January, 2015
YOUR STORY NOT BEING TOLD DUE TO TLDR(Too Long Didn’t Read)?
Short, focused, quick messaging is most effective now. The days of long copy messages are gone. “TLDR” is dictating our communications. Too much information streaming in, too little time; your clients are overwhelmed with data.
Visual communications are even getting shorter proven by 6 second messaging on the web. Commercials and web videos are less than 30 seconds with the majority being half that time!
Are you delivering powerpoints and web copy with lists of bulleted copy, believing that this is a format that will not appear “long” and cumbersome. Sorry, this overuse of bullets is still long copy, and frankly, lots of bullets “kill” communications. ONE focus, ONE key value, ONE idea is what needs to happen. No need for bullets when you have sharp focus, one thought communicated.
End the “bullet parade”, it is long copy!
How do you get your story told, your values sold in such a short copy world?
Here’s some quick help on how to get visual focus:
1. Always begin with listing your passion in single words ( A short sentence or maybe two to three words max) as a touch stone…this is your “purpose”.
2. Really find out what your clients NEEDS are…get this down to one or two words.
3. Write down what you have as a solution to offer, find the key value, get it down to one word if possible, then create your statement in one short sentence.
4. Doodle a quick drawing (stick figures are great!) to illustrate your passion, solution, AND your client need. Draw three circles in a triangle formation. Put each (passion, solution, need) in a circle…with the top circle doodle containing your passion, the circle on the bottom left being your client’s needs, and the circle on the bottom right with your solution.
5. Make sure you ONLY have one thing in each circle…not multiple doodle ideas in each.
6. Now you have your story in doodle visuals! You can go find visuals that illustrate your story, and use just single sentences to support the visuals.
It is key to create unique visuals that tell your story along with a few key copy points. Using the same stock visuals or photos everybody else uses submerges you into the “me too waters”, the communication ocean of everyone else. Blub, blub, folks “tune out”.
You can be “read” by looking visually unique. Set your marketing and event messages into a bright blue un-crowded ocean with visuals that illustrate YOU, crafted for you, your unique value. Illustrate your key solutions; your exclusive story IS the hook to attract your clients, inquiries, conversation…what your audience is craving.
Today, conversation begins and continues via visual communication. Begin a UNIQUE visual conversation with quick sketching that shows the story of your one of a kind qualities and products that match your client’s needs.
Get noticed, be “read”, get everyone on the same page with unique visual communications. This is how your potential clients are communicating…do not be passed by due to “TLDR”!
Would love to be of help to you in building visual conversation with quick sketch illustration…start “talking” in sketch mode, take a look at my site: www.chilightful.com
I’m Paula Brown; Visual Scribe / Feng Shui practitioner / Author / Animal Communicator. I am a visual storyteller showing you how to IGNITE YOUR STORY, YOUR ENERGY, YOUR WELL-BEING for both business and home. My site is: www.chilightful.com Connect on: LinkedIn, Twitter. and you can “like” my facebook page at: www.facebook.com/ChiLightful
