Bloghound

  After a hectic week of meetings and presentations I was reflecting on why so much of the communications fell flat, failing to motivate or influence. The speakers and meeting leaders were smart, experienced people yet they failed to connect.

Maybe they forgot to act like five-year-olds. When I was researching my book Beyond Buzz I learned that adults learn with their five-year-old minds. Here’s what it means for communications and marketing.

The five-year-old likes to argue and reason; uses words like “because.”

Explain why and why not.

The five-year-old uses five to eight words in a sentence.

Keep it brief; use short sentences.

The five-year-old is interested in cause and effect.

Explain, “if we do this, then this is what will happen. If we don’t do this, these are the likely consequences.”

The five-year-old understands and uses comparative terms.

Use more analogies to help understanding.

The five-year-old enjoys creating and telling stories.

Storytelling remains one of the best ways to make meaning and help people understand, remember and repeat ideas.

The five-year-old uses swear words to get attention.

Use more disruptive ideas and language.

The five-year-old likes simple rules.

Don’t make things too complicated.

The five-year-old has a good sense of humor.

Keep a perspective; lighten things up.

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