Scott Gould is a global consultant, speaker and coach on engagement. He explores how people engage with anything – be it an idea, a product, an organisation, or other people.
He shares three questions to ask, that will help make your "thing" more engaging, whether you're engaging people in an event, a campaign, a vision, a podcast, an idea, a product, or even a date!
1. Is it CLEAR?
Remove jargon. Say precisely what you want people to do, and why. Explain it as you would to a 5-year-old, or a golden retriever.
Being clear is better than being clever. When you make things clear, often the benefits stand out, because you've got rid of all the noise.
It is amazing how many people will engage with something simply because they understand what is being asked of them. But if something is confusing, people often quit before they've even really understood what it is you're asking of them.
2. Is it ENJOYABLE?
The famous Marie Kondo method of organising your closet is to ask whether each item of clothing "sparks joy".
Joy drives action. Make it easy, yes. But ideally, make it play. Make it fun. Make it a positive experience, not just a neutral one.
On the other hand, if trying to engage with you is like trying to navigate the phone helpline of a bank, then don't be surprised that people don't engage. (I'm looking at you, Microsoft Teams!)
3. Is it USEFUL?
Lastly, make sure you deliver value, such that people can USE IT AGAIN. Essentially, make it recyclable!
For instance, I attend many conferences, talks and webinars. But many are non-recyclable. What I mean is, I can't use the content they shared with me again. The content does not live on. The hour spent listening or interacting with other is wasted.
Instead, treat any instance where you deliver value as a rehearsal for how people will use it at home.
Have fun with these three! I hope they are clear... and I hope they will be useful :-)
Yours engagingly,
Scott Gould
