Let's Stop Talking In Slogans

We live in a world of snappy slogans, but that may not be the best way to communicate, write Dan Heath and Chip Heath in Fast Company. "People need a reason to prefer Crest over Colgate," but those same people—that's us—shouldn't talk like toothpaste salesmen. "What happens if you have something really important to say, but when you open your mouth, what pops out is a snappy snippet?”

"People don't speak slogan-language today unless they're trying to put one over on you," which means yours is bound to fall on cynical ears. Here's how to break the habit: If you can picture your idea emblazoned on a mug or ending with multiple exclamation points, lose the language and “start communicating.” "Make it real, color in some details, let it be something people can care about," they write. "Just don't make it snappy.”
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