ______________

Your financial adviser should not be held accountable in the event that you experience a decline in investment income or a decline in total assets.

Your financial adviser should not be held accountable in the event that you experience a decline in investment income or a decline in total assets.

Don’t blame us if you lose money.

Takeaway #4: AVOID ‘THOUGHT-STOPPERS’

Implement

Facilitate

Maximize

Optimize

This module generates grammatically correct, managerial-sounding text and full-length documents that mean absolutely nothing…. This module does for geeks what lorem ipsen does for designers.

Currently supported meta words include…Verbs like: expedite, revolutionize, visualize, facilitate, and maximize.

Lingua-ManagementSpeak-0.01 >

Takeaway #5

RUBIN’S SPIN ON THE 80-20 RULE

20% WORDS

80%RETENTION

FIND PATTERNS TO BOOSTRETENTION & PERSUASION

BABOONS AND PATTERNS

Reader’s Logic: Thought Process Does your structure…? • delay the message • get right to the point

• beg questions • anticipate questions

• raise problems • pre-empt reader objections

• force re-reading • allow quick skim

• create gaps • complete the pitch

Reader’s Logic: Symmetry

Does your structure promote...?

• clarity • brevity • retention

bullets? subheads?

Litmus Test: Can the reader stop after the first section ?

USE ‘BLOT’ STRATEGY: BOTTOM LINE ON TOP

CREATE A MANTRA THAT CAPTURES YOUR MESSAGE

• WORD• PHRASE• SHORT SENTENCE

“Make Mantra” Video

BLOT SET-UP FAMILIARITY BREEDS…

• Resonance • Appeal • Memory

BLOT SET-UP IMMEDIATE GRATIFICATION

• Satisfies readers • Guides thought process

CHAPTER HEADINGS

VS.

BLOT SUBSTANCE

CHAPTER HEADINGS

As follow-up to our phone conversation, this memo highlights the fundraising support our company offers. It explains our commitment to work with your local community in a win-win relationship.

Grants………Database………..Marketing and PR………

BLOT SUBSTANCE

Following up on our call, I’ll now highlight the steps our company will take to support your fundraising goals. We hope to: • Donate up to $50,000 in grants • Provide a list of potential contributors • Assist your volunteers with publicity

An annual package of 20 scholarships -- $2,500 each………A database of 500+ names and telephone #s in Middlesex County……….An on-site consultant for staff training and PR support……….

PROOFREAD WITH A CONTENT PATTERN

• E + L + P = P

• L o L x 3 = P

• F + B + P = P

• E + L + P = P

• L o L x 3 = P

• F + B + P = P

MEMOS AND PRESENTATIONS

F + B + P = P F + B + P = P

FACT + BENEFIT + PROOF = PERSUASION

MEMOS AND PRESENTATIONS

L o L x 3 = P L o L x 3 = P

3 LAWS OF LIKABILITY= PERSUASION -- Adapted from The 11 Laws of Likability by Michelle Tillis Lederman

LAW OF FIRST IMPRESSION LAW OF ASSOCIATION LAW OF RECIPROCITY

WIIFM: Ask not what your reader can do for you. Ask what you can do for your reader.

E + L + P = P E + L + P = P

CREDIBILITY + LOGIC + HOT BUTTONS = PERSUASION

ETHOS + LOGOS + PATHOS = PERSUASION

ALL-PURPOSE