“Best of 2014” Lists
As we wrap up 2014 and look to 2015, we see a lot of “Best of 2014” lists. And just because there are a lot of lists going around, that doesn’t mean you can’t create one, too. We see so many lists because they work.
Take 300 Seconds today and ask your staff to compile a list of their favorite reads for 2014. When I’ve put together lists like these in the past, my request would read something like this:
“Please email to me by noon on Friday your top reads for 2014. You can list them numerically 1-10 with your favorite as number 1; you can give me your top 3; you can give me a list of 6 titles with no order of preference. It doesn’t matter. But however you give them to me, that’s how they will be published. ALL CAPS? Fine. all lower case with no punctuation? No problem. “Quotation marks” or italics on your titles. Whatever you wish. I will just copy and paste your list as you send it and will not change a thing. Including typos.”
The reason I like to copy and paste the lists as I receive them is because personalities are allowed to shine through. When you do not apply a universal style guide, you get to see individual styles. And if you, as a customer, like the writing style of Elizabeth Schieber, and you agree with her “best of” list, you’re more inclined to go to her for recommendations.
