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Behold modernist Scrabble
The introductory screen at Scrabble GO, the replacement for the Scrabble app. (Hasbro)
Amidst pandemic lockdown, the game of Scrabble is among the saviors of sanity. It is so in our family. I taught Scrabble to my wife, Victoria, and created a monster. I rarely play her anymore so she plays her mother, who is imprisoned in assisted living. To listen to the two of them chat by telephone during a…
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10 top writing tips and the psychology behind them
“1: Write shorter.
Why it matters. Readers are impatient and will give up on your blog post, email, or document before you’ve made your point. Every extra word makes readers antsy.
Why you write long. It’s far easier to type than to edit. So people just keep adding things.
How to fix it. Edit. Delete your “warming up” text and start with the main point. Cull extraneous detail and repetition. Work as if each word you eventually publish or send will cost you $10. I’ve often had writers who were outraged that I had redlined two-thirds of what they wrote . . . only to read the shortened doc and respond “that’s so much more powerful.”
2: Shorten your sentences.
Why it matters. Long sentences make readers work too hard to figure out your meaning.
Why your sentences are too long. New ideas keep occurring to you as you write each sentence. And you think long sentences make you sound sophisticated.
How to fix it. Break sentences down into bite-size ideas. Then delete what you don’t need. Think Hemingway, not Dickens.
3. Rewrite passive voice
Why it matters. Passive voice sentences conceal who is acting and create uneasiness.
Why you write passive. Your writing teachers have trained you to write this way. Also, if you are insecure about what you’re saying, you hide it behind passive wording.
How to fix it. Figure out who the actor in the sentence is and make it the subject. For example this Fortune article says that “New ingredients are steadily being added to the job-matching mix.” Rewrite as “Startup companies keep adding new job-matching techniques.”
4: Eliminate weasel words.
Why it matters. Words like “generally” and “most” make your writing sound weak and equivocal.
Why you use weasel words. You’re afraid of making a bold statement; these words give you an out. When you don’t say anything, you can’t be wrong.
How to fix it. Delete the weasel words, then read the resulting statement. If it’s too bold, write the strongest, clearest statement you can to take its place. (If no bold statement applies, you have nothing to say, so delete the sentence.) For example, this Wall Street Journal native ad piece includes the sentence “Most companies with traditional business models probably have a few radical developers on staff.” Rewrite as “Every company has a radical developer or two.”
5: Replace jargon with clarity.
Why it matters. Jargon makes your reader feel stupid. Unless they’re an insider, they can’t figure out your meaning.
Why you use jargon. You think jargon makes you sound sophisticated. Or you’re hiding the fact that you don’t actually understand what you’re saying.
How to fix it. Imagine you’re talking to your mom (unless your mom is an expert in your subject; if so, imagine you’re talking to your high school history teacher). Explain what you mean in plain English. If using a technical term would actually make things clearer or shorter, define it first. For example, this SAP press release includes the sentence “As the digital transformation revolution reaches maturity, companies have the opportunity to shift business models within their industry disruptively to create new sources of defensible competitive advantage.” Rewrite as “New technology creates new ways to do business.”
6: Cite numbers effectively.
Why it matters. Used properly, statistics can back up your point.
Why you use numbers the wrong way. You think a number — any number — adds credibility. But they’re so easy to misuse.
How to fix it. When citing a statistic, include the context (compared to what?). And statistics shorn of sources are meaningless; “It is estimated that” might as well say “I made this number up.” Here’s a proper way to use a statistic: “Forrester Research estimates that by 2017, 2.4 billion people will own smartphones, or around one third of the world’s population.”
7: Use “I,” “we,” and “you.”
Why it matters. Taken together, these pronouns create a relationship between the writer (“I”), his organization (“we”), and the reader (“you.”)
Why you don’t use these pronouns. It’s scary to talk directly to reader. It sounds informal.
How to fix it. Imagine the reader. Then rewrite using the word “you.” For example, rewrite the Fenway Park rule “No bag or item larger than 16″x16″x8″ will be permitted inside the Park,” as “Security staff won’t let you in the park if your bag is too big.”
