How to Write for Busy Readers: Why Less Is More with Todd Rogers

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Aug 6, 2025

Todd Rogers, a behavioral scientist and public policy professor at Harvard, reveals the art of concise communication. He shares how cutting unnecessary words can enhance engagement, citing surprising research findings, such as how removing every other sentence can boost donation rates. Todd emphasizes the significance of effective subject lines in emails, using a notable example from Obama's campaign. Discover how to transform your writing for busy readers, focusing on clarity and using AI tools without sacrificing authenticity.

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ANECDOTE

Todd Rogers on Bob Cialdini Mentorship

Todd Rogers admired Bob Cialdini since college and collaborated with him on his last paper.
He shared a personal emotional story about Cialdini's mentorship during a retirement event talk.

ADVICE

Reducing K-12 Absenteeism

To reduce K-12 absenteeism, focus communication on attendance, a clear and actionable issue for parents.
Correct parents' false beliefs about their child's attendance relative to peers to motivate action effectively.

ANECDOTE

No Requests to Suppress Voting

Todd Rogers' team ran Obama's re-election email experiments using behavioral science.
They never received requests on how to suppress opposing voters, showing positive ethical intent.

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What if the secret to effective communication isn't adding more—but cutting ruthlessly? Harvard behavioral scientist Todd Rogers joins Guy to reveal the counterintuitive science behind writing that actually gets read. From his groundbreaking research on voter engagement to reducing student absenteeism, Todd has cracked the code on what makes busy people stop scrolling and start responding.

In this episode, you'll discover the six evidence-based principles that can transform your emails, presentations, and any written communication. Todd shares surprising findings from randomized experiments—like how deleting every other sentence can double donation rates, and why the most effective Obama fundraising email had just three lowercase letters as the subject line.

Whether you're crafting executive briefs, marketing copy, or just trying to get your team to actually read your messages, this conversation will revolutionize how you think about writing.

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Guy Kawasaki is on a mission to make you remarkable. His Remarkable People podcast features interviews with remarkable people such as Jane Goodall, Marc Benioff, Woz, Kristi Yamaguchi, and Bob Cialdini. Every episode will make you more remarkable.

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