Is Your Content Agile?

For the past few months, Tank, the Chief Walking Officer, and I have been training in Agility. It takes time and dedication to learn how to work as a cohesive unit and we have a great deal of training before we can even step foot on to a course. The subtle finesse of guiding Tank through an agility course applies to creating content for your audience.

Learn the Language

The most difficult part of communication is learning to speak a common language. I am learning to “speak” with Tank so that we both achieve a common goal. If you communicate using technical language(assuming your audience is not privy to insider jargon), you are less likely to connect with your audience. Break down your subject matter into relatable words and ideas. For instance, scan any blog or social media post and you will notice a pattern of pop culture references used to explain complex ideas. I had an idea for a CPA to use Star Wars as a way to explain why using an accountant will save your business money. Ex: How a good financial plan would have saved $$ on the Death Star. Seriously, how do you build a second Death Star with the same fatal flaw? Sorry, I digress.

Guide Your Audience

I can’t guide Tank through a tunnel or over a jump if I don’t give him the proper cues. I am learning to break a complex task into verbal and non-verbal clues to achieve a successful outcome. The same idea works for your content. If you content is complex, provide markers to guide your audience through dense material. We all remember the simple tenet from school about the first sentence of a paragraph setting the theme for what follows. With the quick and short writing style of blogs and newsletters, you have the advantage of using subtitles(as I am doing here) as your introduction to the next idea. Don’t just write about a topic, reward your audience with valuable information. A small reward will keep your audience coming back to you for more insight and assistance. This leads in to the next section…

Be the Expert BUT Keep it Simple

To be honest, it’s been a challenge training Tank. He’s a deadly combination of smart and stubborn. He’s the reason I sought the guidance of an expert. She is helping me to shape our behaviours which, hopefully, will lead to success. When we are having trouble perfecting a task, my instructor reminds me it’s not the dog’s fault; it’s mine. She helps me to break my commands into verbal and non- verbal cues Tank will understand.

Your audience is consuming your content for the same reason; they are seeking advice from an expert. This is your opportunity to offer help and assistance to address your audience’s issues or concerns. In The Copywriter’s Handbook(Bly, Robert. New York: St. Martin’s Press, 1985, 2005), it suggests you keep your message simple. Don’t over-complicate your message using long sentences or big words. If your audience doesn’t understand the advise your impart, you are at fault. Always write with your reader in mind.

Motivate Action

In the end, my ultimate goal is to motivate Tank to successfully navigate the obstacles. I need to engage his attention and guide him to the end of the course(he’s a year and a half old Lab so this proves to be difficult some days. Lab owners can relate). Your content should do the same thing; motivate your readers and guide them to the end a.k.a. Call-to-Action. You may not motivate from the start. It takes time and commitment. It takes time to build trust. It takes time to build a relationship. As all of these elements come together, you will be surprised just how easily your content becomes more agile.