“If I had more time, I would have written a shorter letter” said author Mark Twain.
The ‘KISS principle’ of keeping communications short and simple has been popular since the 1970s. So how come some 50 years later, we still see printed ramblings of jargon-filled sentences with multiple clauses and no direction? Does anybody read past the first paragraph of such self-fuelling pomp and obscurity?
At bClear, we aim for clarity over clever, brevity over bull and accuracy over ambiguity.
Here’s what we’ve learned over the years. It applies to all forms of communication including articles, presentations and emails. Anything that connects you with peers, partners and clients.
Don’t
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Use jargon
Sure, professional jargon can be a handy shortcut when among peers, but when there is a more dilute, wider audience, we need to think a bit harder about how we communicate.
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Be clever
A person may feel insecure about communicating publicly and be tempted to use wordy words in the hope of sounding clever. Don’t. It might not be easy, but your audience wants to hear what you’re saying so make it about that rather than you.
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Be complex
KISS was originally a rather harsh US Navy acronym for ‘keep it simple, stupid’. It was, however, based on the sound principle that most systems work best if they are kept simple rather than made complicated. This notion lends itself well to language systems. So keep it simple.
Do
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Keep it short
If you don’t need it, cut it. If there’s a simpler word, use it. Not only is this easier to read, but it’s easier to recall.
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Be intentional
People who waffle are hard to follow and can present a disorganised mind. Not always a great signal to emit in business. So take the time to organise your thoughts and words. Think concise and compelling. Get to the point. And here’s a top tip: ask someone to review your work.
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Have one single message
What is the one thing you want your audience to remember five minutes, five days or even five years later? Focus on that and hang everything else around it. Normal humans in busy jobs just don’t have the cognitive capacity to retain as much as we’d like to. It’s a science thing.
Let’s not puff it up, then, utilising 20 words on a regular basis in order to convey our hidden meaning. Instead, we’ll use 10 words regularly to help people understand.
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