Skip to content
Get a demo

Learn Smart Brevity from
editors who shaped it

Our expert-guided courses let you dive into the research behind our format and the techniques that bring it to life.

Fundamentals

$10,000 / session In our virtual 1-hour course, an Axios HQ editor will share the research behind Smart Brevity. You'll learn our framework — from effective ways to target an audience to the art of more memorable updates — and dig into the tangible techniques your team can apply daily.
Go deeper
  • Strategy prep call with an Axios HQ editor
  • Dedicated account manager to help plan
  • Day-of execution on Zoom or your platform
  • A copy of our Smart Brevity checklist
  • A copy of our presentation slides

Workshop

$15,000 / session In a virtual 2.5-hour course, an Axios HQ editor will begin with Smart Brevity Fundamentals. The remainder is hands-on work using your own internal communications. You'll practice writing or editing in Smart Brevity and get live feedback from the Axios HQ editor to improve.
Go deeper
  • Strategy prep call with an Axios HQ editor
  • Dedicated account manager to help plan
  • Support planning your hands-on exercise
  • Day-of execution on Zoom or your platform
  • Our Smart Brevity checklist and slides
Popular

Advocate Series

Custom / series Our most successful partners know building new skills, or strengthening an existing one, requires reps. To go beyond a foundational understanding of Smart Brevity — and become a pro at applying and advocating for it — we'll co-create a training series that hits your goals.
Go deeper
  • Every session is custom
  • We'll work with you to create them
  • We'll share best practices along the way
  • Your team will practice writing and/or editing in Smart Brevity and get live feedback from the Axios HQ editor to improve
Exclamiation podium
✨ Limited offering

Axios HQ Executive Voice

In our virtual 1-hour course, an Axios or Axios HQ executive shares their leadership perspective on Smart Brevity and how it radically transforms internal communications. You'll learn:

  • The power and origin of our style.
  • How to build executive and operational buy-in.
  • How Smart Brevity can elevate your comms — and business results.

What you can expect

Axios HQ's trainers and customer success team are here to guide your Smart Brevity journey — from planning, to execution, to ongoing education.

whats-new-why-it-matters

Tailor-made courses

Smart Brevity was born in a newsroom, pressure-tested over the last decade, and proven to be the communication style that can engage busy readers without wasting time or watering down your vital messages. 

Our editorial team is here to understand your communication goals and recommend the strategic programming we've seen work. Whether it's...

  • Short-sprint courses

  • Ongoing team up-skilling

  • Transformational internal change

...we've worked with teams big and small to get it done.

checklist-image-for-email

Actionable takeaways

Our courses go far beyond philosophy. While we'll dig in on the data that informed our style and the ways we've watched it work. The bulk of every session is focused on Smart Brevity's practical, tactical application.

Our lesson plans and examples are all tailored to your organization, audience, and goals. After each session, participants will leave with:

  • New skills to strengthen their communication.
  • A checklist to keep them accountable.
  • Our slides, for easy reference going forward.

 

Success stories

Hundred of organizations have trusted our Smart Brevity services to level up their team skills and internal communications.

Takeda
"Everything was bespoke. The Axios HQ team worked with me to tackle and anticipate our specific needs and made an impressive effort to learn our company. We saw the value in what we were doing and the immediate impact it could have on efficiency and results in their day-to-day work." Head of Global Internal Communications, Takeda

Takeda's bespoke training

Axios HQ developed and led a series of in-depth workshops for Takeda’s global communicators, aligning lesson plans, hands-on exercises and workshop cadence around its core goals.

How Takeda modernized its storytelling
UofSC
"We’ve embraced the style for news items, transactional content, and even in longer feature stories, which was a welcome surprise. The style really makes it easier to write and edit and has helped our editors streamline their process — a welcome shift in time spent." Manager of Strategic Projects, University of South Carolina

USC's shift in style

Axios HQ’s team led in-depth Smart Brevity training sessions with USC communicators — helping them understand how the style works and ways it can be useful to any campus update.

How USC keeps its campus connected
austin-logo
"We write like we’re writing research papers. Smart Brevity was kind of like a jolt to say, this is how people are receiving the communication, and this is an easier way for them to be able to digest what we’re saying so it can make a bigger impact." Media Relations Manager, AISD

AISD's community connection

Axios HQ’s team led a series of in-depth Smart Brevity workshops with AISD’s team, helped them develop and re-launch the communication that gets sent to staff, and provided hands-on editing support until AISD felt a mastery of the Smart Brevity style.

How Austin ISD keeps its staff and families in sync

Smart Brevity FAQs

What is the Smart Brevity technique?

Smart Brevity is an editing and writing methodology used to make communication updates more scannable, digestible, and memorable. It focuses on what's new and why it matters to readers, and uses formatting like bullet points and strategic bolding to guide them through important points. Most Smart Brevity updates are 40% shorter than typical communications, but hold all the same essential information.

What is the Smart Brevity score?

A Smart Brevity Score is a rating given to a communication based on how readable, scannable, and impactful it is. It is a feature built into Axios HQ, the software platform built to help any leader plan, write, send, measure, and optimize their most important internal communications.

What is an example of Smart Brevity?

To see a sample communication written in the Smart Brevity format, check out this sample Axios HQ update.
wave graphic

Take the next step

Talk with our team to learn more about Smart Brevity Training.

Get started