Inspired Strategies. Compelling Communications. Superior Results.

Bullet points are one of the strongest tools in a communicator’s arsenal, taking complex chunks of information and laying it out in an easily digestible layout.  They can be used in all types of prose, from PowerPoint presentations to business proposals, and often make reading your content a much more accessible endeavor for your audience. More than simple tools for breaking down unwieldy information, bullet points can also be deployed in your content as tools to draw readers in and either keep them engaged in your writing or sell them a product or idea. These types of bullet points are referred to as “fascinations,” and are often used as marketing or sales tools, but can be repurposed for nearly any type of content.

Fascination bullet points come in two flavors: external fascinations and internal fascinations. External fascinations are used to prompt a call to action, typically by alluding to information, effects, or benefits of a product or service without revealing hard evidence or substance, a kind of “teaser” bullet if you will. The second type, internal fascinations, are slightly more versatile. Theses bullet points are meant to persuade your audience to continue reading your content, and are especially useful towards the beginning of blog posts, articles, or book summaries.

Finally, perhaps my favorite way to use bullet points is by “bullet chunking.” As any longtime BZ blog readers know, I am prone to compound sentences and complex ideas. The next time you have a long list of supporting evidence to back up a claim or thought, try removing each item and instead create a bulleted list, making your content more readable and therefore more persuasive.

For more tips on using bullet points effectively, take a look at these tips from Copyblogger: http://bit.ly/2eYTh6d

Testimonials are among the most powerful marketing tools available, but getting useful feedback from customers can sometimes feel like pulling teeth. Oftentimes customers are generically positive when leaving feedback, providing glowing reviews but without the right language to push undecided consumers to also choose your goods or services over a competitor’s. Copyblogger author Sean D’Souza recommends starting with the following 6 questions in order to get the most out of your customer testimonials:

1. What was the obstacle that would have prevented you from buying this product?
2. What did you find as a result of buying this product?
3. What specific feature did you like most about this product?
4. What are three other benefits of this product?
5. Would you recommend this product? If so, why?
6. Is there anything you’d like to add?

Read through the full quick guide from Copyblogger to make sure you’re asking questions that will generate powerful testimonials: http://bit.ly/1c2sp1Z

While widely used business buzzwords can be effective communication shortcuts, be careful not to overuse industry speak with your clients and coworkers. Not only can these catchy, “inside baseball” terms come of as rote or cliché among your peers, with overuse it becomes more likely that your consulting jargon finds its way into public relations copy or deliverables you generate. Here are a few quick examples that are fine to use in the conference room, but that you should keep out of your writing:

• Deep Dive: when you spend a little more time in the weeds than you probably should. It’s a PowerPoint presentation, not a scuba class.

• Game Changing: just because there a new hot concept on the block doesn’t mean the game won’t be played the exact same way next week.
• Low-Hanging Fruit: no-ladder-required apples are fine in the beginning, but don’t forget that you’ll have to do some tree-climbing at some point.

Read the full list from PR Daily here, and keep it in mind the next time you’re in a meeting or drafting your next deliverable.

Too often when we engage in debates with colleagues or friends, the conversation becomes a back and forth of rehashed concepts, each side just waiting for their next turn to talk. This habit of taking turns talking AT each other back and forth is unlikely to actually change anyone’s mind, as cathartic as it may be to vent our tightly-held opinions to the wind. To truly engage in any meaningful dialogue, it is much more effective to view your conversation partner as a teammate, adjusting to what they’re saying in an effort to direct the conversation to your desired outcome.  Cathy Rose Salit, the author of Performance Breakthrough, likens this conversation method to performing a jazz piece, each conversation a co-created work of art that changes based on the input of both “performers.” Using this method of actively engaging in conversation will help keep people genuinely interested in what you’re saying, helping them hear your message.

Watch Salit further expand on this useful metaphor in her short video below,or at inc.com here: https://lnkd.in/eFiegGq