Less But Better – 6 Ways to Communicate Concisely
By Team Six Words
Whether you’re communicating on social media, via email, or in person, saying too much can hurt your efforts.
At Six Words, we believe effective communication should be concise and focused. We’re proponents of less but better.
Try these six tips for concise communication:
- Make sure your content adds value
- Ask yourself: is every word necessary? Does each thought serve a purpose and add value?
- Refine your message
- What are you trying to say? What are you trying to accomplish by communicating? Stick to your key points.
- Take out the filler
- Write down your message. Is all of it necessary to get your point across? What unnecessary words snuck in? Watch for verys, reallys and other fillers.
- Keep it simple
- Close thesaurus.com. Fancy words will only confuse and alienate your recipients. Stick to language that is familiar and accessible to your audience.
- Rearrange it
- Hone in on your key points, then try moving the different components of your message around. You may find you can remove a line or two.
- Take a break
- Walk away, do something else, and come back. Does your message still make sense? Is it necessary? Does it still add value?
When it comes to communication, the old saying is often true: less is more.
Learn more about the Six Words Team here.