Keep It Simple
The K.I.S.S. philosophy still reigns king when developing messaging.
I just finished cleaning out some of our files and ran across an ad that was placed in the Wall Street Journal some time ago. I think we all need to be reminded that the K.I.S.S. (Keep it Simple Stupid) Philosophy needs dusting off now and again. Here’s the copy from the ad.
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Keep It Simple
Strike three.
Get your hand off my knee.
You’re overdrawn.
Your horse won.
Yes. No.
You have the account.
Walk.
Don’t walk.
Mom’s dead.
Basic events require simple language.
Idiosyncratically euphemistic eccentricities are the promulgators of triturable obfuscation.
What did you do last night? Enter into a meaningful romantic involvement, or fall in love?
What did you have for breakfast this morning? The upper part of a hog’s hind leg with two oval bodies encased in a shell laid by a female bird, or ham and eggs?
David Belasco, the great American theatrical producer, once said: “If you can’t write your idea on the back of my calling card, you don’t have a clear idea.”
Where in the World is Anthony?
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Spoke this afternoon in Chicago at a financial managers conference. Business development tip no. 1 for all my many construction clients: THE two most important people to winning new projects are your PM and Superintendent. But are you preparing them effectively for interviews?
Spoke all day today at an insurance conference in Scottsdale, Arizona. Presenting tip 30: Half your audience, at any given time, is mentally engaged in a deep personal thought. More if you're boring. Learn how to snap them back.
Spoke this morning at a credit union conference in Destin, Florida. News media tip 6: Don't waste a reporter's time by being unprepared. Facts+good quote=win for you.
Worked all day today with contractors in Lexington, Kentucky. Presenting tip 19: Don't let a mistake derail your entire presentation. Recover and move past it quickly and your audience will forgive and forget.
Gave opening keynote this morning at a tech conference in Boise, ID Communications tip 23: Your primary goal in every presentation, meeting, etc. is not to inform. It's to PERSUADE. Stop spewing content & instead convince your audience to pay attention & retain key information.