Writing

Here's how to simplify your pitch and 10x your sales: 1. Talk less, sell more. Short sentences = more sales. Hemingway once bet he could write a story in 6 words that'd make you feel something: "For sale: baby shoes, never worn." Your pitch should pack the same punch. 2. Complexity is for people who want to feel smart, not be effective. The worst salespeople make simple things sound complicated. The best make the complex simple. 3. Complexity says, "I want to feel needed." Simplicity limits to only what is needed. 4. Read your pitch out loud. I remember when I'd asked my COO to read the manuscript of my book. He chose to do it aloud. All 258 pages. Ears catch what eyes miss. The final version reads like butter. 5. "Be good, be seen, be gone." This was the best sales advice I ever got. - Good: Deliver value - Seen: Make an impression - Gone: Don't overstay your welcome People buy from those they remember, not those who linger. 7. Speak like your customer, not a textbook. We like to sound sophisticated. "We create impactful bottom-line solutions." But we like to listen to simple. "We help small businesses explode their sales." Which one would you buy? 8. Every word earns its place. Your pitch should be lean and mean. - Be specific - Avoid cliches - Check for redundancy - If it doesn't add value, cut it out 9. Abstract concepts bore. Concrete examples excite. ❌ "We'll increase your efficiency." ✅ "We'll save you 10 hours a week." Paint a picture. 10. People buy on emotion & justify with logic So tap into their feelings: - Fear of missing out - Desire for success - Need for security Then back it up with facts. 11. The "Grandma Test" never fails. If your grandma wouldn't get your pitch, simplify it. No jargon. No buzzwords. Just plain English. 12. Benefits > features. Dreams > benefits. ❌ "Our group hosts 10+ events per year." ✅ "Our program helps you close deals." 🚀 "Let's take back Main Street through ownership." 13. Use power words: - You - Free - Because - Instantly - New These words grab attention and drive action. Two final things to keep in mind... Simplicity isn't just for sales. Apply these principles to: - your business operations - your thinking processes - your next investment - your relationships - your to do list Sales isn't just for car dealerships. You pitch when you: - Negotiate a raise - Interview for a job - Post on social media - Hire someone for a job - Talk to an owner about buying their biz If you found this useful, feel free to share for others ♻️

Copywriters: Before you write a single word of copy, make sure you're crystal clear on these 5 crucial questions: This will help ensure your message is clear, compelling, and effective. 1. What is the offer? Clearly define what you are promoting. Is it a product, service, event, or something else? Understand every detail of the offer to communicate its value accurately. 2. Who is the target audience? Identify who you are speaking to. What are their demographics, interests, pain points, and desires? Tailoring your message to resonate with your specific audience is key to capturing their attention. 3. Why should they care? Highlight the benefits and value propositions. Why is this offer relevant to them? How will it solve their problems or enhance their lives? Establishing a strong connection between the offer and the audience's needs is critical. 4. How can they get it? Provide clear and concise instructions on the steps they need to take to get the offer. Whether it's making a purchase, signing up, or any other action, ensure the process is straightforward and easy to follow. 5. How does it work? Explain the mechanics of the offer. How will the product or service be delivered? What can the audience expect after they engage with the offer? Transparency builds trust and reduces any potential friction in the decision-making process. --- Your ability to address these questions throughout your copy will make a HUGE difference in its reception and performance.

