In a Noisy, Distracted World, Clarity Wins with Steve Woodruff

“We're more and more distracted today. There's more and more noise. What hasn't increased is attention.” In our noisy, distracted world, it's harder than ever to get our audience's attention — to say nothing of making sure that they remember and refer us. What we need is clarity of message. This week on the On Brand podcast, I was joined by Steve Woodruff who talked about his new book Clarity Wins.

About Steve Woodruff

Steve Woodruff is known as the King of Clarity. In a world full of noise and distraction, Steve helps businesses craft a message so clear that they can be heard, remembered, and referred. In over 30 years of business experience, he has consulted with companies ranging from solo startups to Top Five Pharma. You can learn more about him and his work at www.clarityfuel.com.

Episode Highlights

In a world that's noisy and distracted ... As you can tell from the first few minutes of the podcast, one thing Steve and I both like saying in our best announcer voice is,“In a world ...” However, in a world this noisy, Steve sees one mistake all too often.“People try to say too much. This actually creates confusion. You have to distill it down.”

Physician, heal thyself. Steve correctly pointed to our Brand Driven Digital website, noting that our messaging needs more clarity like my author/keynote speaking site has. As it turns out, we're working on that and will have something to share in the months ahead.

Why metaphor matters. On my author/speaking site, Steve noted the impact of the line,“The Indiana Jones of Branding and Marketing.” It's especially useful as it's a metaphor.“Metaphors offer short cuts to the memory hooks of the brain.”

The Clarity Wins system. Metaphors are just part of Steve's framework. He shared how clarity comes from four key ingredients — statements (clear and concise sentences), stories (that reinforce these statements), snippets (keywords and metadata), and symbols (the aforementioned metaphors).

What brand has made Steve smile recently? Steve shared how his adopted hometown of Nashville makes him smile every time he sees the skyline as he descends in a plane returning from a trip. That's a good community brand!

To learn more about Steve, check out the book at claritywins.org, connect with The King of Clarity on Facebook, and visit his company website clarityfuel.com.

As We Wrap …

Did you hear something you liked on this episode or another? Do you have a question you’d like our guests to answer? Let me know on Twitter using the hashtag #OnBrandPodcast and you may just hear your thoughts here on the show.

On Brand is sponsored by my new book Brand Now. Discover the seven dynamics to help your brand stand out in our crowded, distracted world. Order now and get special digital extras. Learn more.

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Until next week, I’ll see you on the Internet!

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