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The Value of Clarity

Hah, finally! Scientific proof for my belief that making things easy to read makes them easier to understand and do.

I don’t always get immediate buy-in from clients when I tell them their marketing materials or instruction manuals need an overhaul. Sometimes it’s the cost of the re-do (when in fact poor materials cost you potential sales), a mistaken belief that more is better, or the conviction that because the client understands it — isn’t it obvious? — their customers will too.

Turns out, according to Wray Herbert in American Scientific Mind, A Recipe for Motivation: Easy to Read, Easy to Do, people are more likely to do something if it’s easy to read.

I don’t just mean the words, I also mean the general look and feel.

Words, sentence structure, layout, font, type size. All of these things matter when trying to get people to understand or DO something. The harder it is to read, the less likely people will engage or feel they want to attempt or can accomplish the task.

I know that holds true for me. I often don’t finish reading text that isn’t scanable, single paragraph articles/letters/emails are a pet peeve, and I won’t buy books, leisure or business, if the type is too small or there’s too little white space. Now scientists confirm that, while I may be peculiar, I’m also onto something. (Note: I also appreciate a nice texture to the cover and paper.)

Basically, if you want people to get it or do it, keep it clean and simple on every level.

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 By liz gaige, June 18, 2009 | Filed under Articles, Copywriting, Marketing - General, Marketing Collateral, Marketing Message