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"The more you praise and celebrate your life, the more there is in life to celebrate. When you concentrate on what you have, you'll always end up having more."
– Oprah Winfrey
Who else is hitting ATD25 in DC this year? If you're making the trip too, let's meet up and swap stories over coffee! Bianca and I will be at the book signing table during the event (with a nice 10% discount to make your wallet happier). Shoot me a message if you'll be there—it would be fantastic to connect in person!
Speaking of fantastic, our friends at TechSmith are offering a sweet 20% off Camtasia Pro today only!
Thanks for reading!
✨ Share YOUR Best Finds
Find something share-worthy. Drop it here 👇
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Are you feeling pressure to prove training impact?
iSpring Days 2025 is a free annual conference for HR, L&D, and instructional designers. Industry leaders and practicing experts will share proven strategies for aligning training with business goals, speaking the language of C-level, and demonstrating ROI. Mark your calendar for May 29th–30th and register for free!
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📰 News & Notes
Write Like a Marketer: 7 Tips to Level Up Your L&D Content
The Rundown:
Your learning content might be informative, but it's not making an impact if it's not capturing attention. Borrowing tactics from seasoned marketers can transform your L&D materials into engaging, action-driving experiences.
The Context:
This article outlines seven key strategies to enhance your L&D content:
- Hook Early: Craft compelling headlines and openers that immediately grab attention.
- Design for Scanners: Use short paragraphs, bullet points, and bold text to make content easily digestible.
- Highlight Benefits: Focus on how the content will help learners, not just what it includes.
- Tell Micro-Stories: Incorporate brief, relatable anecdotes to illustrate key points.
- Answer "What's In It For Me?": Clearly state the value and applicability of the content to the learner's role.
- Use Marketing Psychology: Apply principles like social proof and scarcity to increase engagement.
- Vary Sentence Structure: Mix short and long sentences to maintain reader interest.
Why It Matters:
In today's fast-paced digital environment, capturing and retaining learners' attention is more challenging than ever. By integrating these marketing-inspired techniques, L&D professionals can create content that not only informs but also engages and motivates learners to apply new knowledge effectively.
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Tell me what you want: why every piece of media needs a call to action
The Rundown: Splice Media argues that every article, podcast, video—or really any media—needs a clear call to action (CTA) to avoid becoming just content for content’s sake.
The Context:
- Too many writers and creators forget to give audiences direction, leaving readers asking “what now?”
- CTAs don’t always mean buying something—they can invite action, reflection, or even just sharing.
- The strongest stories often act as springboards, not just summaries.
Why it Matters: In an age of digital overwhelm and endless scroll, clarity and purpose are your competitive edge. Whether you want to spark change, deepen understanding, or drive clicks, adding a CTA makes your message stick—and your audience act.
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Use Concrete Language To Create Strong Memories
The Rundown: New research shows that texts using vivid, concrete language are far more memorable than those that rely on abstract or generic terms — even when the overall message is the same.
The Context:
- Vivid verbs like “drinks,” “eats,” or “runs” stick better in memory than abstract ones like “experiences” or “learns.”
- Concrete words activate more areas of the brain, making them easier to recall.
- Ads that trigger visual imagery, even if creatively less “clever,” often perform better.
- Overly polished, abstract language can make messages sound nice but fade fast from memory.
Why it Matters: In the battle for attention, memorability wins. Writers often chase cleverness, but this research suggests simplicity and specificity may be the real power play. Concrete language doesn’t just help recall — it builds stronger associations and drives action.
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sponsored
Webinar – Leadership in L&D: Coaching for Excellence
Coaching-driven leadership in L&D isn’t just about delivering content—it’s about unlocking potential.
Join us for a dynamic webinar to explore how coaching can be your most powerful tool for unlocking employee potential.
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🧰 Tech Tools & Tips
If tools are your jam, check out my Work Smarter newsletter.
PPTControl
No clicker? No problem. Control your presentations with your smartphone, tablet, or watch.
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STICKIE
A custom GPT trained on 10 top reviews—delivering science-backed L&D feedback fast.
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From impromptu micro learning to full blown AI-enhanced courses, Camtasia Pro from TechSmith has everything you need to deliver compelling content. Images, Video, Scripting, Avatars and millions of stock assets.
20% off Friday May 2nd only.
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🎧 Podcast of the Week
This is the conversation that caught my ear this week. Check out previous episodes in the Friday Finds podcast playlist.
Stretching Your L&D Budget Further
Michelle Parry-Slater joins Michelle Ockers to share smart ways L&D teams can stretch budgets—using curation, internal podcasts, existing tech, and cross-functional partnerships to boost impact without breaking the bank.
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🧳 Where’s Mike?
If you or your event needs a speaker or workshop that is highly interactive and super practical, we should talk.
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Friday Finds is an independent publication that I produce in my free time. You can support my work by sharing it with the world, booking an advertising spot, or buying me a coffee.
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