Smart Brevity

✒️ Note-Making

🔗Connect

⬆️Topic:: Communication (MOC)

💡Clarify

🔈 Summary of main ideas

1. In a world of noise, brevity is key - Volume of communication has never been higher, so people tend to skim most of the content they receive. In such a "harsh" environment for communication, you need to rise above the noise. Writing short, clear messages that immediately get to the point is the way to go. Less is more.
2. adjusting your writing to their preference - To communicate, you need the other to listen. Adjusting your writing style and length to how they want to consume information is vital. Put your ego and preconceived notions aside, focus on them.
3. who's your audience - In terms of jargon, inclusivity, and tone, the more we match our message to our audience, the more likely it is to be received at all, and especially internalized.
4. get to the point - Don't give excuses, to start with a backstory. Get to the point, then once they are hooked, explain your reasons why.

🗒️Relate

⛓ by following this method, what will happen? What is the goal of this book? You will be a better communicator, one whose messages are read instead of ignored, that can get their message across much more efficiently with much fewer words.

✅Act

📋What should I do to achieve the goals set out by this book?

1. Authority - be the expert, or find one
2. Brevity - stay short, not shallow
3. Entice them - a short enticing title, 6 or fewer words, use active, strong, clear words.
4. One thing - open with your one big idea, the one thing you want them to remember, 12 words max
5. Give the why - explain why it matters, digest the content for them
6. Go deeper - add further explanation at the end, acknowledge that most won't read that far
7. Humanity - write like you speak, be honest, kind, human
8. Clarity - style text for impact. Use emojis, bullet point, bold text to reduce monotony
9. Audience - shape your message accordingly. What type of language/style would help your message come across better.
10. Concise - remove non essentials, use as few words as possible.

🔍Critique

🧩 relevant research, metaphors or examples that helps to convey the argument

❌ the logical jumps, holes or simply cases where it is wrong... There's something inhuman as to how the want us to communicate, even when they iterate that we have to stay human. When a person writes to their partner "dinner at eight, bring charley" instead of talking like a person, I feel we lose social context and cues, as if we are AI that consumes content.

🧱 Implementations and limitations of it are... While brevity is something to be aspired in all forms of writings, their structure is very rigid, and I wouldn't want my newsletter to look like this, and not the books I'm reading as well. Perhaps it's limited to communicating as a worker.

🗨️Review

💭 my opinions on the book, the writers style... The entire book is in their "smart brevity" method. I get why they did that, but a method that might work for short essays seems weird and slightly annoying in book format. It seems forced.

Even when it's so short, it's highly repetitive, shallow, and not interesting.

🖼️Outline

📒 Notes

Introduction - The Fog of Words

The combination of our tendency to be Distracted, along with the rise of the internet and the Attention Economy, has resulted in a bombardment of messages that we simply can't keep up with anymore.

The techniques of smart brevity will allow your message to rise above the Noise, to be heared and understood.

What is Smart Brevity

Short, not Shallow

Since people's attention is limited, we need to reformat how we communicate to match their preferences and limitations, which means less is more.

Fewer words, getting to the point, and easy to digest structure is key.

People are looking for Novelty and "why it matters", so let's give them that.

What Is Smart Brevity?

• “Brevity is confidence. Length is fear.” (Location 112)
• strong words, shorter sentences, arresting teases, simple visuals and smartly organized ideas transform writing from unnoticed to vital—and remembered. (Location 120)
• All they usually want to know is what’s new and “Why it matters.” Give them that. (Location 154)
• People want to know something new, revelatory, exciting. And they want you to put it in context and explain “Why it matters.” Then, with a visual or verbal cue, they decide whether to “Go deeper” into the conversation. (Location 175)
• If you see everything, you remember nothing. (Location 210)
• Listen to the customer and data, not the voice inside your head. (Location 390)
• Start any communication by thinking first of your very specific audience and what they need or want. (Location 411)

Smart Brevity: Explained

The smart brevity structure:

1. A muscular "tease" - six or fewer words in a captivating headline
2. One strong first sentence - The most important sentence in the message. Should make me feel like there's something important I need to know. Short, direct, sharp.
3. "Why it matters" - What is the context of your message, why does it matter to the reader
4. Choice of "going deeper" - Allow the reader the option of reading more if they want

elevator pitch (what if, such that, for example, there's more)

The Road to Smart Brevity

With the rise of the internet they were finally able to measure the reading patterns of their readers, and they were surprised to see that most read the headline and a few paragraphs. If people stopped after 200 words, they needed a system that will turn these words into the most efficient there is. That's how smart brevity was born.

