Effective Communication in Just 7 Steps
By: Robert F. Abbott
Good writing and good design. These are the criteria of a successful
newsletter, right? That's what I used to think when I first started
writing and publishing newsletters.
But, as I became more involved with my clients, and their
expectations, I realized I'd been wrong. The quality of writing might
be good, bad, or indifferent; they didn't really care. But, to them,
effective communication meant something else entirely: Getting the
right responses from their readers.
And, the more I thought about that, the more I realized that all
effective communication involves the right kinds or the right numbers
of responses.
When we communicate, we want something to happen. We want a
particular result or results. And, when we communicate with results in
mind, we're working toward effective communication.
Good writing and speaking do help us get a response, of course,
because they help get the message across. As I've argued in my book, A
Manager's Guide to Newsletters: Communicating for Results, a newsletter
that doesn't get read cannot get a response from readers.
So, writing, designing, speaking, and all those other creative
activities matter. But, in the end, responses are what count, and
effective communication means getting the responses we want.
This applies to all kinds of effective communication, and not just
campaigns aimed at customers or prospects. Managers who send messages
to employees, for example, want employees to respond in a particular
way. In some cases, they want employees to act or think differently, in
other cases they simply want to reinforce what the employees already
do.
For a couple of employee newsletters I published, effective
communication meant greater awareness of health and safety issues. If
the newsletter communicated effectively, then it should have helped
reduce the number of plant accidents and helped employees lead healthier lifestyles.
One more point: Effective communication cannot be achieved without
articulated objectives. As the old adage goes, "If you don't know where
you're going, any road will do." Or, as the inimitable Yogi Berra put
it, "If you don't know where you are going... You might end up
someplace else."
With that, let's create a quick and easy checklist that takes us through seven basic steps required for effective communication:
1. What is your objective, what do you want to happen? Do you want
more sales, reduced employee turnover, renewals by members? Be specific
about your objectives, and if you can attach time and dollar values to
them so much the better.
2. Can you articulate, in terms of your objectives, what you want
listeners or readers to do? What action should they take? What thoughts
do you want in their minds? Do you want to reinforce existing thinking
or behaviors?
3. Know why readers or listeners would do what you're asking in
your message. It's all very well for you to have objectives and to send
messages, but you'll also have to offer something to them, something
they value. Think of commercial broadcasting, in which you get free
entertainment in exchange for listening to (and sometimes responding
to) commercials.
4. What message content will motivate them to act? What subjects
will prompt them to act? For effective communication, look for topics
that engage and motivate readers or listeners.
5. How will you present that content? There are several editorial
choices that affect effective communication: entertaining, informing,
consulting, challenging, and solving problems.
6. How often will you have to repeat the message? In many cases,
you'll need multiple contacts to get the response you want. Sales
people, for example, generally figure on an average of seven contacts
before a prospect becomes a client or potential client.
7. Will you get enough revenue to cover the cost of communicating (if you put numbers to your objectives)? In a marketing context, for example, how many sales would you have to make to pay the cost of your advertising campaign?
In summary, aim for effective communication by following these
seven steps. They move us in the right direction because they force us
to think about reader and listener responses. And, when we focus on
responses, we're much more likely to get the results we want.
Article Summary: Aim for effective communication by following seven steps listed here, steps that push us to consider reader and listener responses. When we focus on those responses, we're more likely to get the results we want.
Article Source: http://www.upublish.info
About the Author: Robert F. Abbott Robert F. Abbott, is the author of "3 Easy Ways to Power Up Your Writing." Increase your mastery of business communication by reading his easy-to-understand articles at Communicate-with-Confidence.com . Read dozens of articles in several business communication categories.
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