We’re one division with many programs, reaching out to a general audience as well as to specific groups of people.
Your distinct program speaks with your unique “voice” that shows different sides of your program’s personality.
And the tone of your voice shifts to fit your purpose and to suit the occasion—enthusiastic when enticing people to attend a fun event or serious when sharing sad news, for example.
Your voice and your tone also have to adjust to fit your medium—especially when it comes to digital channels: web, e-mail, and social media.
Think of digital communications as a good conversation that leads your audience to recognize, trust, and interact with you.
To communicate effectively be …
clear
This giving website is a one-stop shop for choosing the best way to direct your generosity and make many things possible for Cornell.Discover how you can make gifts that make a difference for Cornell.
✅ Plain language
✅ Simple and direct
✅ More literal, less figurative
concise
With great excitement, Cornell University is pleased to announce an opportunity to learn about the many career options and avenues the university offers, at a special event on campus, on Friday, January 13, 2017, at Bailey Hall.Curious about a career at Cornell? Join us at the career fair on January 13 at Bailey Hall!
✅ Straight to the point
✅ Shorter sentences
✅ No unnecessary words
accurate
Cornell has a myriad of academic institutions and resources to ensure undergraduate students succeed and receive a world-class education.More than 100 fields of study. Fourteen colleges and schools. Cornell offers you many intellectual paths to pursue.
✅ Supported by facts
✅ Having adequate information
✅ No exaggeration
action-oriented
A celebration for Cornell alumni, parents, and friends will be held at the Radio City Music Hall in New York City, featuring the university’s new president, Martha E. Pollack, on Saturday, March 18. It’s going to be a rare opportunity not to be missed! Registration is open.Let’s celebrate with Cornell’s new president, Martha E. Pollack, on March 18, at Radio City Music Hall. Don’t miss out!
✅ Active voice
✅ Verb forms over noun forms
✅ Clear call to action
and, most especially, conversational:
✅ friendly
Summer classes for alumni are starting soon! Continue to learn from top-notch faculty while enjoying Cornell’s beautiful campus at its greenest.
but not fawning
We know Cornellians like you are smart, talented, and always hungry to learn. And we know you ache for Cornell, especially in the summertime when campus is in full bloom—just how you love to remember it. Let us take you back with our summer classes for ever-inquisitive alumni like you!