This Post Is Not About Earth Day, But It Is…Sort Of

The envelope arrived in my dorm room mailbox on an ordinary winter afternoon. I was a sophomore, and still clutching to the not-so-unique dream of becoming the next writer who changes the world. The president of the University of Georgia, a sprawling university of scholars, journalists and activists, invited me to dine with civil rights icon and Congressman, John Lewis, after a scheduled speech at the school.

Unbridled enthusiasm danced in my mind for a grand total of seven minutes before I recalled the only thing comparable to dining with a Congressman, dinners with the deacons at my old church. Would he be like that—watchful eyes peering at me, explaining what my generation was doing wrong, poking his salad fork at me with instructions of what I should and should not do?

I cannot be sure, but I think I had a few nervous skin breakouts as the date of the lunch approached. When it finally came, I lingered outside a restaurant way too pricey for my college budget and listened to the sounds of my churning stomach. I visualized the table settings, gave myself a pep talk, checked my breath and entered to meet my fate.

After introductions over a reassuringly familiar southern lunch and iced tea, I waited for the friendly eyes to morph into laser beams. I waited for him to tell me what the youth was doing wrong. I waited for him to give me a history lesson. After all, I loved history. What was one more class going to hurt? I waited for him to tell me what I should be doing with my life. Instead, I partook in one of the best conversations of my life.

What are your dreams, Dawn?

Let me tell you some stories about...

How do you feel about…?

I left feeling as if I could do anything.

By removing modals that are a turnoff such as “you should,” and employing two-way dialogue and storytelling, Congressman Lewis had me rushing to my guidance counselor's office prepared to give up my writing dreams to pursue a law degree. Writing won out. My belief that I could cause a change did not fade. And it did not depend on the powerful words of the 2008 election because years ago, a brilliant activist (and my mother) told me I had the power to change the world.

Something magically happens when you approach people you want to adopt your cause without sanctimony. Novel tricks such as a real conversation, removing modals from your lexicon, and using Story can work wonders to draw in people. When you get good at it, you can empower people to do anything. If you are really good, your audience will do anything for you and your cause.

Did you catch the hidden message, activists?

Three Reasons Why We Love This Woman’s Story?

We love to greet the unexpected almost as much as rooting for the underdog. Audiences in the United Kingdom did both when nebbish Susan Boyle walked onto the stage for Britain’s Got Talent. They knew her type. She was forty-seven years old and somewhat dowdy. Her place was in a public library, not the fast-paced world of music.

Then she sang. Even Simon Cowell’s jaw dropped.

To date, Boyle’s enchanting performance of “I Dreamed a Dream” from “Les Miserables” boasts over 18 million views on YouTube. Twitter ranks the video as one of its most shared links. She is singing her way into the big leagues with CNN, ABC, The New York Times and MTV mentions. Boyle is living the dream of twenty-something pop ingénues. She is an overnight sensation. But why do we love her story? What lessons can her fast rise to instant stardom teach us as we create our own stories?

• Give them the element of surprise – Boyle’s appearance and timid demeanor trigger a pre-existing expectation of the experience to come. It is unlikely she will dominate the stage like Beyonce or Britney. Her voice quivers as she speaks. It appears that she cannot hold a tune. When she sings, she completely shatters our pre-existing notions and creates a sensory experience more enjoyable than if we knew she could sing from the start.
  
  
• Theory of emotional relativity – David slays Goliath with nothing more than a slingshot. Rocky defeats Captain Ivan Drago. Humans have an eternal love for the plight of the underdog because we see ourselves in that person. When they rise, we suddenly feel empowered to do so. Our stomach churns in agony in their moments of defeat. (Consider when you yell at the television to direct a character from a well-written movie, television show or advertisement.) Suddenly, these everyday people become our every man. Our trials and tribulations intermingle with their stories, and we need them to succeed so we can.
  
  
• Tell them a great story – Talented people beat the odds everyday—some of them on nationally televised talent shows. What makes Susan Boyle’s triumph so fascinating? Unemployed, middle-aged woman lives with her cats. Check. She seeks a shot at stardom on a TV talent competition. Check. She faces the wrath of not one, but three antagonists (the judges) and a mob of non-believers (the audience). Check. She triumphs and receives a standing ovation. Check. The result is a viral story sweeping the Internet and media outlets complete with the irresistible headline, “Never been kissed’ singer, 47, wows Cowell.”

What does this mean for your own story? When conveying a idea with editorial, creative or marketing copywriting, consider your readers’ desires for you to enrapture them with a great message. Defy their expectations; connect with their needs; tell them a story that will spark a response. Give your readers “water cooler copy” worth sharing, and they will think about your story for days to come.

Is Narcissism Dripping From Your Copy?

Congratulations! You do not have narcissistic personality disorder. Is narcissism dripping from your copy? Emily Yoffe explores the complexities of narcissism in the Slate article, “But Enough About You …What is narcissistic personality disorder, and why does everyone seem to have it?” Yoffe’s explanation of narcissistic personality disorder has many breathing a sigh of relief. One must wonder if our copy rubs readers the wrong way.

Many throw out narcissism as a catchall term and lump the egocentric with those with disabling personality disorders. In reality, the narcissism trait escalates upwards three grades on a spectrum. We like our narcissists in healthy doses. When they are charismatic and daring, we hang onto a narcissistic business leader’s every word. That leader’s thirst for adulation becomes irritating to followers at the second graduation. We might pay attention, but not as intently.

At the third stage, true narcissistic personality disorder, a narcissistic leader’s preoccupation with him or herself inhibits their ability to create and maintain productive working and personal relationships. Their stunted emotional development hinders their capacity to consider for others’ feelings.

What does this mean for their copywriting? Narcissists (and their organizations) often produce marketing collateral, web content or editorial copy that reads like the Autobiography of My Company and Me. Shockingly, it is only a few pages shorter (and slightly less humble) than the majority of the copy circulating today.

Fear not if you find traces of narcissism in your copywriting. After pouring hard work, creativity and countless resources into your business, you deserve to sing its praises. Your competitors are singing the same tune. Without a meaningful connection and tangible benefits to separate you from the pack, phrases such as a “we are the leading so-and-so” are nothing more than bombastic clichés.

Add to that the curse of knowledge shared in Chip Heath and Dan Heath’s bestseller, Made to Stick. Based on Dr. Elizabeth Newton’s tappers and listeners experiment at Stanford University, the Heath brothers surmise our years of experiences infuse us with an inherent desire to share our knowledge. When we do communicate this knowledge, we unleash it like a raging river bewildering everyone in our path.

Thankfully, an antidote exists for the curse of knowledge. People pay attention when writers research their market and weigh readers’ needs before they write. Seth Godin opens his book, All Marketers Are Liars: The Power of Telling Authentic Stories in a Low-Trust World, with the following: “I have no intention of telling you the truth. Instead, I am going to tell you a story. This is a story about why marketers must forsake any attempt to communicate nothing but the facts, and must instead focus on what people believe and work to tell them stories that add to their worldview.”

Develop a concern for your audience’s wants and needs, and then create a story so compelling your readers cannot help but to develop an ongoing relationship with you. I promise they will hang on to your words. But enough about my opinion. What is yours?