“And how is clarity to be achieved? Mainly by taking trouble and by writing to serve people rather than to impress them.” — F. L. Lucas
Wow effects are easy to achieve. When in doubt, throw money at the problem. Samsung, for example, has put entire orchestras on stage during their keynotes.
Wow effects rarely increase clarity, though. Also, you don’t even need clarity to achieve a wow effect.
Aha moments are different. You can’t buy an aha effect.
The aha effect requires effort. It requires you to do the work and think things through. You’ll have to see your audience to understand where they’re coming from and what matters to them. You’ll have to understand their language so that you can find the words that lead everyone in your audience to see what you see.
Aha effects require clarity. Clarity requires effort.
But it’s worth the effort. Because while wow effects usually fade quickly, aha effects often last.
The best way to think about wow effects is as a door opener to your audience’s connection. But once you’re in, lead them all the way to an aha moment.
