12 hacks to communicate shorter & clearer

The world is packed with words, but no one is reading them. 

We write emails, slacks, blogs, websites & co. yet people only spend 26 seconds on average on a piece of content. 

Short and clear communication is your sharpest knife to cut through the noise and get the attention you deserve.  

Why it matters: 

• you can't rally people around your idea if they don't get it

• what is the point of writing a long text if no one is reading it

• attention spans of people are decreasing

• can help you to get the funds you need 

• allow you to save time

I struggle with this, so I read Smart Brevity to learn from the best and now share my key takeaways with you. 

Let's go deeper. 

5 surprising facts about communication 

Not convinced yet?

1. We spend less than 15 seconds on most web pages we visit. 

2. We need 20 minutes to re-focus after we get distracted. 

3. We decide in 17 milliseconds if we like what we clicked.

4. 50-60% of employee's time is spent on communication. 

5. We check our mobile phones every 4 minutes. 

Seems like we created a world full of noise and distractions. 

It is time to capture people's attention with clear communication. 

12 hacks to communicate shorter & clearer

1. Tease people

Use 6 or fewer words to capture people's attention immediately. That can be a headline, a subject for a mail, a Slack message, a social media post, etc. 

The teaser decides if people even bother to read the rest. 

E.g., "12 hacks to communicate shorter & clearer"

2. Deliver a strong first sentence

Now, you follow on the first tease and deliver something memorable to the reader. 

The idea is to deliver the core message, even if the reader would stop here. As mentioned before, there is a high chance that they bounce right after. 

E.g., "We write mails, slacks, blogs, websites & co. yet people only spend 26 seconds on average on a piece of content." 

3. Provide context

Ok, now it seems the readers are still with you, so hit them with some context so they can understand why it matters to them. 

If the reader benefits from what you wrote, they will stay because now it makes sense to them. 

E.g., "Why it matters: & some facts, arguments, etc."

4. Give a choice to learn more

The core message you wanted to deliver is covered by hacks 1-3. 

Now, you want to give the reader the choice to learn more about what you just wrote. 

It shifts from forcing all these long texts on people to giving them a choice if they want to spend more time on this topic. 

E.g. In the intro, I hopefully sparked a brief reflection. You either learned something briefly but didn't find the topic interesting. Or you are still reading this, waiting for the next tip. 

5. Picture your audience

You are never communicating just to 1 person. We are all different and have distinctive needs. Investors, supporters, team members & co. have all other demands. 

So when writing anything, remember who you are writing to and adapt your language and style to them. 

E.g., You are my audience, and I try to use a style that creates familiarity and is easy to understand so that you can hopefully put hacks into action. 

6. Write the one thing people should remember

Before you start writing anything, ask yourself the one aspect you want them to remember. 

Write it down for yourself.

Then, make this very clear in the first lines. 

1 idea = 1 message

7. Avoid the 4 culprits of bad communication

Avoid these four to get your communication to the next level: 

• too much text

• too much jargon 

• too many choices 

• too long video 

Easy to say, harder to do, but your readers will thank you. 

E.g. In this newsletter, I try to find the right balance between short and powerful. Let me know if I succeeded. 

8. Make it visual

Remember the 17 milliseconds? People decide on the first glimpse if they even bother reading what you wrote. 

So please help them make smarter decisions by making your post visually pleasing. 

Some help: 

• emojis 

• bullet points

• bold & italic words 

• spaces between text

• sorting points by length

9. Use strong & short words

Nobody likes to feel stupid, and everybody wants to be captured by a compelling story. 

So cut the fancy words and use short words that everyone can understand. 

Furthermore, use words that spark some emotion in the reader. 

E.g. disconcerting - bad; conclave - meeting; elucidate - explain

10. Create a clear call to action

Ok, people read your text, but what now? Make it clear to your readers what they should know with this newly gained information. 

Usually, you write with a purpose in mind, so remind the person in your text. 

E.g., At the end of each newsletter, I ask you to share it with 1 ecopreneur so that I can help more people like you.

11. Use visuals smartly

Even if you do your best, you can end up not getting the required attention.

Using pictures that convey your message can help you to a) get the attention and b) help your message stick in their heads. 

E.g. I use pictures of nature here, so you never forget what we are all fighting for. A wilder planet. 

12. Cut, cut, cut

After composing your text, go again through it and cut, cut, cut. 

Challenge yourself on every single word. 

Unnecessary words cut out = happier reader 

Your turn! 

5 Actions you can take to make your communication shorter & clearer

1. Check. Go through your last 3 emails, slacks, blog articles, presentations, etc., to understand where you stand. 

2. Ask. Ask the people who consume your writing what, from their perspective, you could improve. 

3. Post-it. Write the shared hacks on a post-it and put it on your screen as a visual reminder before every text. 

4. Incorporate. Step by step, put each hack into action. Start with the one that resonated the most with you. 

5. You do you. Don't become someone else. These tips are here to help you rally people behind your nature mission, not to make you a robot. 

 Cheat sheet on how to communicate in shorter & clearer

📚 Book: Smart Brevity by Roy Schwartz, Jim VandeHei, Mike Allen

🛠️ Tools: 

Grammarly to improve your writing

Smart Brevity Test - to test where you currently stand

Axios HQ Software - to help you write crispier

🎥 Video: How to Write Less but Say More | Jim VandeHei

In this noisy world, getting people's attention has become harder than ever. 

The 12 hacks here will help you cut to the chase and get the attention you deserve to double your impact with your nature venture. 

You still need to make sure your text has depth and conveys the message, but this newsletter should have sparked a reflection if you truly need that many words.

Alright, wild one, see you next week! 

Best,

Oli

P.S. If this newsletter helped you, please share it with another ecopreneur so we can build a wilder world together. 

🦧 Whenever you are ready, there are 2 ways Wild Business Mates can help you grow and double your impact:

1. 1-to-1 business consulting. Detailed and personalized consulting to double the impact of your biodiversity organization in the shortest possible time. Book a free intro call. 

2. Wild Business Mates in Action. Wild Business Mates help you execute in areas you are struggling with. Tech, Marketing, Sales, Communication, etc. We can realize all the steps I mentioned above.