Sustain: supply with sustenance, nourish.

Sustainable: of, relating to, or being a method of… using a resource so that the resource is not depleted or permanently damaged.

One key (and obvious) aspect of sustainable communications is being environmentally responsible. We urge clients to consume as few nonrenewable resources and as little energy as possible. Use electronic media rather than print whenever possible, for example. And when paper is unavoidable, print only what’s needed and use vegetable-based inks and paper with 100 percent post-consumer recycled content (the quality and choices are getting better all the time, and recycling no longer requires bleach or harmful chemicals).

But green materials are just one part of sustainable communications. Full sustainability requires honestly assessing your organization’s ability to support your programs over the long haul without budget strain or staff burnout, and developing communications that will serve you as well as possible for as long as possible.

For instance, a website overhaul that lasts several years is far more efficient than one that will need another update in a year. And your organization may be well served by a blog or newsletter, but only if you have the staff time and informational resources to keep it going long enough to gain traction.

Sustainability in any arena requires commitment. But it’s worth it: If you’re able to nourish your communications programs over the long term and keep them fresh and healthy, they’ll pay you back by helping sustain your business. 

First published in the September 2007 issue of Words That Work.

Most organizations have an internal language—a patois of professional jargon, insider concepts, and in-house categories. And it should stay internal. Alas, too many broadcast their group-speak to an uncomprehending public through websites and collateral materials that attempt to persuade but often baffle.

It reminds us of a famous Far Side cartoon in which a man is earnestly lecturing his dog, who hears only “Blah blah Ginger, blah blah blah….” When your org chart defines your website’s architecture, when you use terminology that’s not widely recognized outside your organization, when you describe your products or services from your perspective rather than your target market’s perspective, your audience is likely to hear only “blah, blah, blah.”

Internal language seeps into external communications so often because it’s difficult to catch yourself using it. Few of us can switch automatically from insider to outsider language—it takes conscious effort. But it’s worth it: People usually won’t tell you they don’t understand your terminology, they’ll just make assumptions. If they don’t find information in the expected place on your website, they’ll assume it’s not there. If a word has a common meaning that differs from a particular meaning within your organization, they’ll assume the common meaning.

So make sure your message doesn’t get lost in translation: speak your audience’s language.

First published in the February 2008 issue of Words That Work.

We could spend all day disproving the notion that nobody reads anymore, but it is true that in our multitasking, information-overload world, it’s harder to attract and hold a business audience than it once was. Here are a few tips to grab attention in an attention-deficit age:

Break the mold. Examine how similar organizations communicate, and do something different. Find an unusual angle. Be warmer or more analytical, more casual or more sophisticated—whatever everyone else is not. And ditch the jargon—buzzwords are a way to fit in, not to stand out.

Strike an emotional chord. Focus on what moves, excites, inspires, or alarms. What will get the strongest gut response? Not sure? Think about how you’d talk about it with an attractive stranger at a party.

Just say it. Bland, heavily qualified statements may head off controversy, but they also induce narcolepsy. Say what you mean, clearly and assertively, and support it. People will take notice. And if they take exception? That’s an opportunity for dialogue.

Be relevant. If your content isn’t of interest to your audience, you’ll lose them. Provide information readers want and you’ll keep them with you.

Use snappy display copy. If the most eye-catching copy on the page is dull, why would anyone read the small print? Strong display copy grabs readers; treating it as an afterthought is a mistake.

Underlying these strategies is a key principle: be compelling. And “compelling” means compelling to your audience, not necessarily to you or your organization. Cater to your readers’ interests and you’ll get their attention. First published in the March 2008 issue of Words That Work.