Talk in Plain English: CDC Guidelines and Assessment for Health and Wellness Communication

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When was the last time you took a hard look at your wellness, fitness or health related communications? Are you presenting and conveying your area of expertise in such a way that your intended audience actually understands it?

The Plain WHAT?

The CDC has to comply with the Plain Writing Act of 2010 which is a big reason as to why these new guidelines were developed. Even though your wellness business may not have to comply with the Act (or even HEARD of it, for that matter) you can still benefit from the guidelines and use the self-testing to see if you’re communicating health, medical, and wellness stuff in plain English. Sure, some of this is marketing 101, but it goes beyond that. The user guide is full of excellent examples and information, including the effective use of visuals and key messages.

Put It To The Test

There are two DIY assessments that let you put your wellness communication material to the test. One is for materials one page or longer. The modified assessment is for shorter pieces (less than a page) or information given orally.