Over the years I have written a number of pieces to communicate a variety of messages to a different audiences. Some messages were casual emails to colleagues, while others were very formal business letters being sent to shareholders. Some were sensitively worded responses to irate customers and still others were detailed memos regarding new products being announced.
Many of the pieces were easy to write and flowed smoothly onto paper or screen. Other articles, like this one, struggled to find their way to the light of day. When this happens, I’m often reminded of a question from a communication coach who looked at a piece I had written and politely asked “What are you trying to say?”
Now the piece in question was announcing an upgrade to a new product I was managing. I was proud of our offering and wanted the customers to know just how much effort the team put into its development. So, I worked long on finding the correct words, making sure that the paragraphs were the appropriate length, on making sure that the margins were set according to best practices of the company. But, in spite of my best efforts it was quite clear from the look on my coach’s face that I wasn’t communicating. Together we reworked the piece. Here are a few ideas that she shared with me:
- Be personal. Who is your audience? Imagine one of them is sitting in front of you as you write. Smile at them. Write to them.
- Be brief. What do they want to know about your offering or idea? You could write pages about your topic, but what do they want to hear? How can you add value to their lives?
- Be relevant. How will it benefit them personally? You may be able to identify a hundred features of your offering or event, but the person sitting across the desk from you only wants to know how it will help them. Tune into Wii-FM (What’s in it for me?).
- Be specific. How much will it cost? There are many forms of cost. What are the startup and ongoing costs? Also, remember investments maybe in terms of time as well as money.
Communications are best done with specific people, purposes, investments, and potential value in mind. The same holds true in families as well as business. What are you trying to say…today?
[Article first appeared in the September, 2010 issue of Family Times, published monthly by Play-a-Round Golf.]
