Get to the Point to Get Your Way: The Key to Better Corporate Communications
You're more likely to get what you need in everyday business communications when you start out by giving away the ending.
Think about what you frequently deal with now. Rambling memos. Excruciatingly dreary reports. Another poke-a-pencil-in-your-eyeball presentation. Doesn't anyone here know how to cut to the chase when it comes to workplace communication?!
It isn't that you're some self-absorbed egomaniac. It's that you have 600 other things piling up on your to-do list and if you just knew what people wanted & why, you'd do it and then get back to work.
Exactly. That's what your audience really thinks, too.
A Simple Four-Step Process for Better Business Communications
The start/middle/end approach we learned in school does not serve us well for workplace communication. Need to get your way more often? Get to the point. Here's how:
1)Begin with your reason for communicating, letting people know why they should take notice and what they should do next.
2)State your primary conclusion/recommendation/need. Concisely.
3)Summarise the 3-5 points that brought you there.
4)Repeat what you'd like your audience to do.
That's all most individuals are looking for, as it pertains to effective business communications. Have your backup data ready to go (and know it inside & out) in case it's asked for.
Difficult Work That Pays Off
I've personally leveraged this process for improved corporate communications since my early days as a brand management professional. It works. And it requires work. You have to understand what you want to make happen. You have to know what will incentivize your audience to accept your viewpoint. You need clear-cut thinking and focus.
There's only one reason to do all that hard work: it pays off. You'll start to see excellent results as you start pushing your projects ahead, securing key clients, and aligning people to your views.
So get to the good stuff: when it comes to better corporate communications, just skip ahead to the ending! Try it this week.
â€"â€"â€"â€"-
"The difference between the right word and almost right one is the difference between the lightning and the lightning bug."
- Mark Twain.
You're more likely to get what you need in everyday business communications when you start out by giving away the ending.
Think about what you frequently deal with now. Rambling memos. Excruciatingly dreary reports. Another poke-a-pencil-in-your-eyeball presentation. Doesn't anyone here know how to cut to the chase when it comes to workplace communication?!
It isn't that you're some self-absorbed egomaniac. It's that you have 600 other things piling up on your to-do list and if you just knew what people wanted & why, you'd do it and then get back to work.
Exactly. That's what your audience really thinks, too.
A Simple Four-Step Process for Better Business Communications
The start/middle/end approach we learned in school does not serve us well for workplace communication. Need to get your way more often? Get to the point. Here's how:
1)Begin with your reason for communicating, letting people know why they should take notice and what they should do next.
2)State your primary conclusion/recommendation/need. Concisely.
3)Summarise the 3-5 points that brought you there.
4)Repeat what you'd like your audience to do.
That's all most individuals are looking for, as it pertains to effective business communications. Have your backup data ready to go (and know it inside & out) in case it's asked for.
Difficult Work That Pays Off
I've personally leveraged this process for improved corporate communications since my early days as a brand management professional. It works. And it requires work. You have to understand what you want to make happen. You have to know what will incentivize your audience to accept your viewpoint. You need clear-cut thinking and focus.
There's only one reason to do all that hard work: it pays off. You'll start to see excellent results as you start pushing your projects ahead, securing key clients, and aligning people to your views.
So get to the good stuff: when it comes to better corporate communications, just skip ahead to the ending! Try it this week.
â€"â€"â€"â€"-
"The difference between the right word and almost right one is the difference between the lightning and the lightning bug."
- Mark Twain.
About the Author:
Working out of Atlanta, GA, Marie Elwood runs a marketing strategy consultancy that helps Fortune 500 firms make better business choices and improve their corporate communications.
The Communication Blog
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