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© 2017 Spencer Grace LLC and StoryStudio Chicago Ltd. All rights reserved.
Just Say What You MeanHow to be the plainspoken voice of reason in a world of corporate-ese
A Workshop for the Ragan Communicators Conference | June 16, 2017
Beth Nyland | Spencer Grace LLC & StoryStudio Chicago Ltd.
© 2017 Spencer Grace LLC and StoryStudio Chicago Ltd. All rights reserved.
Beth NylandSpencer Grace LLC
& StoryStudio Chicago
Corporate Poet
Cutter of Crap
© 2017 Spencer Grace LLC and StoryStudio Chicago Ltd. All rights reserved.
#WriteNoCRAP
CRAP = Corporate Rhetoric And Pomposity
© 2017 Spencer Grace LLC and StoryStudio Chicago Ltd. All rights reserved.
Introduce
yourself
Name
Role
grade school simplicity
Ph
oto
Cre
dit: Ta
ka
siHo
sosh
ima
via
flickr
© 2017 Spencer Grace LLC and StoryStudio Chicago Ltd. All rights reserved.
do we write
business messages?
Ph
oto
Cre
dit: E
ric v
ia flic
kr
© 2017 Spencer Grace LLC and StoryStudio Chicago Ltd. All rights reserved.
Corporate-ese
is no one’s mother tongue.
Ph
oto
Cre
dit: H
un
ter Jo
hn
son
via
un
spla
sh
© 2017 Spencer Grace LLC and StoryStudio Chicago Ltd. All rights reserved.
© 2017 Spencer Grace LLC and StoryStudio Chicago Ltd. All rights reserved.
Ph
oto
Cre
dit: Je
ssica
Luc
ia v
ia flic
kr
You don’t say
© 2017 Spencer Grace LLC and StoryStudio Chicago Ltd. All rights reserved.
Notice that the smaller
pointing apparatus is
directed at the
numeral situated
farthest-right on the
time-keeping device.
Ph
oto
Cre
dit: Irish
Typ
ep
ad
via
flickr
The little
hand is
on the
three.
© 2017 Spencer Grace LLC and StoryStudio Chicago Ltd. All rights reserved.
A long-bodied,
predatory,
marine animal
is approaching.
Ph
oto
Cre
dit: P
ao
lo M
ac
orig
via
flickr
Shark!
© 2017 Spencer Grace LLC and StoryStudio Chicago Ltd. All rights reserved.
Our competitors have
yet to reach the nether
area of the playing field.
Ambulate in that
direction, and I will
propel the game piece
toward your well-
positioned phalanges.
Ph
oto
Cre
dit: S
tud
en
t Sp
orts v
ia flic
kr
Go long!
© 2017 Spencer Grace LLC and StoryStudio Chicago Ltd. All rights reserved.
Competitive
situations
Crises &
emergencies
Teachable
moments
© 2017 Spencer Grace LLC and StoryStudio Chicago Ltd. All rights reserved.
You try!Create a vague,
complicated,
inflated message.
Ph
oto
Cre
dit: C
olle
ge
De
gre
es3
60
via
flickr
Can we
decipher?
© 2017 Spencer Grace LLC and StoryStudio Chicago Ltd. All rights reserved.
Nobody has
time for crap.
© 2017 Spencer Grace LLC and StoryStudio Chicago Ltd. All rights reserved.
1. Know what you mean
2. Do more than be
3. Trim all the extras
4. Translate corporate-ese
4 ways to say what you mean
Ph
oto
Cre
dit: C
hris Y
ou
ng
via
flickr
© 2017 Spencer Grace LLC and StoryStudio Chicago Ltd. All rights reserved.
What’s that you say?
Technology is not just for technology’s sake—
technology is an enabler of our ability to
continue to support our customers in this tight
margin industry to do more with less.
In a tight-margin industry, technology lets us do
more with less for our customers.
?Know
Do
Trim
Translate
© 2017 Spencer Grace LLC and StoryStudio Chicago Ltd. All rights reserved.
What’s that you say?
We’ve set a new level of standard with the XYZ
WidgetMaster 9000. Best-in-class temperature regulators
reduce power consumption, decreasing input costs. The
62-millimeter spinner delivers rapid response time,
contributing to increased production on a decreased
time scale. That’s a win-win.
The XYZ WidgetMaster 9000 is designed to save you
power, time, and money.
?Know
Do
Trim
Translate
© 2017 Spencer Grace LLC and StoryStudio Chicago Ltd. All rights reserved.
What’s that you say?
While product leadership is critical to the success
of any integrated solutions we deliver, we
believe that customers will increasingly choose
the provider that can deliver the best overall
solution.
I wouldn’t say this at all!
?Know
Do
Trim
Translate
© 2017 Spencer Grace LLC and StoryStudio Chicago Ltd. All rights reserved.
1. Know what you mean
2. Do more than be
3. Trim all the extras
4. Translate corporate-ese
4 ways to say what you mean
Ph
oto
Cre
dit: C
hris Y
ou
ng
via
flickr
© 2017 Spencer Grace LLC and StoryStudio Chicago Ltd. All rights reserved.
Ph
oto
Cre
dit: D
arre
n C
urtis v
ia flic
kr
1 thing you learned
1 thing you’ll try
15 ordinary words Send all to bnyland@spencergrace.com
Plan your action
© 2017 Spencer Grace LLC and StoryStudio Chicago Ltd. All rights reserved.
Ph
oto
Cre
dit: V
ale
ry K
en
skiv
ia flic
kr
#WriteNoCRAP
© 2017 Spencer Grace LLC and StoryStudio Chicago Ltd. All rights reserved.
Creative business writing.It’s not an oxymoron.
Beth NylandThe Corporate Poet
bnyland@spencergrace.com
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