The best line I've read all year, and trying not to deliver what's expected

A few days ago, in this piece, Marketview: Huge in Japan on the finance blog Dynamic Hedge, I read what I believe to be the best line I have read anywhere this year, and quite possibly my favorite line ever, (although the last line of Song of Myself is tough to beat).

Here it is:

The Yen carry trade is basically driving risk markets globally and will eventually destroy everything you love.

Boom.

Right in the middle of a pretty standard piece on the Yen currency fluctuations and the recent volatility in the Japanese equity markets, the author drops in that amazing line about everything you love being destroyed and now you're not reading a standard (and dreary) financial analysis piece anymore. This is something else entirely, and entirely unexpected. (I am so stealing this line).Flowers, Andy Warhol, 1964

I'm heading out the big SHRM Annual Conference next week, and presenting on Monday afternoon. While at the event, and certainly before and during my session I will be thinking about this piece from Dynamic Hedge, and that line and how it ambushed me from out of nowhere.

SHRM and the most of the other big, mainstream events succeed largely by meeting expectations I think. They are very clear about what is going to happen there, the speakers they select are if not familiar individually, are familiar in the aggregate. There are always the lawyers and consultants and advisor types speaking, and they are all kind of interchangeable. They all say (again, mostly), the same kinds of things to the same kind of audience that comes back each year. It is a kind of 'cycle of the expected' if you will.

And that is pretty smart I suppose, and good business. SHRM Annual especially is a pretty large commitment of time and money for attendees, and the risk of not delivering to them what they know and expect is pretty high for the organizers. While it feels hard to break in to the SHRM Annual line up as a speaker, it seems much easier to stay there once you are in (and if you have figured out how to deliver to those expectations).

Having said all that, or having said that little, I press on towards the event and the other things I am up to - thinking about the idea of meeting audience, reader, or even public expectations. 

It's all pretty safe, the assessing, defining, and meeting expectations game. If I do that in my session on Monday, I will probably get decent ratings, and maybe get invited back to speak again. It's just a formula really. The speaker is going to talk about X, the attendees are coming to hear him or her talk about X, and they leave knowing something about X. It's simple.

But it all seems kind of boring, kind of forgettable even.

The best events, speeches, ballgames, picnics, movies, songs, books, etc. - the ones that you remember and that resonate beyond their allotted time horizon for your attention - only do that when they ignore, (or at least pretend not to care about) your expectations and deliver on their vision, and not be beholden to yours. But it can be hard to do that. And scary. And that's why it's done so rarely. But I will give it a try on Monday. Probably fail. Probably not be back in 2014.

Let's test it out:

The HR technology landscape has been transformed in the last 5 years, and if you don't keep informed, markets will shift globally and will eventually destroy everything you love.

Maybe.

Have a great weekend, and if I see you at SHRM, please say hello! 

2012 Rewind: The Plain Writing Act

Note: I am winding down the last, waning days of 2012 by re-running a few posts from this year that either I liked, were (reasonably) popular, or just didn't get a fair shake the first time around.  If that is not your sort of thing, then come back on January 2, 2013 when fresh and tasty content resumes. Thanks for reading in 2012!

This post, 'The Plain Writing Act', ran in April.  Looking back on it, the Sonny & Cher picture is probably the highlight, but I liked the piece anyway.

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The Plain Writing Act

This piece from the Washington Post online caught my attention over the weekend - 'Advocates of the Plain Writing Act prod Federal Agencies to Keep it Simple', a review and summary of the 2010 'Plain Writing Act', a law that requires United States Federal agencies to "train agency employees in "plain writing" (defined as writing that is clear, concise, well-organized, and follows other best practices appropriate to the subject or field and intended audience."

Yes it is a Sonny & Cher pic. It came up when I searched for 'Plain Language' pics.

The Act proscribes some specific steps for agencies to demonstrate compliance to the new 'Plain Writing' requirements - official agency communications must now use the active voice, avoid double negatives and use personal pronouns. “Addressees” must now become, simply, “you.” Clunky and made-up words and expressions like “incentivizing” (first known usage 1970) are discouraged. The use of internal jargon and acronyms should be limited, etc.

