My adventures continue. After an amazing climb in West Virginia and last week’s conference in Indianapolis, I’m off to Toronto this weekend to put a few more vacation days to good use. I could get used to this.

With Bianca on the itinerary, it feels like a good week to share something from our book. Last week, we looked at whether people notice what we want them to notice. This week, let’s look at what happens next. Can they tell why your message matters and what to do with it?

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Supported by iSpring

The Human Side of AI​
AI can make L&D faster and smarter. But the best work still depends on very human skills: judgment, creativity, empathy, and expertise. That’s the focus of iSpring AI Days on October 28—and I’ll be speaking there too. It’s free, practical, and well worth a look.

​Save your spot →​

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Give It the SURE Test

In Think Like a Marketer, Train Like an L&D Pro, Bianca and I share four checks to apply to your content:

• Simple: Is the main point clear?
• Useful: Can people see how this helps them?
• Resonate emotionally: Does it connect with something they care about?
• Easy to skim: Can they quickly find what matters?

SURE, for short. You can use it on a slide, on a course screen, as a job aid, or in the words you use in a meeting. Let’s try it on a familiar email.

​Grab the SURE infographic here.​

Also supported by Neovation

If your team has 17 priorities, you probably have zero priorities. That’s why I like the simple thinking behind Neovation’s Law of 3s to focus your plan on the few things that can actually move the needle. On October 21, they’re hosting a free session on Strategic Plan Design and how to turn an ever-growing list of goals into something your team can realistically execute.

​Register now →​

From “Training Is Available” to “This Helps Me”

Here’s a made-up example:

You’ve probably read some version of that. Maybe written one, too. It announces training, then sends people off to find a reason to care.

Suppose the session gives people 20 minutes to learn and practice a way to start a tough conversation. Lead with that:

The change is more than shorter sentences. There’s one clear offer, a skill people can use, a concern they may recognize, and a next step they can find at a glance.

That’s all four SURE checks. The session still needs to deliver, of course. Better words won’t rescue an empty offer.

Use It Across Your Day

On a slide, replace “Project Update” with “We need two more weeks to test.” Then show the reason. People can see the point before you start talking.

In a job aid, replace “Account Management” with “Reset your password.” Put the steps right below it, in the order people need them.

In a meeting invite, write “We’ll choose the three fixes to tackle first.” Now people know what the meeting is for and can come ready to help.

When you’re speaking, adapt “easy to skim” to “easy to follow.” Give people a clear point and enough space to take it in.

And emotional resonance doesn’t mean adding a moving story to every message. Getting back into a locked account is a real concern. Helping someone solve it can be enough.

Also supported by Flaree

Give your team a simple way to recognize meaningful work and build a stronger culture every day.

​See how Flaree works →​

Try It Before You Share It

Choose one thing you’re about to send, show, or explain. Run it through SURE, then ask someone: “What’s the point, and what would you do next?”

Their answer gives you a useful place to start. If they miss the point or have to hunt for the next step, revise it before you share it more widely.

Bottom Line

Once you have someone’s attention, help them see why the message matters and what to do next. SURE gives you four checks to use wherever you communicate.

Know someone who writes, teaches, or presents? Forward this issue. They can try SURE on the next thing they share.

Are people looking where you think they are?

Last week’s tools help you check which parts of your design are likely to get noticed.

Think Like a Marketer, Train Like an L&D Pro

More ways to bring a marketing mindset to your learning work.

Write for the way people read

Practical examples of workplace messages built for busy readers.

Try This With One Slide

Take a slide you’ve already created and write down the first three things you want people to notice. Maybe it’s the headline, a key number, and a chart.

Now run the slide through one of these tools and compare the prediction with your list. If they match, great. If they don’t, don’t explain the slide harder.

Fix the hierarchy.

Reduce competing elements, increase contrast where it matters, and tone down anything stealing attention from the main point. Then test it again.

That’s a much better design loop.

It also connects directly to an idea Bianca and I explore in Think Like a Marketer, Train Like an L&D Pro: ​

Bottom Line

Good visual design isn’t just about making something look polished. It’s about directing attention on purpose.

For years, we’ve relied on instinct, experience, and design principles to do that. Those things still matter, but now we can pressure-test our assumptions.

Sometimes the heatmap tells you something your eyes didn’t.

Your challenge: Test one slide this week and ask yourself:

Is the eye going where I want it to go?

📍Where I'll be next

• ​Training 2027 Conference & Expo,
  February 22-24 Orlando, FL

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