In honour of National Book Lovers Day, it’s only right to take this time to celebrate books in all their glory. Editorial and campaigns assistant Tylah Mofford highlights how they can inspire internal communications today.

As an avid bookworm, I find reading is the perfect form of escapism – giving you the means to escape from life, work and technology. There’s nothing better than checking out of real life, switching off your phone and getting your nose in a book. Whether it be fiction or non-fiction, books are able to transport you into entirely different times, places and even worlds. A fantasy can transport you to an underwater kingdom, a biography can show you the past through someone else’s eyes, and even a textbook can throw you back into ancient history. Without realising it, you paint impressive pictures of characters, events and locations in your mind from just a few words on a page.

How does any of this apply to internal communications you may ask? Well, the answer is simpler than you may think…

In such a fast-moving, digitally driven world, it’s easy to get wrapped up in technology. This is why it’s always good to take a step back, and picking up a book is a great way to do just this. Even without images or moving parts, books manage to hold the attention of their readers.

Of course, emotive imagery and exciting visuals are a large part of internal comms, but we should be reminded to never underestimate the power of the narrative. If a book can enthral its audience with nothing but words, your internal comms content should be crafted with the same attention to make sure your messages land with impact.

Think about how books consider the audience. Unlike in a film, where audiences often sit back, passively absorbing and accepting what is shown on screen, books give readers the framework to develop their own images. Authors jam-pack their works with creativity to capture the reader, whilst also allowing their imagination to run wild. There’s no reason why internal comms can’t do the same.

Now, it’s safe to say your internal comms content doesn’t need to be 500 pages long or include fire-breathing dragons. However, it should deliver clear, catchy and captivating content which encourages audiences to actively think, instead of dictating information to passive recipients.

So, the next time you’re devising your internal comms, have a think about what your favourite author would do to keep you, their reader, engaged and desperate to read on.

If you’re in need of inspiration, why not get in touch for some friendly guidance and let us help shape your content with you.