How Writing Style Can Communicate Company Values
Engineering our writing toward the “seven basic needs” of customers and investors
In a recent Entrepreneur Magazine article, Alon Braun traces the “seven basic needs of human beings” that successful companies focus on. Informed by economist Manfeld Max Neef’s insights, Braun outlines how companies appeal to audiences by spotlighting one or more specific needs:
(1.) variability/fun,
(2.) consistency/safety,
(3.) status/significance,
(4.) love/connection,
(5.) self-expression,
(6.) growth/knowledge, and
(7.) contribution.
Ultimately, he claims that startups, like many successful companies, can effectively nod to these needs during funding pitches.
As implied by Braun, startups should spotlight values driven by “basic human needs.” To this end, the style of a company’s pitch can — and should — also align with prioritized human needs — specifically within written materials. Although it matters what is written in a pitch, it additionally matters how it is written — as the writing style can reveal a company’s value commitment toward certain “human needs.”
This begs the practical question: how can we harness our writing style to showcase our “human-needs-based” entrepreneurial vision?
Variability, fun, and self-expression
Various successful companies satisfy the “human need” for variability and fun. Richard Branson celebrates this human need at the Virgin Group. Shaquille O’Neil speaks to this human need at Papa John’s Pizza. “Fun” can offer a winning formula. Investors can sense this.
So, how can your company’s writing style evidence a commitment to fun? You can finesse fun into your writing simply by varying sentence structures. Specifically, you can thread short sentences alongside longer sentences while sometimes purposing the occasional sentence fragment. Intermittent uses of tasteful wordplay may also work well. Maybe some metaphors every now and again. Perhaps even subtle rhymes or alliteration.
When tempered, a versatile writing style can communicate fun more subtly — and less riskily — than more heavy-handed strategies. For example, it can be risky to splice humour or whimsy into your writing. The public can interpret these attempts as “trying too hard,” “unprofessional,” or worse, the humor may fall flat. Or even worse yet still, the humor may actually offend potential customers or investors. Therefore, instead of gambling on carefree approaches, a lively rhetorical writing style can emphasize fun in a professionally artistic manner — and avoids risky uses of humour.
Consistency and safety
Does your startup align with customer needs for consistency and safety rather than variability and fun? If so, you can communicate steadfastness in your writing. Confidence and strength can be conveyed via tone. As advised by virtually every successful novelist including Stephen King and Francine Prose: effective writers hunt for hardworking, specific verbs that clarify ideas and project confident action. Strong tone begins with strong words, specifically, powerful verbs. Therefore, your company may want to write in “e-prime” — that is, avoiding verbs of “to be,” such as “is,” was” and “were.” In fact, you should probably avoid generic verbs altogether, such as “have,” “get,” “do,” “make,” and “go,” in favour of more nuanced action words.
Take novelists’ advice and elevate your verbs when pitching your literature or presentation deck. You will notice an instantaneous difference. The pitch — and the company — will command much more confidence. And you will demonstrate consistency and security as important company priorities.
Love and connectivity
Does your business outwardly celebrate human relationships — akin to the approach of Starbucks or Allegiant Airlines? If so, you can actively show it with your language. Specifically, you can use plural first-person pronouns, such as “we,” “us,” and “our.” These simple one-syllable words can get a lot done. They communicate community: the bond between the company and the audience. The consistent use of these pronouns within writing expresses social connectivity.
Status and significance
Does your luxury-oriented company focus on customer status and significance? You may want to strategically pivot toward second-person pronouns — “you” and “your” — to direct the conversation toward audience members: customer importance and image. This emphasizes that your company values customer status: giving customers attention, making customers feel important.
Growth, knowledge, and contribution
Does your startup prioritize customer growth, knowledge, and contribution? If so, craft your language to radiate optimism. Avoid pessimistic language, such as “no,” “never,” “seldom,” “cannot,” and “don’t” — and instead, favor words like “certainly,” “positively,” “often,” “bright,” “build,” “illuminate,” and “construct.” Even verbs like “spotlight” and “highlight” exude optimism simply because “light” is part of the word.
Choose words that convey constructive energy. In doing so, your pitch may not even need to overtly emphasize customer growth in its message. When using more hopeful words, readers feel the optimism pulsate throughout the writing. They will feel the growth-directed heartbeat enliven their enthusiasm. The rhetoric will be able to deliver such emphasis without having to ever explicitly explain it.
In sum —
Purposefully engineering your writing style can help your company outwardly align with particular “human needs” — while also richly texturing your funding pitches. When startups design their reading experiences with particular human needs in mind, potential investors can palpably feel the company values emanate from the text itself. Not only can that show a startup’s value commitment in action, but it can also give your company a communicative edge.