The Act also mandates that Fedeal agencies "designate one or more senior officials within the agency to oversee the agency's implementation of this Act", essentially naming a kind of 'Chief of Plain Writing' within each agency. According to the Post piece, at least some of these appointees are running into some difficulty converting agency communications to meet the 'Plain Writing' guidelines:

“Part of this is we have a change in culture,” said Ed Burbol, the Defense Department’s plain-language coordinator, who oversees two full-time staff members assigned to promoting clearer communication. “We’re going to encounter resistance.”

It might seem kind of odd, or in a cynical 'look at the government, they have no clue as usual' way that an internal Federal agency culture would be at odds with an idea like Plain Writing, which is a concept and a goal that is kind of hard to argue against. But if you think a little bit deeper, and perhaps a little more honestly about organizations that you have worked in, functions you have been responsible for, or even in the current role you possess - can you honestly say you haven't been a little guilty of the same kinds of communication problems or failures that the Plain Writing Act is at least attempting to address?

I know I'd raise my hand to admit that - in fact I am not totally sure this blog post would meet the new criteria. I set out for about 200 words on a simple subject, and on and on it goes. If you have made it this far, congratulations!

And now I ask you close your browser, find a piece of copy on your website, or some HR form instructions, or the 'All Hands' email you are working on and see if it could use some editing, some simplifying, or some 'Plain Writing'.

Have a fantastic Thursda!

Spring Break #1 - The Plain Writing Act

Note: It is Spring Break week here in Western New York, (for the school-age kids anyway), and while I will still be working and traveling to Washington D.C. for a conference, this week will be busier than most. So this week on the blog I'll be mostly sharing some quick hits and short takes on things I spotted or found interesting. Actually, come to think of it, that is pretty much every week.  Anyway, if you are on Spring Break this week, I hope you have a great little vacation!

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This piece from the Washington Post online caught my attention over the weekend - 'Advocates of the Plain Writing Act prod Federal Agencies to Keep it Simple', a review and summary of the 2010 'Plain Writing Act', a law that requires United States Federal agencies to "train agency employees in "plain writing" (defined as writing that is clear, concise, well-organized, and follows other best practices appropriate to the subject or field and intended audience."Yes it is a Sonny & Cher pic. It came up when I searched for 'Plain Language' pics.

The Act proscribes some specific steps for agencies to demonstrate compliance to the new 'Plain Writing' requirements - official agency communications must now use the active voice, avoid double negatives and use personal pronouns. “Addressees” must now become, simply, “you.” Clunky and made-up words and expressions like “incentivizing” (first known usage 1970) are discouraged. The use of internal jargon and acronyms should be limited, etc.

The Act also mandates that Fedeal agencies "designate one or more senior officials within the agency to oversee the agency's implementation of this Act", essentially naming a kind of 'Chief of Plain Writing' within each agency. According to the Post piece, at least some of these appointees are running into some difficulty converting agency communications to meet the 'Plain Writing' guidelines:

“Part of this is we have a change in culture,” said Ed Burbol, the Defense Department’s plain-language coordinator, who oversees two full-time staff members assigned to promoting clearer communication. “We’re going to encounter resistance.”

It might seem kind of odd, or in a cynical 'look at the government, they have no clue as usual' way that an internal Federal agency culture would be at odds with an idea like Plain Writing, which is a concept and a goal that is kind of hard to argue against. But if you think a little bit deeper, and perhaps a little more honestly about organizations that you have worked in, functions you have been responsible for, or even in the current role you possess - can you honestly say you haven't been a little guilty of the same kinds of communication problems or failures that the Plain Writing Act is at least attempting to address?

I know I'd raise my hand to admit that - in fact I am not totally sure this blog post would meet the new criteria. I set out for about 200 words on a simple subject, and on and on it goes. If you have made it this far, congratulations!

And now I ask you close your browser, find a piece of copy on your website, or some HR form instructions, or the 'All Hands' email you are working on and see if it could use some editing, some simplifying, or some 'Plain Writing'.

Have a fantastic Monday!

Better Job Ad Writing and Selling Snowblowers

The other day the SAI site featured this piece - This Epic, 900-Word Classified Ad For A Used Snowblower Has Canada Agog, a review of a story out of Northwest Canada and one guy's efforts to sell his used snowblower on an online classifieds site called Kijii.  The Machine of Snow Doom

The SAI piece links out to the full classified listing for the machine on the Kijii site, and I highly recommend you take a few minutes to read the entire ad, (even if you are not in the market for a used snowblower, and besides the machine did already sell for asking price). Then spend some time thinking about how this truly epic snowblower ad kind of debunks many of the typically held assumptions about writing ad copy, be it for machinery or even job postings on the corporate career site or job board.

