One year – my five favorite articles

Just over a year ago I set out to create blog to help people communicate better. In that time I’ve received a lot of great feedback, learnt a lot, and reached readers in 128 countries.

First, my most read articles

1. How to brief your ad agency (18% of all page views)
2. Dealing with difficult questions from journalists
3. How to write a victory and concession speech
4. A good ad should have a single idea
5. Rhetorical devices — index cards for speechwriters

My 5 favorite articles (in no particular order)

These articles are the ones I enjoyed writing the most, I think are the best, and have received the best response.

• Rhetorical devices — index cards for speechwriters
  One of the early articles I wrote. Based on the many emails I’ve received, probably the most useful. These cards have been downloaded by seasoned speechwriters and novices alike. If you missed these I highly recommend downloading and printing them.
• Matthew McConaughey’s Oscars speech and the rule of three
  This turned out to be my most controversial article. I received a few heated emails because people disliked Matthew McConaughey’s “arrogance”. Even so, it’s a great example of the rule of three.
• A good ad should have a single idea
  This was a fun article to write. I picked apart a terrible car ad.
• How to tell stories ethically
  This is something many organizations struggle with. An important topic to visit and one that got picked up by other websites.
• Know the three modes of persuasion
  Aristotle can be tough to read. It’s a shame because there’s lots of great insight for communicators. He proposed three modes of persuasion. Something all communicators should know and use.