| With the constant onslaught of information, it's | | | | information. |
| getting more difficult for people to remember | | | | - Create a catchy slogan. |
| everything they've read. That's why it's so important | | | | - Persuade your readers to repeat your most |
| for writers to aid their recall. To do this, help readers | | | | important message out loud. |
| deposit your information into their memory bank, add | | | | - State your main point in the introduction, then |
| some strong glue and offer some cues to help them | | | | repeat it in the body and conclusion. |
| retrieve the information later. | | | | - Ask the readers to apply what they've learned by |
| Deposit into the memory bank | | | | completing a practical exercise. |
| - Make sure your communication offers value and | | | | - Tell stories, anecdotes or jokes that play on |
| relevance. That's how the brain prioritizes memory | | | | emotions or connect different points. |
| deposits. | | | | - Rhyme. Who can forget: In August 1492, Columbus |
| - Revise your writing until it's easy to understand, | | | | sailed the ocean blue? |
| using your target readers' terms, not the jargon of | | | | Retrieval cues |
| your business or profession. | | | | - Follow up with communication that repeats the |
| - Give people a context in which to remember. Tell | | | | images and other cues you provided originally. |
| them, for example, they will want to remember this | | | | - Use emotional prompts. "I'm scared. Now what did |
| information the next time they go to write an | | | | Oprah tell me to do when that happens?" |
| important email to a prospect. | | | | - Or look to problem-solving cues. When people |
| - Focus on what's important and avoid the clutter. | | | | encounter the problem you can solve, they will dip |
| - Organize your information, guiding your readers with | | | | into the memory and retrieve your solution. |
| numbers, bullet points, categories, acronyms, | | | | Now repeat after me, loudly: "I will help my readers |
| subheads or other devices. | | | | deposit information into their memory banks, add |
| | | | glue to keep it there and give them some retrieval |
| - Use a strong visual to reinforce what you want | | | | cues to pull it out." |
| readers to remember. | | | | Or maybe you should just say, "Woo, glue and cue. |
| - Link what they already know to your new | | | | |