The people that developed the Smart Draw software have come up with a series of advertorials that are both unique and have application as part of a manager’s tool kit.
They have intrigued me with their style so that I not only use their software but I am now republishing their advertorials free of charge.
The reason for this is the application for pharmacy, in that each pharmacy has a range of stories they need to get out to their patients. If they take the time to craft the story carefully, and illustrate it with colourful graphics or cartoons, then you grab reader interest immediately.
Best of all, these stories are delivered by email – very simply, very cheap.
But there is a considerable time element in story-crafting and illustration.
What follows is their advertorial:

Business Communication is No Place for Ransom Notes

At least it hasn’t been since the gangster days of Al Capone, Bugsy Siegel, or our favorite from The Godfather, Don Vito Corleone.
But look at some business flowcharts, org charts and other visual graphics and you’d think you were looking at ransom notes considering all of the haphazard colors, fonts, shapes and arrangements.
The problem is that, until now, there was no universal language for visual communication.
To solve this, SmartDraw created a solution: Visual Grammar. What is Visual Grammar? It is a set of simple rules that ensures effective visual communication. Just as a word processor automatically applies proper formatting to text documents, SmartDraw automatically applies Visual Grammar rules to every visual.

The Ransom Note Analogy
Imagine there were no rules for written communication. Business letters might very well look like ransom notes we’ve seen in old movies and television shows.

Ridiculous? Of course! But it does bear a striking resemblance to some business visuals you’ve undoubtedly seen. Just take a look at the flowchart (or is it a ransom note?) below.

 

Similar to our business letter/ransom note illustration, the author of the above chart clearly spent a considerable amount of time with shapes, colors, arrows and other artistic pursuits.
There’s a lot of “badda-boop, badda-beep,” instead of a clear, understandable message.
Why Visual Grammar?
Communication, whether written or visual, is much more efficient with a set of rules we all follow than it would be if everyone made up their own.
Visual Grammar is based on two simple rules:
1. The Consistency Rule
2. The One-Page Rule
Here’s a revised version of the above flowchart, created in just a few minutes using SmartDraw, applying the rules of Visual Grammar.

Notice how this flowchart follows the two basic rules of Visual Grammar: it is visually consistent and it fits on one page. It’s easy to follow the process in this chart. It flows from left to right, the same way you read a document.
Click on the image to get a larger version.

Split-paths allow for decisions to be made and the process carried on from there, until the order is shipped to the customer in the final step.

Visuals are a powerful tool – they are proven to be up to six times more effective than communicating with words alone. But they must communicate the message clearly!

Using Visual Grammar with Ease

The templates in SmartDraw are designed to follow the basic rules of Visual Grammar. This allows you to quickly and effortlessly create visuals that communicate effectively. You and your organization will immediately realize the benefits:

• Visuals are consistently formatted, no matter who creates them.
• Attention is focused on the message – not the formatting.
• Productivity improves because the potential for miscommunication is reduced.

Here’s an Offer You Can’t Refuse

Are you ready to get started making great charts that communicate effectively and easily using the power of Visual Grammar? Buy SmartDraw now and save $100 or more!
The following link will find their offer:
http://www.smartdraw.com/buy/?SLSCID=7515_13178331_D333404A-D7B7-435B-81E0-CA20A685BB4F

However, the main reason for publishing this item is that it represents a very effective management tool that could extend your local area marketing, particularly in the area of clinical services.
Slideshows also enhance readership so a slideshow of this type of advertorial could be a real winner.