Don't try to sound smart. Try to be useful. 3 years ago, I deleted my most "impressive" newsletter. 2,000 words. Multiple frameworks. Industry jargon everywhere. 14 drafts. It felt "professional." It felt "high-level." It felt wrong. That week, a CEO guest spoke to me before our podcast: "You know why I listen to your show? Because you make things simple." Then she paused. "But your newsletter... sometimes I need a dictionary." That changed everything. I opened my analytics that night. The pattern was clear: My "smartest" content performed worst. My simplest advice spread fastest. I had been: • Writing to impress peers • Stacking jargon on jargon • Trying to sound "intellectual" • Hiding behind complexity So I started over. New rules: 1. Write like I talk 2. No words I wouldn't use at dinner 3. Every piece needs a clear "do this" Example: Before: "Contemporary market dynamics necessitate strategic pivots in content optimization." After: "Test what works. Double down on what people love." That decision? It built my entire business: • The podcast grew exponentially • The newsletter became my main lead generator • Sponsorship deals rolled in • Speaking opportunities opened up Best feedback I get: "Used your advice. Landed the client." "Finally, someone who makes this simple." "Implemented this today. It worked." The truth about expertise: • Rookies hide behind jargon • Veterans embrace simplicity • Masters focus on impact This philosophy drives everything: • How I write • How I speak • How I teach • How I coach Because here's what I learned: Value beats vocabulary. Always. 3 questions before publishing: 1. Would my mom get this? 2. Can someone use this today? 3. Did I remove all the fluff? Remember: Your audience's success is your scorecard. Not your vocabulary. Today? That decision to choose simplicity over sophistication was worth millions. But more importantly: It actually helped people. // Agree? Simple or complex content - which actually helps you more? Share below. #ContentCreation #Podcasting #Writing #ValueFirst

Your prospects are lying to you. Not about budget.... About what's really stopping them from buying. Most sellers spend 90% of their time convincing people why they SHOULD buy. But completely ignore why they WON'T. It's like Eminem in 8 Mile. Remember that final battle? He called out every single reason someone could use against him. Took away their ammo. Left them speechless. That's exactly what you should be doing in sales. The Unspoken Objections (The Real Reasons People Don't Buy): Fear - "What if this doesn't work and I look stupid?" - what do you think your prospects are afraid of with your product, get ahead of it. Pain of Change - "Learning something new sounds exhausting" - how hard do your prospects believe the change process will be? Uncertainty - "I don't trust that this will actually deliver" - Have they ever done something like this before? Past Experience - "We tried something like this before..." Ego/Commitment - "Admitting we need help means I've failed" Being Wrong - "What if I pick the wrong solution?" Things are OK - "We're not dying, so why rock the boat?" Lack of Understanding - "I don't even know what this does" Most reps pray these never come up. Winners address them before they're even thought. The 8 Mile Approach to Selling: Instead of: "Our product increases productivity by 47%" Try: "I know you're probably thinking 'another tool to learn' - here's why this one's different..." Instead of: "We have 500 happy customers" Try: "You've probably been burned by vendors before. Here's what we do differently..." Instead of: Hoping they don't bring up price Try: "Yes, we're expensive. Here's why companies still choose us..." When you proactively address the unspoken objections: 1. You build massive trust (they think "wow, they get it") 2. You control the narrative 3. You eliminate their escape routes 4. You sound like a peer, not a pitcher The uncomfortable truth? People don't buy because of what you tell them. They don't buy because of what they tell themselves. And if you're not addressing what they're telling themselves, you're just another rep making noise. Stop selling features. Start dismantling fears. Your close rate will thank you. Sit down. Map these out in the messaging process (this applies to outbound just as much as it does demos) Get to work. Now everybody from the 313...

