With the right combination of words, you can wage a war or persuade that beautiful woman to say yes.

The right words, in the right order, will win or lose an election. The right words will make or break a first impression. The right combination of words in the right publication can kick the status quo right between the legs and make sure it stays down for the count.

The right combination of words can outlive the person who writes or speaks them. One iconic combination is Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address, which starts with “Four score and seven years ago” and ends with “government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.”

Weighing about 250 words, Lincoln’s immortal chunk of prose is arguably the most famous and influential speech in American history, delivered in 1863 at the turning point of the Civil War. Preceding the president’s two-minute masterpiece: The two-hour “Gettysburg Oration,” a 13,000-word speech by Edward Everett that faded into a trivial footnote.

As long as two plus two equals four, then the right combination of words will stand on their own and accomplish their objective.

Locally, Federal Way’s city government could work wonders with the right combination of words. Consider the savings associated with efficient communication: Fewer calls to City Hall, fewer code violations, fewer confused citizens, and city employees taking less public heat.

The city’s website will receive a makeover in the coming weeks, which will increase the efficiency of communication with citizens. But is a revamped website good enough for connecting with Federal Way residents? One thing the city has decreased is the mailing of a newsletter to Federal Way households, thanks to the cost of postage and printing. Mailing the newsletter four times a year can cost at least $80,000, according to one source’s estimate.

However, consider the potential payoff if the city fine-tuned a combination of words and placed them in a medium that more residents held in their hands.

There is no simple solution to crafting a message that resonates with everybody. A little attention to detail in communication will go a long way, especially when it comes to delivering the message. Handle that message with care, from inception to delivery. Treat the message like it’s the Mona Lisa on her way to another museum, ready for more hungry eyes to devour that mysterious smile.

Regardless of their intent, the right combination of words will ensure that at least one reader, the right reader, reaches the end of your message.