8: Move key insights up.
Why it matters. You only have a few sentences to get the reader’s attention. If you boldly state your key point at or near the top, they’ll stick around to see if you can prove it.
Why your insights are buried. We were all taught to write deductively: first this, then that, then this, therefore conclusion. Also, you’re afraid of scaring people away with a bold opening statement.
How to fix it. Force yourself to start with a bold statement. If you just can’t get in this habit, write whatever you need to warm up to stating your thesis, then delete the warmup. Once you’ve finished the piece and realize what you really meant to say, rewrite the bold statement. Each time you rewrite, rewrite the opener.
9: Cite examples.
Why it matters. Text without examples is dull and not credible. Text with examples comes alive.
Why you lack examples. Examples come from research, which is work. They make you pause and think as you’re writing, which slows you down.
How to fix it. For a piece of any length, plan to spend half the writing time doing research first. If you can’t get an actual example, use a hypothetical. If possible, cite a person who did something, not just a company.
10 Give us some signposts.
Why it matters. If you’re writing anything longer than a page, people want to know what they’re in for.
Why you lack signposts. You’re afraid of sounding pedantic. Worse yet, if your writing isn’t well-organized, then you can’t explain the structure.
How to fix it. After you’ve stated your main thesis, write this: “Here’s how I’ll explain this.” Then include a few short sentences or a numbered list. It’s that easy!”
This is from an article written by Josh Bernoff, which you can find here: http://withoutbullshit.com/blog/10-top-writing-tips-psychology/
If you are married, you may have learned as I have that you cannot “win” an argument. You may get your way, but you won’t be happy for long unless you work on the relationship at the same time as the argument.
Man kunne godt ønske sig, at internettets trolde ville stoppe op og lytte lidt til Josh Bernoffs pointe her. For den er i al sin almene menneskelighed så sand, så sand. Men det er nok for meget forlangt.
Groundswell Reaction 1
If you’re like me, when you first hear the term “groundswell,” you think you may have a sort of vague idea of what it might mean, but nothing that could be nailed down. So for me, in reading the first few pages of Li and Bernoff’s Groundswell, my already murky definition became even muddier. However, reading through some of the examples provided in the book helped clear things up for me a little bit, as did reading what others in my class had posted in our online discussion board. The best way I like to describe what “groundswell” is, is like a revolutionary movement, before things really start to take off and changes start being made, when everything has just been ignited and the fire starts blazing inside of everyone and there’s all this energy and momentum building and swelling, ready to determine where to go. That’s how I perceive the groundswell, that constant state of intense energy and momentum, the constant exchanging of information; that’s where technology and social media are thriving, that’s where messages are being spread and shared about brands and products and services, that’s where anyone who wants to be successful needs to be.
The second chapter discussed the various ways different technology can be used as part of the groundswell. For each one, the authors explained how they work, how many people use them, how they enable relationships within the groundswell, how they threaten institutional power, and how you can use them to promote your brand. One thing the authors stated in this chapter that I’m not so sure how I feel about is that the relationships need to be focused on rather than the technologies. I completely get what they’re trying to say, that the technologies are constantly changing and evolving, and you feel like you’ve mastered something, it changes again. It’s much better to have basic understanding of how to use the different technologies than to know the intricate details of each. You’ll pull your hair out trying to keep up. The relationships forged through the use of technology and how it brings us together are the key components that require focus. The relationships between a brand and its customers as well between customers and other customers are the glue that holds companies together. I think the authors’ statement should be amended that it’s important to focus on the relationships more than the technologies, rather than instead of.
Chapter three gives us an in-depth look at social technographics. Before reading this chapter, I had no idea what the heck that meant. Social technographics profiles are a way to group consumers based on their level of activity within the groundswell. It is best described as a ladder, as you can see in this image. The different groups (from most to least activity) are creators, conversationalists, critics, collectors, joiners, spectators, and inactives. A description of each group can be found in the image I linked to above.
