When we are trying to explain a proposition, a process or a difference, it is worth asking whether we really need all that detail.
In good copywriting, it’s not necessary to unpack every idea. A better technique can be to not explain too much. For example, two or three short verbs or labels can often carry a concept just as effectively as a paragraph, because they give readers a structure to remember.
Think of an instrument which, say, automates recalibration. We could write a paragraph about how much easier it is to press a button and reset the process, and what a breakthrough this is, and how clever we are for making it happen. Or we could use a couple of images with the simple statement:
“Press ‘Recalibrate’. Ready to go again.”
In other words, short labels can help us make things less complex without making the whole idea feel trivial.
The labels don’t work if they are too generic. “Innovate. Transform. Grow.” may sound impressive in a marketing meeting, but it says very little. The words need to describe real actions, real stages or real outcomes.
It turns out that some of the best two- or three-word structures have a natural order. They move from problem to action, from action to result, or from first step to final outcome. That sequence is what makes them useful. Give it a try!