DRAMA dots . . .

Creating engaging, effective communications!

Check Out Past Newsletters

I have a recurring appointment at an office downtown, and I pass the same businesses every week. There is one business I’m always excited to walk past – they put out a chalkboard sign with a riddle on it. It’s an escape room business, so their daily riddle is on brand.

This was last week’s sign:

I take pictures of these signs to share with my son; they always grab my attention! (Answer to the riddle is at the end of this section. I won’t leave you hanging!)

We underestimate the value and impact of physical signs. As a communicator, I’m constantly looking for new channels to communicate information. We continually invest in the latest digital tools and platforms, yet we often underestimate the impact of handwritten words on a sign.

Imagine if you had a joke or a fun stat on a chalkboard sign in your break room? Or, what if you had a personal quote from a beneficiary written on a sign placed by the exit at a nonprofit volunteer event? What if you used it to track a company-wide metric, and a different employee updated it each week?

This business used a sign to attract foot traffic and call out an online review!

In the book Made to Stick, authors Dan and Chip Heath discuss what makes ideas “sticky.” Two of the principles they identify are unexpectedness and emotion. That’s what these chalkboard signs achieve. They are unexpected – and sometimes funny/touching.

So, the next time you are trying to share information, consider already existing options that aren’t as popular. Could you communicate information with yard signs? How about a chalkboard sign? Or, a flyer taped to a prominent door?

We are overwhelmed by the sheer number of digital, polished products. Why not try something unexpected?

Answer to the riddle: The cowboy's horse was named Friday. He rode into town on his horse Friday, stayed for three nights, and then rode out of town again on Friday.

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six seven, chat & Aura Farming

What does six seven mean? Do you know what the Aura Farming Boat Kid Dance is? What is the meaning of chat?

6 7: This phrase is believed to originate from the song "Doot Doot (6 7)” by Skrilla. In the song, the numbers are repeated as lyrics multiple times. Some say the phrase is a synonym for "so-so," while others take a more literal approach, saying it means someone very tall. When people use it, they say six seven – not the number 67!

Chat: "Chat" is a term that refers to an audience or group of people. Its origin comes from the streaming platform Twitch. People began to refer to the “chat” as a group. For example, “Chat, did you see that?" or "Chat, chill!" Now, you might hear a teen say, “Chat, what's up?" or "Chat, is this real?"

Aura Farming Boat Kid Dance: In July, social media feeds were flooded with a video of a young boy in Indonesia balancing on the tip of a racing boat doing a super cool dance. Tons of people have tried to replicate the dance, and it’s the ultimate representation of aura farming. (Aura farming is the act of looking cool and building your aura/charisma/rizz.)

These are terms our younger generations are using, so it’s helpful to know what they mean to communicate effectively! And, as a mom of a teenager, I need to understand them!

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A MUCH-NEEDED LAUGH!

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INSPIRATION

Travelers were standing restlessly in endless lines at the Faro International Airport in Portugal. Then, something unexpected happened.

A man lifted a music speaker and started playing “Sweet Caroline” by Neil Diamond. Within seconds, people started singing along. Before long, dozens of travelers were smiling and belting out the song. Everyone was laughing and smiling – the change in attitude was instant.

One guy played a song that changed hundreds of people’s attitudes – within minutes! If that doesn’t demonstrate the power of one person, I don’t know what does!

(TikTok video of this fabulous encounter is below.)

^{⭐ ⭐ ⭐}

Musician Emilio Piano is known for playing the piano in public places all over the world. A woman approached him at the Warsaw Chopin Airport and requested that he play “Daylight” by David Kushner. Within seconds of him playing the song, a crowd gathered to listen. But, they were about to get an even more delightful treat…

Singer David Kushner wandered over with his suitcase and began to sing the song. People gathered to hear him sing and stood silently as the music filled the room. Not only were fellow travelers touched by both of these talented individuals, but so were the millions of people who saw the video online. (Link to video at the bottom of this post.)

Almost every day, I read a new headline about someone behaving badly while flying. Yet, these videos showed how three individuals transformed a sometimes tough, anxious environment into one of connection and beauty.

It can feel like there is more bad than good in this world, but I disagree. Our world is filled with talented, kind people – we just hear more about the “bad apples.”

Wishing you a week filled with unexpected, delightful connections with fellow humans!

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