It’s easy. In fact
you just have to do what you usually do when you put on your thinking cap to
craft a description that’s important for you – like what you do in your work or
why we should support your cause.
That’s when one turn’s to generalities.
Here’s how to make this common mistake. First strive first for accuracy - and then offer an example.
Forest Stewardship Council of Canada, for
example, explains that "FSC is an international certification and labeling system
that guarantees that the forest products you purchase come from responsibly
managed forests and verified recycled sources.”
Instead, writing pro Daphne Gray-Grant, suggests starting with this: “Ever gone to the
lumberyard and purchased a 2x4 for your deck, wondering if it was ethically
produced?
Or, perhaps you've bought a stack of paper for your printer or a new desk for your office or a box for moving and worried about exactly the same thing. This is where the FSC can help...” Then add that accurate description.
Now it is always easier to edit someone’s improved description so I would hone the message further into everyday language and fewer words, “Ever been at a lumberyard, about to buy planks for your deck, and wondered, “Is this wood taken in a way that damaged a forest?” Or, when you’re buying printer paper, would you like to be able to choose the brand that was better for the environment?
As an avid evangelist for saying it better I turn to friends for help in honing my message. I am too close to my subject - and know too much about it (the Curse of Knowledge) – to pick the starting point that will pull other in.
Even better, I try to listen to what people say about what I do to get insights about what resonates. Inevitably my self-descriptions are accurate yet blandly general. The vivid and thus compelling specifics come tumbling out when I ask myself (as I ask my clients) “Give me an example.”
Conclusion: You can be accurate in describing what you do or
compellingly accurate so they actually get interested - and may even remember,
ask questions, buy and tell others.
See also:
• Become Quotable by Comparison
• Create a Tag Line to be Top of Mind in Your “Market”
• Six Off-Beat Ways to Get Along Better
• How to Help Your Critic’s Argument Sway Others
