And yet another lesson from Shakespeare yields that "less is more." Need I write a anything else?
- Meetings are too long.
- Conference calls are drawn out.
- White papers are unnecessarily verbose.
- Proposals are more form than substance.
- Websites are too complex.
- Even some conversations feel like they will never end.
When did we all get so long-winded?
Many times we become long-winded in an attempt to impress, coax, persuade or project (as in project authority or power). I have great and deep admiration for people who manage short meetings and keep conference calls to a few minutes. Taut meetings and short calls are signs of competence, preparation and courtesy to all participants. Just think back to how pleased and content you felt the last time a meeting ended sooner than expected. It felt good. You were probably energized to get more things done with the 'extra' half-hour you gleaned from the shorter meeting. You felt empowered.
So next time you organize a call, run a meeting, write a proposal or an email.....
1) Keep your sentences short, succinct and straight to the point. Another way of putting it is to "Cut the Fat." In his short essay on "Everything You Need To Know About Writing Successfully in Ten Minutes" Stephen King suggests,
Remove every extraneous word
You want to get up on a soapbox and
preach? Fine. Get one and try your local park. [sic] You want to write for
money? Get to the point. And if you remove all the excess garbage and
discover you can't find the point, tear up what you wrote and start all
over again . . . or try something new.
2) Be prepared or cancel the event. No one appreciates their time being wasted. If you aren't prepared your words will meander and so will your audience's minds.
3) White papers shouldn't be more than two pages (if it takes more than a few paragraphs (sentences) to convey the 'value' of your services you've got better things to do with your time than write a White Paper). The same goes for your website; use fewer words.
4) Proposals should focus on pricing not definitions and terminology. Thick proposals don't impress prospects it scares them away. Besides, the first page they'll look for is the pricing page. So, don't hide it. Make it the first page or make the price obvious or easy for them to find.
While there is a time and a place for verbosity, lengthy diatribes and encyclopedic treatises....in business, avoid them all.
In addition to Wit, brevity is the soul of good business, good design, good speaking and excellent writing.
"Brevity is the soul of wit."
-Hamlet, II.ii
