Friday, January 16, 2015

Want to Improve Impact of Your Message? Use Strong Verbs

Want to Improve Impact of Your Message? 
Use Strong Verbs

Words we use create emotions in the minds of our readers or listeners. Strong verb convey strong emotions. Strong emotions convey strong message which induces the receiver to either take action which we want or creates strong positive impression about us. Hence, if we want to create strong positive impression about us or we want the receiver to take immediate action on what we want, we must use strong verbs.
Verbs like Achieve, Acquire, Attain, Analyze, Assess, Appraise, Complete, Create, Design, Develop, Draft, Direct, Establish, Eliminate, Ensure, Forecast, Find, Introduce, Investigate, Implement, Launce, Market, Manage, Operate, Organize, Present, Procure, Promote, Provide, Recruited, Revise, Research, Recognize, Resolve, Schedule, Secure, Score, Solve, Supervise, Target, Train, Teach, Team Up, Terminate are strong verbs and we must get into habit of using strong verbs like these.
Use of strong verbs is extremely important in writing resumes or during interviews.
Given below are some examples of use of strong verbs, giving both desirable way and avoidable way of use of these words. The examples given relate to resume building or interview situations. However, these strong verbs can be used to even convey our strong intent. This article is based on an article I had come across on internet during my research for a program on Interview Skills

1. Achieved

Good example: Achieved the target of implementing the software onsite for 200 users 15 days before the deadline.
Strong intent:
Will definitely achieve the target of implementing the software onsite for 200 users 15 days before the deadline
Bad example: To implement the software onsite.
Why bad example is bad.
It sounds more like a responsibility. The interviewer is mainly interested in knowing about your output.

2. BUILT

Good example: Built new premises to convert the study centre into a residential college accommodating 200 student.
Strong intent:
Will build new premises to convert the study centre into a residential college accommodating 200 students in 6 months
Bad example: To Build a new premise for the residential college.
Why bad example is bad.
It sounds more like a responsibility. The interviewer is mainly interested in knowing about your output.

3. DEVELOPED

Good example: Developed guidelines for 50 users to understand and use the new process.
Strong intent:
Will develop guidelines for 50 users to understand and use the new process in 1 week.
Bad example: Developing guidelines to use the new process for client handling.
Why bad example is bad.
What guidelines? When? For whom? The good example answers these queries and shows your output rather than your responsibility.

4. ELIMINATED

Good example: Eliminated the use of thick brown tape for sealing the packages to reduce the cost by over 15 per cent.
Strong intent:
Will eliminated the use of thick brown tape for sealing the packages to reduce the cost by over 15 per cent in 3 months.
Bad example: To eliminate wasteful of resources.
Why bad example is bad.
What type of resources?, How did your action help?, How much was the saving?

5. FORECAST

Good example:
Forecast a downturn in the FMCG business because of economic slowdown. Suggested measures to combat it and achieve the quarterly target.
Strong intent:
Will suggest measures to combat forecast of downturn in the FMCG business because of economic slowdown and achieve the quarterly target.
Bad example:
To analyze and forecast the market.
Why bad example is bad.
How much downturn was forecast? What measures were suggested?, What was the outcome?

6. INTRODUCED

Good example: Introduced a new process to handle queries from potential customers to increase the conversion rate by 60 per cent.
Strong intent:
Will introduce by end of next month a new process to handle queries from potential customers to increase the conversion rate by 60 per cent
Bad example: Introducing a new process to handle client queries.
Why bad example is bad.
What was the system? Where is the achievement?

7. MODERNIZED

Good example: Modernized a chain of 15 retail outlets across three states to meet the taste of youth.
Strong intent:
Will modernize in next 6 months the chain of 15 retail outlets across three states to meet the taste of youth
Bad example: To modernize the look of retail chain outlets.
Why bad example is bad.
What changes were made. What was the achievement?

8. ORGANIZED

Good example:
Organized reseller conferences in three cities while maintaining a close co-ordination with three internal departments and four vendors.
Strong intent:
Will organized reseller conferences in three cities in next 3 months while maintaining a close co-ordination with three internal departments and four vendors.
Bad example:
Organizing events like exhibitions and retailer conferences.
Why bad example is bad?
What were the conferences & events about? What improvement in the business was achieved after wards?

9. RECOMMENDED

Good example:
Recommended five new ways to ensure that the company is able to roll out the new its 'small car' before the launch of Nano.
Strong intent:
Will recommend five new ways to ensure that the company is able to roll out the new 'small car' before the launch of Nano next month.
Bad example:
Recommending ways for the company to roll out its new 'small car'
Why bad example is bad,
What were the recommendations? Were they implemented? What was the achievement?

10. SECURED

Good example:
Secured first position in the university while pursuing MBA course and helped the college stand at the top of the list.
Strong intent:
Will secure first position in the university while pursuing MBA course and will also help the college stand at the top of the list
Bad example:
University topper during MBA.
Why bad example is bad.
Very vague. Provides no additional information. What grades were secured? , How many students?
You can visualize the change in impact of the sentences in all cases of ‘Good examples’ and ‘Bad examples.’ Hence;

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