It’s called “staging” and it makes your written or spoken message more effective by putting your points in the most effective order.
For example, you stage your material when you start an article or presentation with the problem, not the solution, and follow that by explaining the risks of ignoring the problem or choosing a poor solution.
After you describe the risks, you build on that with examples of what might happen, the costs, delays, pain and suffering, and secondary problems that can occur.
Now, you have your reader’s attention and the desire to hear the solution. When you then describe the solution, e.g., your services, they’re all ears and ready to know what to do to get this solution.
You tell them what to do, e.g., call, fill out a form, etc., and to seal the deal, you tell them the benefits of taking that next step—clarity, relief, a proven plan of action, saving money, etc.
That’s staging. That’s using a logical order to improve your audience’s understanding, build tension, and show them a way to release that tension precisely when your reader or listener is most likely to do it.
But staging isn’t just the order in which you present the elements of your message. It’s also about how you transition from one element to the next.
Want an example? (There, “Want an example?” is an example of a transitional phrase that pulls the reader forward to the next element, in this case, an example).
Transitional phrases keep readers reading and listeners listening. They do that by asking questions and painting pictures in their mind with statements that get them to focus on an image or feeling, ready to hear more.
There are many ways to accomplish this. For example, you can ask, “What do you think might happen if. . ?” and letting their imagination do the rest. Or, “Imagine how you’ll feel when you no longer have. . .”.
You can also use transitional phrases to transition to your call to action or close.
A few examples:
“At this point, there are 3 questions you should be asking yourself. . .”
“When I show this to people, they usually tell me/ask me. . .”
“Here are your options. . . which one makes the most sense to you?”
“If this describes your situation, here’s what I recommend. . .”
Think of this type of transitional phrase as a palate cleanser, making the reader ready for the next course.
Anyway, this is just a brief introduction to staging and transitional phrases. You don’t need to be a marketing expert or copywriter to use them. But do pay attention to how others use them in their writing and presentations, and consider how you might use them in yours.
