Shorter is better

37Signals

An old French mathematician said: “A mathematical theory is not to be considered complete until you have made it so clear that you can explain it to the first man whom you meet on the street.”

Your key message, your unique product or service, your key point of difference should resonate with everyone.

(And surely your message isn’t as complex as a French mathematical theory.)

Boil it down until everyone understands it. Unless everyone can understand it, few people will.

Here are some quick ways to test this out.

Explain it to your dentist.

Explain it to your barista.

Explain it to your parents.

Explain it in 140 characters or less.

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  • http://katenasser.com Kate Nasser

    "Shorter is better" is something close to my heart — and most driver personalities. Thanks for this brief and thorough post.
    Kate Nasser, The People Skills Coach

  • http://sisu.typepad.com Sissy Willis

    True, but much room for mischief. "Ein Volk, ein Reich, ein Führer" comes to mind.

  • http://twitoaster.com/michaelhyatt/i-admire-brevity-in-any-form-especially-writing-clayhebert-explains-why-%e2%80%9cshorter-is-better%e2%80%9d/

    [...] MichaelHyatt  56 minutes ago I admire brevity in any form, especially writing. @ClayHebert explains why “Shorter is better”: http://dailysense.com/2009/06/27/shorter... [...]