Venustate: to make beautiful; improve

Like you, I spend a lot of time thinking, and talking/writing, about improving things. Everything from blog posts, web copy, newsletters and Mission Statements to nonprofits, communities and the world.

Who wants to improve when you could venustate? Venustating a blog post or–thinking big picture–the world sounds so much more fun and important, doesn’t it?! (Clearly, venustate wouldn’t be appropriate in all contexts, but a super fun swap-out for word-savvy readers like you.)

We often perendinate expanding our vocabularies.  Who has time to learn new words when we’re awash in so many already?!

Between texts, emails, Facebook, and good ol’ fashion convos, words come at you at a breathtaking pace.

And therein lies the opportunity.

If you want more people to support your nonprofit, this onslaught of words is precisely why learning new words presents such a big opportunity–it’s one of the easiest, cheapest ways to get, and keep, attention!

And getting attention is the first step to getting people on your nonprofit’s Engagement Cycle.

You may recall that when we did the research for The Wordifier, we learned that nonprofits were using a scant 5% of the words in the English language. Let me say that differently: five percent.

Let’s flip that sad fact on its head: 95% of the words in the English language are out there waiting for nonprofits to use them to get, and keep, people’s attention. This is why Lesson 4 of Claxon University’s Words on a Mission course focuses on creating an Organizational Lexicon. It builds in an opportunity to take advantage of the 95% of hardly used words.

[Important, related side bar: Interesting, brand-defining words are particularly important for your Mission Statement.]

To be clear: stringing together a bunch of hardly used words isn’t the answer to your engagement woes. Rather, plucking out a choice verb, adjective, and/or noun from your ever-expanding vocabulary and pairing it with more common words lands you in the sought-after messaging sweet spot.

One of the easiest ways to become a vocab rock star is to subscribe to Dictionary.com’s Word of the Day feature. I never cease to be amazed at how many of the words I don’t know…and find super handy as soon as I do!

Or, if like quirkier words, check out Unused Words. Their commitment to keeping the vivacity of the English language alive is unparalleled. #Gratitude

***Take a few minutes to see if Claxon University is for you! At $2.60/day, it might be one of the best investments you can make in your organization this year.***

Post Readability Stats: Reading Ease 62.6, Grade Level: 8.2

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