By Simon Hall
You might have the best venture in history, one with the potential to change the world, but you'll get nowhere unless you can communicate it.
To help get your message across with style and substance, here are my top five tricks of compelling communication for excellent entrepreneurship.
Modern life is fast. To interest potential customers in your product or service, you need to catch their attention in an instant. That's where the headline value proposition comes in.
Just like with an old-school newspaper, this should sit loud and proud at the top of your content. Whether it's a website, trade show banner, pitch, or anywhere you're trying to interest and impress.
The snag is that you've only got about 10 words maximum because it's a headline. So, how do you create a powerful headline value proposition, given such constraints?
The answer is a heroes and villains approach. The villain is the problem you're solving. The hero is you, riding to our rescue to save us from it. For example, probably the most iconic headline value proposition comes courtesy of Apple and the iPod:
1000 songs in your pocket
Problem:Â You want to take your music everywhere. Solution: The iPod and all that music at your disposal. The headline value proposition grabs your attention in an instant.
For a more modest example, my company, Creative Warehouse:
All your communication problems are solved with style.
Problem:Â You're struggling to get your message across. Solution: Here's us to help you with quality and creativity.
Start your entrepreneurship communication journey with the headline value proposition. Get it right, and you'll find you're using it here, there, and everywhere.
You're smart, and you know your subject inside out. But your customers, investors, and stakeholders probably don't, and that's important to remember. So, you have to keep your communications simple so everyone can understand.
When it comes to messaging, never forget the golden rule:
Simple isn't stupid. Simple is smart.
That means avoiding science speak, jargon, and protracted lexemes. What? Protracted lexemes?! Sorry, I meant big words. But I hope that makes the point. Being clever is a barrier to understanding and a turn-off. Being simple is smart and engaging.
Take this example from a business I worked with. They had a great product. But it wasn't selling. And they asked me if that might be due to the way they were describing it:
Utilizing Brownian motion models, non-regime switching data universes,
multiple quantitative data source complex clustering, and characterization algorithms,
we forecast equities' shifts.
Any guesses as to what the business was offering? If it helps, this is my translation:
We use advanced math to call the stock markets.
Funnily enough, they're now selling plenty of their service. That's the importance of cutting out the tech talk, science speak, and word waffle.
Incidentally, this is also important if you're a boss. A guaranteed way to destroy your credibility and demotivate your team is the dreaded management speak. For example:
We need to break down silos to ensure buy-in to facilitate
action items as an imperative.
Might that sentence work better using plain and simple language? How would you translate it? Perhaps something like:
We urgently need to work better together to
complete projects and ensure support.
How much clearer and easier to understand is the simplified version? And here's an important tip for your reputation if you are a manager...
Which of the two versions makes you look far less of a wally?!
This is the most common trap for entrepreneurs trying to communicate their wares.
You love your venture. Of course, you do. You believe in it, heart and soul. Naturally, you want to talk and talk and talk some more about it to impress. Bombard potential customers with information, as that's the best way to get them interested. Right?
Wrong. Super wrong squared.
Like computers, people have limited memory capacity. They can only take in so much. The trick is to hit them with the most appealing information and then stop.
Entice, don't overwhelm. Tempt them into a conversation to find out more; that's where the real business gets done.
For example, here's my biography in long form:
I'm a course Leader in writing, public speaking, and storytelling skills at the University of Cambridge, and a Senior Research Associate in the Intellectual Forum at Jesus College, Cambridge. I also run my own business communication agency, Creative Warehouse, and have published a series of books on communication, including -- the Secrets of Storytelling-- public speaking and Presentations -- strategic communication, Writing Blogs-- and Leadership Communication - along with eight thriller novels. My latest book, Compelling Communication, is published by Cambridge University Press, and designed as a companion to my Cambridge University course. I'm also an article and opinion writer for Times Higher Education, Management Today, and Business Weekly publications. Previously, I was a broadcaster for 20 years, mainly as a BBC Television, Radio and Online News Correspondent. I specialized in business and economics, politics, and government.
I bet you skipped over all that, didn't you? The fat block of text was too dense and daunting to read. Now compare it with this version:
I'm a course Leader in writing, public speaking, and storytelling skills at the University of Cambridge. I also run my own business communication agency, Creative Warehouse, and have published a series of books on communication. I'm an article writer for publications including Management Today and Business Weekly. Previously, I was a BBC Television, Radio, and Online News Correspondent.
Which are you more likely to read? And actually, remember?
That's the power of less is more. Say what you need and stop. However hard it might be.
By the way, if you're still not convinced about the power of less is more
and keeping it simple...
Here's the number one slam dunk poster child case study. It's a world-beating business that could have been so complex. But courtesy of simplicity and brevity, it's so easy, and that's been a big contributor to its success.
What is it?
And the answer is...
Look at the simplicity and the art of less is more in the finest effect, courtesy of the Google search engine, and learn the lesson.
Simplicity, brevity, and your headline value proposition are the critical foundations of compelling commercial communication. So now, let's put them to use in crafting an excellent elevator pitch.
Remember to keep it simple and translate any jargon: that's the 30-second (maximum) pitch to introduce yourself and your business at meetings, networking events, and any other occasion you need to.
Here's mine for Creative Warehouse:
We can solve all your communication problems with style and a smile - from headline value proposition, to your website, to successfully pitching for investment. We've already done so for dozens of startups, including some now valued at hundreds of millions of pounds. I'm Simon Hall, Director of Creative Warehouse, and if you'd like to talk further, come find me after the meeting.
Now, let's break down the components. The first line is the hook, to make sure the audience is listening. As you can see, it's based on our headline value proposition.
The second line establishes our credibility. Any fool can make a claim, but do you have the credibility to back it up?
The third line is your introduction. It's only polite. But notice, you don't have to introduce yourself at the start. Unless you're Elon Musk, your name is unlikely to be the most interesting thing about you.
Finally, comes the call to action. It's no use making a strong impression unless you have the chance to follow it up.
Notice my elevator pitch is only 64 words, or about 25 seconds of spiel. Less is more, so say what you need and stop. And there's no jargon or long words. It's simple and straightforward, and it works well that way.
I know because using it has helped bring in more business than I can remember.
Now that you're conversing with a potential customer, courtesy of your value proposition, brevity, simplicity, and elevator pitch, how do you impress them further and seal the deal?
The answer is a far too often underrated, but extraordinarily powerful element of entrepreneurship:
Storytelling
All science tells us facts fade, but stories stick in the mind. So, if you've got an important message, always put it in the form of a story.
For example, I could tell you that my University of Cambridge course, Compelling Communication Skills, can help you grow your business. Or I could tell you this brief story:
The Director of a Biotech firm just emailed me after he and three of his team took the course. He writes:
The learnings from the course have had a powerful impact -- especially on our proposals -- our win rate has increased materially this year. I really think I owe you a drink!
What has the most impact? What will you remember? My bland statement that the course can help grow your business, or my brief story?
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Simon Hall
Simon Hall leads a course in writing, public speaking, and storytelling skills (Compelling Communication Skills) at the University of Cambridge.
He also runs his own business communication agency, Creative Warehouse, which specializes in helping entrepreneurs, and has published a series of books on communication and business skills. The latest, Compelling Communication, is from Cambridge University Press, a companion to his University course.
Simon is also an article and opinion writer for publications including Times Higher Education, Management Today, and Business Weekly.
Previously, he was a broadcaster for 20 years, mainly as a BBC Television, Radio and Online News Correspondent. He specialized in business and economics.
Contact Simon Hall here.
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