How to write clearly.
Written by Niki Juhasz
The way we process information in a crisis – like, you know, an ongoing pandemic and wartime – is different. Right now, our attention spans are shorter, and we’re more forgetful, too.
This means that to best serve our audiences, we need to focus on delivering information as clearly as possible.
The key to this clarity? Breaking it up!
How to Simplify Your Messaging
Here’s an easy list of questions to ask as you write and edit your messaging:
Is your paragraph long? Break it up! Your paragraph should never be longer than 5 sentences.
Is your sentence long? Break it up! If your sentence is 14 words or fewer, readers can understand 90 percent of it.
Are your words long? Find a substitution. Five or fewer characters is ideal. Simple is better! We know this one can be tough for our partners who are used to writing about complex topics – but we promise it helps.
Has passive language been used to draft my sentence? Tighten it up! For example, to fix the question we just asked, make this change: am I using passive language? Much better.
These updates will help every target audience – from donors to community members – easily understand your message.
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Clarity is Kindness
As you write your messaging – from letters to your supporters to updates to your board – think through what you want to accomplish. Then:
Lead with context. Why is your message important specifically to your audience, as they deal with dueling priorities? Show them why they should care immediately – within your first paragraph, or first 15 seconds of a message.
Be clear. Do your audiences have a call to action? Can they identify it, easily? Is your goal clear? These are all questions that can help you ensure your message is easy to understand.
Repeat, repeat, repeat. The Marketing Rule of Seven tells us people need to hear or see a message about seven times for it to begin resonating. Make sure you’re sharing your messaging in many ways – from newsletters to social posts to postcards.
One final piece of advice. After you write a message, take a quick break. Then come back, give your message a final read, and send it out into the world.
Your audiences will thank you for thinking of them first and ensuring your messaging is simple, easy to read and serves them well.
P.S. We have a free resource to help you simplify your messaging – you can find it here!