NASA kept these photos from Apollo astronauts’ cuff‑checklists under “Restricted” access for years. No, it’s not proof that the moon landing was faked. What they hid from the public eye was far more sly. On Apollo missions, each astronaut wore a multi‑page cuff checklist. It’s the ultimate cheat‑sheet for their moonwalks. Hidden between the pages? A surprise the ground crew preferred taxpayers never saw. That stunt proves two things: Memory buckles under pressure. A well‑curated checklist can keep you on task and make you laugh. When the pressure is on, even highly trained astronauts rely on simple checklists. That same humble implement saved pilots and patients back on Earth. In 1935,  Boeing B‑17 crashed at the first test flight. A simple mistake from the pilot who missed to disengage a lock led to the  first 19‑item pre‑flight checklist. That practice transformed the aviation industry for the better and saved many lives throughout the decades. Fast forward to 2008, Harvard Prof and Surgeon Atul Gawande did a study in 8 countries to implement a 1 page checklist before every surgery. Surgical deaths got cut by 47 %. The WHO officials adopted this checklist as the gold standard to save lives globally. 5 tips for making your checklists bullet-proof 1. Make every item deterministic.  Obvious to say yes or no. When two different people read it, they must interpret it the same way.  Don’t say “Check analytics”.  Say “Analytics tested in GA Extension. Confirm equivalent behavior for control and test paths” 2. Aim for the Goldilocks scope.  Too generic “How to start a business” = junk.  Too narrow “How to add this specific button in this bespoke web page” = can’t reuse.  3. Engage the doers.  Early engagement creates ownership and gets natural compliance.  4. Update after every use Make it a team habit to update the checklist after every execution. 5. Use the right type of checklist. Read-Do for things that must be done and confirmed at each step (eg. Payroll Checklist) Do-Cofirm for multiple party checklists that need checkpoints (eg. Product Launch Checklist) At Boomerang, we use: *Product‑launch checklist – born during Boomerang for Yahoo (RIP) and still evolving 13 years later. *Pre‑ & Post‑flight experiment – our Year of Experiments yielded 7 pre and 5 post-flight items that rescued us *New‑hire onboarding – Google’s 5‑item checklist study shows 25% boost in productivity *Off‑site playbook – 28 retreats in, we know every power‑strip, Sharpie and lunch menu counts. Comment “Checklists” if you want the Boomerang checklists mentioned. Are you still waiting for what the secret NASA was hiding in the cuff checklists? You will have to listen to the episode 6 of Less Busy Lab linked in the comments. P.S. The first commenter who guesses the hidden Apollo photo gets a virtual coffee.  P.P.S. Hint: The time has changed and you can’t do that in this day and age.  P.P.P.S. Sharing this NASA story doesn’t mean I approve of what they did. 

⚠️ PSA ⚠️ Ban the use of "We are thrilled" and "I'm excited" from your press releases, social posts and executive quotes!! These phrases waste valuable real estate and dilute your message. Editors cut them. Readers skip them. Instead, say why it matters — to your audience, your customers, the industry. Say something meaningful that moves the story forward and adds value to the conversation. Rather than announcing how you feel, share why it matters. 💬 Instead of: “We’re thrilled to partner with X” ✅ Skip directly to: “This partnership brings [concrete benefit] to [target audience/market].” 💬 Instead of: “We’re excited to launch Y” ✅ Skip directly to: “We can now help [target audience/market] [pain point] with [new solution].” 💬 Instead of: “We’re honored to be acquired by X” ✅ Skip directly to: “Joining X gives our team access to [resource or capability], so we can serve [audience] with even more [new solution].” I have seen this too much lately and needed to post a friendly reminder. #PR #comms #writingtip

Your title doesn’t make you a leader. How you communicate with your team does. Here are 12 tips top leaders use email to create clarity, show respect, and drive results: 1. Acknowledge Delays with Gratitude, Not Apology ❌ "Sorry for the late reply..." ✅ "Thank you for your patience." 2. Respond Thoughtfully, Not Reactively ❌ "This is wrong." ✅ "I see your point. Have you considered trying [alternative]?" 3. Use Subject Lines That Get to the Point ❌ "Update" ✅ "Project X: Status Update & Next Steps" 4. Set the Tone with Your First Line ❌ "Hey, quick question..." ✅ "Hi [Name], I appreciate your time. I wanted to ask about…" 5. Show Appreciation, Not Just Acknowledgment ❌ "Noted." ✅ "Thanks for sharing this—I appreciate your insights." 6. Frame Feedback Positively ❌ "This isn't good enough." ✅ "This is a great start. Let’s refine [specific area] further." 7. Lead with Confidence ❌ "Maybe you could take a look…" ✅ "We need [specific task] completed by [specific date]." 8. Clarify Priorities Instead of Overloading ❌ "We need to do this ASAP." ✅ "Let’s prioritize [specific task] first to meet our deadline." 9. Make Requests Easy to Process ❌ "Can you take a look at this?" ✅ "Can you review this and share your feedback by [date]?" 10. Be Clear About Next Steps ❌ "Let’s figure it out later." ✅ "Next steps: I’ll handle X, and you can confirm Y by [deadline]." 11. Follow Up with Purpose, Not Pressure ❌ "Just checking in again." ✅ "I wanted to follow up on this. Do you need any additional details from me?" 12. Avoid Passive-Aggressive Language ❌ "As I mentioned before…" ✅ "Just bringing this back to your attention in case it got missed." Key Point: Effective email communication isn’t about being perfect. It’s about being intentional, clear, and respectful. Choose your words carefully. Your emails can either open doors or close them. ♻️ Repost to inspire your network! And follow Victoria Repa for more.

