Want to transform your everyday business communications into something interesting? Follow these five tips from best-selling authors and you’ll have audiences eating out of the palm of your hands.
What makes something interesting? Well, the original Latin word meant ‘to differ’ or ‘be important’ – two clear priorities for business success. You see, interesting communications can help your brand to stand out and keep you top of mind with prospects and customers.
But, sometimes, creating interesting content is easier said than done. If you find yourself facing a blank page and in serious need of inspiration, follow these five tips from best-selling authors:
1. Become interested
Enthusiasm for the ordinary is hard. If your topic isn’t exciting, try adjusting your perspective. Do some deeper research. If that doesn’t help, speak to the subject-matter experts. Their infectious passion and knowledge will almost certainly reignite your interest.
2. Tell a story
Why is Shakespeare so gripping? This master storyteller used exposition, rise and fall in action, and always ended his writing with an outcome. You voyaged through the content, you didn’t just read it. But don’t write the length of Hamlet. Like 30-second Super Bowl ads, be brief but engaging. If you focus on the main point, a simple anecdote or analogy will do a lot to illustrate complex ideas.
3. Persuade with facts
Interesting writing persuades. To paraphrase Dickens, nothing but facts can form minds. Figures, statistics and studies help readers make decisions. That’s why people scan for numbers and figures, because it’s verifiable information. So, mention facts to convince your audience to act.
4. Write clearly
Readers prefer easy-to-read language. Ernest Hemingway knew this. He often wrote at a fourth-grade reading level, using short sentences, less adverbs and favouring the active voice. As Hemingway himself said, “Phrase things clearer and better.”
5. Format effectively
A wall of text shuts out readers. Break up your writing using headings, spacing and lists. By making it easier for readers to grasp your main ideas, they’re likely to keep reading your content.
In short, the best authors are always original and never boring. Put yourself in their league by becoming interested, telling stories, using facts, writing clearly and formatting effectively.
About Victoria
Victoria believes that great communication has the power to change the world. She's passionate about helping organisations to lift their profiles, inspire action and achieve remarkable results by crafting and delivering their stories and messages in a clear, compelling and persuasive way. If you've got a question about how to produce high-quality communication plans or content, you can contact Victoria here or connect with her on LinkedIn.