As advocates for health literacy and plain language, we need to be ready to respond to a skeptic at a moment’s notice. Are you ready, Team Plain Language? Team Jargon can be intimidating, but with the right tools, we can win!
Every effective advocate has go-to arguments on hand, so we’re sharing a few of our favorites to help you build your arsenal.
- Plain language is the law. Since President Obama signed the Plain Writing Act of 2010
, many federal agencies began writing more clearly. Similar regulations also apply to credit cards and health insurance. - Simple sells. Many private companies are moving toward using plain language because it increases customer satisfaction. Just think about Apple. Customers (aka most people) are busy — they want to understand things quickly and easily.
- Clear communication is more effective. It saves times, cuts down on errors, and helps reduce costs. There are plenty of studies showing the benefits.
Why are you on Team Plain Language? Share your favorite reasons in the comments.
And for a closer look at which federal agencies are excelling at writing in plain language, check out the Federal Report Card from the Center for Plain Language.
The bottom line: Make sure you’re prepared to defend plain language. It’s the law, it’s good for business, and it’s more effective.
Tweet about it: I’m on Team Plain Language! Here’s why: bit.ly/1jTT69m via @CommunicateHlth #HealthLit
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