Make Your Copy More Creative

Use metaphor to bring numbers to life

by Ann Wylie, president, Wylie Communications Inc.

Back when Al Gore was a presidential candidate, he pointed out that George W. Bush's tax cut would net the average family 62 cents — about enough to buy a can of Diet Coke — each week.

Bringing numbers to life through an illustration is a great way to communicate and persuade.

That's what Senator Tom Daschle was doing when he showed up at a press event with a loaded Lexus. He said that if you're a millionaire, under the Bush plan, you'll get enough money back to pay for the car. But if you're a typical working stiff, you'll only save enough to buy a muffler.

Finally, Newsweek's coverage of the proposed tax cut brought the numbers to life in a chart that showed how much you'd save based on your income, marital status and number of children. The editors translated the tax savings into goods, such as:

Three week's worth of groceries ($168) for a married couple with two kids and an income of $20,000

Round-trip airfare to Paris ($752) for a single person making $60,000 annually

A Hobie Getaway ($6,138) for a married couple without children earning $200,000 a year

Tip: Translate numbers into things to bring them to life for your audience members.

Need more techniques for creating a structure that makes your copy easier to read and write? Check out Ann's workshops and learning tools.

About the author

Ann Wylie runs a company called Wylie Communications Inc. Ann works with communicators who want to reach more readers and with organizations that want to get the word out. To learn more about her training, consulting or writing and editing services, call Ann at 816/997-8753 or e-mail her at ann@wyliecomm.com. Get a FREE subscription to Ann's e-mail newsletter at http://www.wyliecomm.com/newsletter_signup.shtml.

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