People respond to simple messages. Complex ones invite confusion— or worse: boredom.

If you can deliver a message simply and wrap it in a story, you’ll make it memorable. Connect emotionally— emotion anchors memory.

An example:1

  1. She died. He died.
  2. She died, then he died of grief.

The first is just information. The second is a story (or plot). Providing a “why” makes it meaningful. Context gives the mind a reference point.

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Expert marketers use simple language and compelling stories to educate, entertain, inform, and persuade. Consider how much the slogan: “Make America Great Again” conveys. It appeals –correctly or incorrectly– to a sense of identity, history, and nostalgia. Like it or not, it’s memorable and emotionally charged.

Identify the core of your message. Refine it. To be more effective when communicating, remember the adage:

Less is more


  1. This example is adapted from E.M. Forster, who used it to describe plot in Aspects of the Novel. I came across it after (re)reading The Art of Thinking Clearly by Rolf Dobelli (Chapter 13: Story Bias). It was slightly misquoted, but remains a powerful illustration of the point. ↩︎