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Write to the 10th Grade Level to [Dramatically] Improve Audience Engagement

By January 27, 2016February 27th, 2019No Comments
hands only, female and male, with male holding pen, paper is covered with mathematical equations, demonstrate need to simplify, blue transparent rectangle spans the picture with text overlay, write to the 10th grade level

Reducing jargon and sentence/word complexity are key to enhancing engagement with your stakeholders. Polish-born British novelist, Joseph Conrad said, “He who wants to persuade should put his trust not in the right argument, but in the right word.”

Words are power. They stir emotions. They cause people to make choices. That’s exactly what you want to do—get your target audiences to act.

Mainstream media writes between the 6th and 8th grade levels. Why so simple? To ensure EVERYONE understands the message and content, as quickly as possible.

Here are some suggestions to increase your messaging impact and reduce complexity:

Experiences are enduring. Experiences are shared by people in writing, in social media, in person, in email, etc. How do your audiences respond and share your messages?

Photography Source:  DepositPhotos

Ira Koretsky

Ira Koretsky has built The Chief Storyteller® into one of the most recognized names in communication, especially business storytelling. He has delivered over 500 keynote presentations and workshops in nearly a dozen countries, in more than one hundred cities, across 30 plus industries. His specialties are simplifying the complex and communicating when the stakes are high. He is also an adjunct professor in public speaking and storytelling at the University of Maryland's Business School. With over 25 years of experience, he is a sought-after storytelling coach, global speaker, trainer, consultant, communication coach, and public speaking coach.