Directional list

When discussing anything, from a beachside getaway to proper behavior in a focus group, businesspeople mistakenly plop descriptions on the page, believing they’ll somehow arrange themselves into a cohesive order. Not true. Every description needs some sort of logical movement that readers can follow as easily as a street map. Depending on the document, you can move from left to right or right to left; top to bottom or bottom to top; details to overview or overview to details; and on and on. The main point: determine a direction in your list and follow it.Use with

Transitions include

Notice how this section from a brochure describing time-share apartments in the Caribbean moves from an overview to specifics:

Envision a land where the temperature never dips below 75° and never rises above 85°. Look closer and see a house tucked into a mountainside overlooking a stark blue sea. Then, look even closer and see an interior with a dishwasher, washing machine, Jacuzzi, and every other modern convenience. Now, imagine yourself living there two or even three months a year.