Audience First

You have to match the content to your audience, this will help you tailor the message to their style, and also help you narrow down unnecessary noise. The "audience" doesn't want you to overload them with words, they want the message short and simple. Give it to them straight, they will also remember more of it.

Just say what you mean, sincerely and short. Don't say excuses, don't hide or try to sugar coat it. When we're insecure we tend to babble. People appreciate Honesty and smell bullshit or fake smiles from a long way Authenticity

Tips:

1. Focus on one person you're targeting
2. Plan what is the one thing you want them to remember
3. Write like a human
4. Make it short (12 words or less)
5. Phrase it as a statement, not a question

How to Do it

Be Worthy

People appriciate when you respect their time and don't bombard them with useless noise. People today are quicker to lose attention, or not give it to you in the first place.

Grab Me

The headline should be enticing. Six words or less is enough to fit even on a mobile, and it gets your foot at the door. It hooks them.

Tips for a headline:

1. 6 words at most
2. don't try to be funny, ironic or fancy
3. stick with short, strong words
4. use active verbs

One Big Thing

Quality test - ask yourself if you would have read it if you hadn't written it.

The best article doesn't matter if no one reads it.

Why it Matters

We caught their attention, we told them something new, now we need to explain why it matters. Why is that information important, what is the larger context.

Go Deeper

This is the option for the reader to go deeper and really understand the topic/idea. That way you can shift information from the first sections over here, making them shorter while still preserving information overall.

Most won't read this section.

Use bullet points. Have short paragraphs of no more than three sentences.

The Right Words

Bold or highlight important words. Use strong, active, simple, decisive words. Be direct.

Emojis

Emojis are useful as they convey a message much faster, while also being more engaging visual representations

Smart Brevity in Action

Mike's Playbook

Decide what's important, be brief, and make it fun.

The Art of the Newsletter

Choose a name with 1-2 words, Try to make it short, considering a person reads roughly 250 words a minute.

Use numbered bullet points for a sense of pace. Each item should be 200 words max, and not more than 1000 overall.

End with something funny or personal.

Be Heard at Work

In a fast pacing place such as work where collaboration is key, smart brevity is very useful.

Smart Brevity Your Email

Same tips apply

• informative and attractive subject line
• explain your ask/topic in the first row

Smart Brevity Your Meetings

• not all meetings are needed, maybe an email/1o1 is enough
• set an objective and agenda
• declare action items
• set a time limit
• open with the main issue
• be inclusive
• summarize in the final 2 minutes
• send a summary email/message afterwards

Smart Brevity Your Speeches

• maintain eye contact
• you are the focus, not your slides
• remember your audience
• if you don't know what's your one big idea, the audience won't know it too
• 15 words max for your big idea
• use numbering and structure
• explain why it matters, do the work for them
• not more than 18 minutes

Smart Brevity Your Presentations

• less slides, less distractions
• don't repeat the slide word for word
• one message per slide
• use pictures

Smart Brevity Your Social Media

Social media forces us to focus on one idea Use images

Smart Brevity Your Visuals

Start with a strong concept Edit out non essentials

How to Run a Company on Smart Brevity

Be honest, inclusive and communicate freely with psychological safety

Employees are informed, and every meeting starts with making sure we're all on the same page

As a leader - have a vision and tell a story

Communicate Inclusively

Inclusivity is efficiency. It helps you cover your blind spots. Make sure you show respect in your messages and not leaving anyone out or offend them. Use simple and short language

The Cheat Sheet

1. Authority - be the expert, or find one
2. Brevity - stay short, not shallow
3. Humanity - write like you speak
4. Clarity - style text for impact
5. Audience - shape your message accordingly
6. One thing - what's your one big idea
7. Entice them - a short enticing title
8. Give the why - explain why it matters
9. Concise - remove non essentials