Some highlights from the epic snowblower ad:

1. Opening Line:

"Do you like shoveling snow? Then stop reading this and go back to your pushups and granola because you are not someone that I want to talk to."

Boom - sets the context of the opportunity, challenges the reader, (or for you the job seeker), to immediately consider whether or not they should keep reading.

2. Connecting to the Need

"Here’s the deal. I have a snow blower and I want you to own it. I can tell you’re serious about this. It’s like I can almost see you: sitting there, your legs are probably crossed and your left hand is on your chin. Am I right? How’d I do that? The same way that I know that YOU ARE GOING TO BUY THIS SNOWBLOWER."

You need to read the entire ad to really see how Cho makes an effective and interesting case about how the snowblower will be the answer to the buyer's problems, but suffice to say that 95% of job ad copy does nothing to acknowledge the value proposition back to the job seeker. Mostly, throwaway lines like 'Join our firm and take your skills to the next level' pass for addressing the needs and dreams of the job seeker.

3. Call to Action

"Here’s what you do. You go to the bank. You collect $900. You get your buddy with a truck and you drive over here. You give me some cold hard cash and I give you a machine that will mess up a snowbank sumthin’ fierce. I’ve even got the manual for it, on account of I bought it brand new and I don’t throw that kind of thing away. Don't want to pay me $900? Convince me. Send me an offer and I'll either laugh at you and you'll never hear back from me or I'll counter."

Nice one. Here Cho lays out what you are going to de next, after making the case for why you would do it in the first place. He even allows for some real-life negotiation for people genuinely engaged in the process. The connection to the job ad? Mainly the impersonal, one size fits all, same generic and cold process steps for every person, every job that is posted, and no real connection to the organization and the opportunity as something the job seeker can see themselves a part of. Mostly job seekers just feel like they are entering the abyss when they hit 'apply'.

The end result was that Cho did sell the snowblower as I mentioned, but not before attracting over 500,000 views of the online ad, and receiving over 1,400 responses, including (according to Cho), job offers, requests for dates, and advice on writing ad copy. Wonder what other benefits better job ad writing might accrue to the smart organization?

The big point in all this? That a random guy, (not a trained writer or marketer), can use real, simple, and creative communication to attract attention, engage an audience, and make a boring 4-year old snowblower seem like a dream-fulfilling wonder machine.  

What do you think? Could any of these approaches or ideas help your organization advertise its opportunities?

Notes From the Road - #1 - Technical Instructions

This is the first in what I hope will be an ongoing series of quick dispatches from the trail - things I pick up from airports, hotels, cabs, meetings - anywhere really, in hopes that at least some of the observations will be interesting and even worthwhile. And also, since being out on the road for work usually throws off the schedule and gives me less time to worry about the little blog here, these Notes from the Road pieces have a internal timer set at 15 minutes. Whatever ideas, no matter how half-baked or thinly developed, get the 'Publish' treatment at the 15-minute mark.  

Ready, set, go. Fifteen minutes starts now.

So if you spend any time in hotel rooms you've probably came up against the scourge of many a traveler - the 'in-room coffee maker'. These tiny, devious machines are notorious for being impossible to operate, usually having a series of cryptic line drawings that pass for operating instructions, producing horrible coffee, and generally leading to a disappointing experience overall.Coffee!

I've had many a run-in with these little devils, and two days ago made a gigantic mess by overfilling the machine and spilling hot coffee all over the place, (sorry Aloft Hotel). So this morning when I cautiously approached the in-room coffee maker at the Sheraton in Reston, VA, I was stunned and grateful to see the little instruction card you see on the right of this post propped up in front of the machine.

Why are these technical instructions so effective?

1. They are written in plain language. No jargon, no weird or awkward phrases. They are written like someone would tell you how to use the machine.

2. They address common concerns without condescending to the user. The pod did seem too big to fit in the machine, but it worked just fine.

3. They are dirt simple. Making in-room coffee should be easy. And it almost never is. But by combining a well-designed machine with a just-right set of instructions, (and some quality coffee as well), the entire experience was positive.

Simple, simple, simple. Don't over think your messages, instructions, communications. Write like you'd speak to people, like adults, and like adults that are not necessarily experts in your wonderful new technology or process.

Well done Sheraton. 

That's 15 minutes, (give or take), and I am out.