There’s Nothing Like
picking farm-fresh berries right off the stems where they grow in the fields. And this is a real photo of real berries I picked! Totally and amazingly juicy, sweet and so much fun to eat. For this city gal, it was a whole new experience.
Fresh Is Good
Whether we’re talking about berries or your content, people get tired of the same old, same old. So how to freshen up your communications? Get juicy!
Say No To Hum Drum
In my business, I often write proposals describing what I do, how I do it and the results for clients. A few years ago, I noticed I was starting to bore myself as I was writing. My word choice didn’t feel fresh and compelling; it felt repetitive and dull. Important Clue: if YOU feel bored, just think how your listeners or readers will feel!
Thus Was Born…
my Juicy Words List. I spent time with a thesaurus and synonym search, looking for a wide range of word options to freshen up my writing (and thinking). Here’s an example of what I offer: tips, techniques, tools, tactics, guidelines, directions, strategies, principles, approaches, methods, systems, practices, skills, routines. Just looking at that list of words inspired me and brightened up my writing.
Create Your Own List
Open a presentation you’ve delivered recently. Look for words that appear over and over again. We all deal with business/industry terms that need to stay constant but there’s a lot of other verbiage you can work with. Challenge yourself to find alternatives for tired, repetitive words and start your own Juicy Words List. It’s a great resource for communicating with more precision and variety.
Juicy Verbs For The Win
Every presentation needs a Blazingly Clear Objective. Ideally, your BCO is crystal-clear; it’s exactly what you are trying to do. What is the objective of this specific presentation to this audience, on this day? The more laser-sharp your focus, the easier it is to present and the easier it is to listen to you. Try completing the sentence: “My Blazingly Clear Objective is to (verb) (something)…”
Hint: the verb you choose is key. Some verbs are generic and vague: update, review, educate. You want juicy, active verbs: solve, illustrate, clarify, drive, unlock, mobilize, specify, develop, accelerate, define, justify. Can you feel the difference? Which presentation would you want to listen to?
Can We Align On This?
Recently a client wanted to explore different ways of saying the word-of-the-day align because he was determined never to use it again in this lifetime. This is what we came up with: come together, see the mutual benefits of, line up with, bring into line, ally, associate with, match, unite, integrate, coordinate, synchronize, share, standardize, optimize, galvanize. Can you find something in here you might use? Can you try out something different?
One Final Thought
The point of all this is to be heard and listened to. If you sound the same as everyone else, your message may get lost. Conversely, when your language is sharp, specific and intentional, you may help your audience get it. They’ll perk up and listen better.
Go for the juicy and let me know how it goes! I’m happy to send you a copy of my personal Juicy Words List for inspiration, just email me (diane@dianeripstein.com).
Here’s to your fresh, compelling and persuasive communications! And fresh summertime berries. Yum. Yum.
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