Chapter 4 includes various strategies for thriving within the groundswell. The first of these strategies is the POST method. This framework focuses on people, objectives, strategy, and technology, all being equally valuable when putting together a plan for your company. The next strategy provided by the chapter is the five objectives of the groundswell that a company can choose to pursue. These are listening, talking, energizing, supporting, and embracing. These are similar to the five business objectives of research, marketing, sales, support, and development, but with even more focus on engagement and communication.
Chapter 5 focuses on the first of the objectives, listening to the groundswell. The first important message of this chapter I took note of was that your customers define your brand, it is whatever they say it is. This has proven true time and time again, when customer perceptions of a brand don’t match up with how the brand markets itself. If there’s a big discrepancy in perceptions, your company needs to listen to its customers and find out what needs to be fixed and how you need to market yourself differently.
The last chapter I’ve read thus far, chapter 6, discusses the next of the five objectives, talking. The main methods companies use to communicate with customers are through advertising and public relations. These methods are costly, running up hundreds of billions of dollars a year, mostly spent on TV commercials. The book describes these practices as shouting, aimed at the masses, rather than talking, which is far more personal. The authors describe how consumers move along the path from awareness to purchase through the use of a clever metaphor, the marketing funnel. The influence of the groundswell is heaviest in the middle of the funnel, the place where marketers loose most control over what happens. This is why talking with the groundswell is so imperative.
So far, I’m enjoying this book quite a bit. The beginning was a little unclear for me, but I’ve definitely gained a better understanding as I’ve continued reading, and the real-life examples and case studies always make it easier for me to wrap my mind around how something works. I’m looking forward to reading chapters 7-14 and deepening my knowledge of the groundswell.
Until next time,
-@AmandaSelby93
Write Shorter Read more by Josh Bernoff: 10 top writing tips and the psychology behind them
Forrester Exec Reveals 6 Truths About Mobile Selling
The rise of mobility has caused a shift in how people shop and how retailers engage with these consumers. There are subtle nuances of mobile shoppers that retailers are encouraged to take note of. For one, they demand information quickly and easily. But at the same time, they also want rich experiences that are personalized and memorable. During the eTail East conference in Philadelphia, Josh Bernoff, SVP of Idea Development at Forrester discussed the mobile mind shift. This shift indicates "a real change in the way you think," Bernoff said. "Instead of going online, you're always connected and you just expect things to be there. It changes every relationship and the way companies behave."
Currently, most organizations think of mobile by devices, sites and apps. However, mobile's importance is far more significant, according to Bernoff. The clear value of mobile is the ability to give customers everything they want, in context. To help attendees better understand the importance of mobile and its potential power, Bernoff outlined six truths about mobile selling:
Mobile selling is not like e-Commerce: Specifically, retailers need to create urgency and drive value to boost conversions via mobile.
Mobile is not a channel: "If you think it is, and it is evaluated in its own silo, you’re missing the point," Bernoff said. "It is supposed to be integrated with everything else and is part of the whole shopping experience."
Mobile is more about influence than selling: Bernoff pointed to a statistic from Deloitte, which confirmed that digital interactions will influence more than $1 trillion in retail sales.
Mobile levels pricing: Smartphones empower consumers to access prices, offers and products anywhere and anytime, Bernoff noted. Mobile levels the playing field for retailers and, in turn, they need to fight to capture consumer eyes and dollars.
Mobile helps sell more to loyal customers: Bernoff shared Alex and Ani as an example of a retailer using mobile POS to improve in-store sales and create better customer experiences. By partnering with Mobiquity, Alex and Ani integrated the mPOS system with in-house POS and gave associates the opportunity to complete purchases anywhere in the store.
Mobile helps sell big-ticket items: Because consumers have more time to research products, they can take their time in making decisions, especially for big-ticket items.
Bernoff concluded: "If you recognize these truths, then you’re on your way to success in a mobile world."
3 Social Media Goals
3 Social Media Goals
When I consult with clients the conversation turns to social media around 98% of the time. They always have questions:
How do I get started?
Which social media platform is right for my business?
Do I need to do everything all at once?
I recommend to my clients that they start one platform at a time. Get that platform under their belt, see what strategies are giving a return on their investment…
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