Inspired Series: Business of Design's Tracy Chemaly

There isn't much Tracy Chemaly can't do. I've seen her at work and she's a master at her craft, which probably comes from her immense experience. She's been a big time journalist, a freelance writer and a PR powerhouse. Currently she's programme manager with Business of Design, and manages the media for Cape Town gallery Southern Guild. 

Tracy knows what makes good content, and what audiences want to read (a girl after our own  hearts!). Her writing style is clear, fresh and engaging. I remember an article she once wrote on Tinder dating that had me lol-ing. We are thrilled to kick-off our Inspired Series with her, as she answers the five social media questions we want to ask everyone.

Tracy with US-based design duo The Haas Brothers during GUILD international design fair. 

Who is your biggest inspiration on the internet?
It's got to be @deanva on Instagram. We used to work together in magazines. He recently left his job as a decor editor and is now working as an interior designer. I tell you, he photographs the most gorgeous snaps of objects, interior architecture and furniture. We could be looking at the same thing, but the way his eyes see it is completely on another level. His page is pure decor indulgence for me.

When was the last time you read really good content online?
I'm biased about this one, but I was just so impressed by how House and Leisure magazine took a press release I had written for Business of Design and turned it into a snappy, want-to-read feature with seven reasons why people should attend our conference. I become so bored of people simply reprinting a press release. It excites me when a journalistic angle is taken and writers put in a little effort to make the story more appealing to their specific audience. (Read it here).

Business of Design runs in Cape Town and Joburg in spring and autumn.

Which is your your favourite social media platform? Why?
Facebook. I'm loyal that way. It was the first platform I was ever on, and so I feel more connected to it. Plus, because I’m a trained writer, I enjoy the fact that there’s more room for self-expression on Facebook, with the added bonus of pics being easily viewed.

What is your biggest social media pet peeve?
Bad spelling. I don't expect everyone to be a spelling bee competition winner, but really… there’s a difference between it’s and its, and there and their!

If you could have a Twitter Q&A with one person living or dead - who would it be?
My 85-year-old gran. She's just mastered WhatsApp, so Twitter could be next.

Why your word choice matters

Blogs, website copy, social media, newsletters, marketing… and that’s not even the half of it! Yes, your business puts out a lot of content and all of it is important. But not as important as using the right words. 

I sometimes sound like a broken record when I say this, but I’m all about using the right language to reach the right people.  And that means that your word choices matter. You’ve got to think about what you want to say, and how your audience wants to hear it. It’s a two-way street.

For example, last weekend’s Sunday Times was a special ‘green’ edition (kudos Times, we loved it!). On the front page, Browns jewellers took out a quarter-page ad highlighting their sustainability programme the Plum Tree Project. 

So far, so good. Piggybacking on the green theme to show you’re a leader in sustainability efforts – that’s a wise move. And front page placement gets you prime time coverage – double points. But when I read the content of the advert, I did a double take. 

Sequestration? That’s a strong word. In fact, I had to look it up. 

Now, I’m a writer. I’m a science writer at that. But I wasn’t able to make sense of this add without doing my homework. I’d bet you good money the majority of Browns clients don’t know what sequestration means. And I highly doubt any of them looked it up. 

Why choose such a hefty word when there are other word choices out there? It’s not that you’d be “dumbing down” the content, in fact, it’s just the opposite. You’d be making the content more relatable. 

Better words would have worked here. Words like mitigated, deferred, offset or reduced would have made the content more clear, more direct and understandable to a larger audience.

I can’t say it enough. If you want to reach your audience, you have to speak their language. That means putting yourself in their shoes and relating to them. Your word choice matters, because it has to matter to them. 

Of course, there are other reasons why it should matter. You could end up with a pun on your hands. And no one likes being laughed at.