On writing papers with impact. I often hear people complain that academics don't write papers with real work impact. I tend to disagree bc I feel like we all study topics have an impact, but we simply don't know how to write them or frame them. While I am no expert, I came across a great editorial that offers insight how to design & write a study that communicates impact to broader audiences. Andrew Burton-Jones, Steven L. Johnson, & Ann Majchrzak editorial in MIS Quarterly on"Producing Significant Research" offers insight into how authors can enhance the impact of their research & better communicate its importance. So what do they advise? 1. When starting a project, authors should ask: * How does this paper address an unsolved challenge in practice? Example: If studying remote work, go beyond general benefits & identify specific challenges like "How do remote employees manage digital fatigue & maintain productivity?" * Does the paper consider multiple perspectives on this challenge? Example: If researching AI in hiring, consider perspectives from job seekers, employers, & regulators rather than focusing solely on HR professionals. * Does completing this project offer insight that benefits society? Example: If studying misinformation, clarify the broader societal impact: "Our research informs policymakers on how to design social media regulations that balance free speech with misinformation control." 2. When writing a paper, authors should make it: * Accessible: Use clear, straightforward language accessible to non-academic audiences. * Credible: Support claims with empirical evidence and examples of practical applications. * Arresting: Clearly articulate the real-world problem, limitations of existing knowledge, and how the study advances understanding. They also suggest avoid: * Overuse of technical jargon that reduces accessibility. * Vague generalizations in the discussion and implications sections. * Failing to specify which stakeholders will benefit from the findings. 3. Never forget practice. * Consider practitioner perspectives early in the research process. Example: Consult working professionals instead of relying solely on academic literature. * Engage with real-world problems rather than purely theoretical gaps. Example: Investigate "how flawed data models led to incorrect credit scores, impacting millions of consumers." * Frame research for multiple audiences (academics, industry, policymakers). Example: Tailor takeaways separately for stakeholders. * Seek feedback from non-academic peers on clarity and impact before submission. Example: Ask a non-expert colleague to summarize the key takeaways. If they struggle, simplify and clarify your message. Andrew, Steven and Ann argue that authors who proactively embed impact into their studies will be better positioned to contribute meaningful, high-quality research. I think they are right. Give it a crack! Editorial here: https://lnkd.in/ePyeFk_k

Your emails say more about you than you think. 👇 Here’s how to make every email polished and professional. Acknowledge Delays Gracefully ✘ "Sorry for the late response." ✔ "Thank you for your patience." Be Clear with Requests ✘ "Let me know what works for you." ✔ "Could you confirm if this works for you?" Own Your Mistakes ✘ "Sorry, I missed that." ✔ "Thanks for pointing that out—I’ll fix it right away." Close Emails Effectively ✘ "Let me know if you need anything." ✔ "Feel free to reach out if you have any questions." Make Follow-Ups Professional ✘ "Just following up on this." ✔ "When can I expect an update on this?" Show Respect for Their Time ✘ "Can we talk about this soon?" ✔ "Would you have 15 minutes this week to discuss this?" Be Confident, Not Tentative ✘ "I think we should consider…" ✔ "Here’s what I propose we do." Avoid Wordy Explanations ✘ "I spent a lot of time rewriting this to make it perfect." ✔ "This email outlines the key points—we can discuss more in person." Offer Solutions, Not Problems ✘ "I’m not sure what to do here." ✔ "Here’s what I suggest as the next step—what are your thoughts?" Set Clear Expectations ✘ "Does this make sense?" ✔ "Let me know if this aligns with your expectations." Be Polite When Asking for Help ✘ "I need this ASAP." ✔ "Would you be able to assist me with this by [specific deadline]?" Keep It Professional When Scheduling ✘ "What time works for you?" ✔ "Are you available at [specific time and date]? If not, let me know what works instead." Emails reflect your professionalism. Get them right, and you’ll always leave a great impression. ➞ Start today by refining your communication style. -- Think this could help someone? Share it to improve the way they communicate. ♻️