Using bullet points
Filed under: The Water Cooler by Rachel @ 1:06 pmFrank’s right. When Lucy, Laura, Austin and Mr. Jones (he’s the loudest) are gone, it’s really quite dreary around here. (It surprisingly makes it hard to focus). There’s life downstairs, but I only see it when I grab lunch from the fridge. Frank and I eat in our office, and it’s an unspoken competition to see who’s food can smell the strongest. Jumbalaya always beats a chicken salad.
During a particularly quiet afternoon, Frank showed me a newsletter thing that claims to be full of “helpful information” for marketing executives to make wise decisions and $$. My favorite part was an article on the use of bullet points. The writer said the rule for bullet points is to have a list of 5 items, with the order of importance like this:
• Your most important point
• Your second-most important point
• A less important point
• Another less, dull, dry point
• The third-most important point.
I was thoroughly amused by the list and by the good-idea-ness of it, because as I was reading, I automatically glanced at the first two points, and then skipped down to the last one! (I now plan to be a little more conscious of how I put lists together for ads.)


No way! I do that too - the skipping the middle of the list thing! Those marketing smarty-pants. (And it’s so good to be home. I missed you all too.)
Comment by Laura — February 20, 2008 @ 4:15 pm
You know, I’m so detail oriented that read all bullet points in order. I fear that I may miss something important. It’s likely due to my pesrsonality type. lol
Comment by Eric — February 26, 2008 @ 11:35 am
You could always have three points if you only have three points worth saying. Say what you mean and mean what you say and people will listen more than with puffy marketing tricks. That’s my theory.
Comment by Michael — March 4, 2008 @ 8:35 pm