| There are seven essential elements to | | | | text, in a small barely legible font size |
| successful business | | | | (because a small font size is the only way to |
| communication:StructureClarityConsistencyMedi | | | | fit all of the words onto the slide), which |
| umRelevancyPrimacy/RecencyPsychological Rule | | | | the manager duly and dully reads |
| of 7±2If you are going to communicate | | | | verbatim.Ugh!The psychological reality is |
| effectively in business it is essential that | | | | that unless a person is interested in the |
| you have a solid grasp of these seven | | | | subject of the message they are highly |
| elements.So let's look at each in turn...1. | | | | unlikely to pay any attention.Which means |
| STRUCTUREHow you structure your communication | | | | that if you force them to attend to your |
| is fundamental to how easily it is absorbed | | | | message you will actually turn them against |
| and understood by your audience.Every good | | | | you and be even less likely to receive their |
| communication should have these three | | | | attention in the future.Save your in-depth |
| structural elements:an openinga bodya | | | | budget and performance analysis |
| closeThis structural rule holds true no | | | | Excel-generated charts for those who |
| matter what your communication is -- a memo, | | | | genuinely care and need to know about such |
| a phone call, a voice mail message, a | | | | things.If your business communication needs |
| personal presentation, a speech, an email, a | | | | to touch on several areas that might not be |
| webpage, or a multi-media | | | | of interest to your entire audience, let them |
| presentation.Remember - your communication's | | | | know of alternative resources that more fully |
| audience can be just one person, a small | | | | address each of these additional areas.You |
| team, an auditorium full of people or a | | | | can do this by, for example, providing them |
| national, even global, group of millions.In | | | | with an easily-remembered and written link to |
| this instance size doesn't matter -- the | | | | a webpage where a greater depth of |
| rules remain the same.OpeningAn opening | | | | information can be stored.6. PRIMACY |
| allows your communication's audience to | | | | RECENCYIt is essential to know that, one week |
| quickly understand what the communication is | | | | later, a business communication is remembered |
| about.Short, sharp and to the point, a good | | | | by one or both of two things:the power and |
| opening lets your audience quickly reach a | | | | memorability of its openingthe power and |
| decision of whether or not to pay attention | | | | memorability of its closePsychologists call |
| to your message.Time is a precious resource, | | | | the effect of remembering the first few items |
| after all, and the quicker you can 'get to | | | | presented as a 'Primacy Effect'. Similarly, |
| the point' and the faster your audience can | | | | they call the effect of remembering the last |
| make that 'disregard/pay attention' decision | | | | few items presented to you as a 'Recency |
| the more positively they will view you --- | | | | Effect'.Since individuals differ in which |
| which can be VERY important if you need or | | | | Effect is the most dominant for them, it is |
| want to communicate with them in the | | | | best to 'cover your bases' and make an effort |
| future.BodyHere's where you get to the | | | | to have both a powerful and memorable opening |
| 'heart' of your message.It is in the body of | | | | and a powerful close.A powerful opening can |
| the message that you communicate all of your | | | | be anything that captures the audience's |
| facts and figures relative to the action you | | | | attention:a quote,a joke,a loud noise,a |
| want your communication's audience to take | | | | preposterous statement.Just make sure that |
| after attending to your message.Keep your | | | | your opening remains consistent with and |
| facts, figures and any graphs or charts you | | | | relates to the subject of the |
| might present to the point. Don't bog down | | | | communication.For example, whilst the opening |
| your audience with irrelevant material, or | | | | line, "Free Sex is available in the foyer" |
| charts with confusing, illegible numbers and | | | | would no doubt get your audience's attention, |
| colours.--SIDE BAR--There's a key to rapid | | | | if the theme of your communication thereafter |
| uptake of your message -- KISS.Pitch your | | | | is about some process re-engineering going on |
| presentation's graphics at a grade seven | | | | in your department, your audience would be |
| child. If THEY can follow and understand | | | | annoyed (some would be very annoyed at your |
| them, chances are good that your audience | | | | duplicity. They'd feel duped!Equally, a |
| will too.--END SIDE BAR--CloseThe Close is | | | | powerful close that bears no resemblance to |
| where you sum up your communication, remind | | | | the main body of the communication would just |
| your audience of your key points, and leave | | | | confuse and disappoint an audience brought up |
| them with a clear understanding of what you | | | | to expect something more.And don't think that |
| want them to do next.The more powerfully you | | | | humour will save you.Business communication |
| can end your communication, the more easily | | | | is a serious business and very few people |
| remembered it will be by your audience.2. | | | | have the skill to be able to deliver a |
| CLARITYBe clear about the messaqe you want to | | | | humourous message that the audience will |
| deliver, as giving a confused message to your | | | | retain and act upon.A fantastic example of |
| audience only ends up with them being | | | | how humour engaged an audience but failed to |
| confused and your message being ignored.If | | | | elicit the desired response is from Jeffrey |
| you are giving a message about, say, overtime | | | | Robinson's superb book 'The Manipulators'.One |
| payments don't then add in messages about | | | | of America's great comedic writers, Stan |
| detailed budget issues or the upcoming staff | | | | Freburg, was convinced to dabble in |
| picnic -- UNLESS they ABSOLUTELY fit in with | | | | advertising. Deciding that his own agency |
| your original message.It's far better and | | | | should be called, 'Parsley, Sage , Rosemary |
| clearer for your audience if you create a | | | | and Osborn, a Division of Thyme, Inc.', |
| separate communication about these ancilliary | | | | Freburg created a series of incredibly funny |
| issues.3. CONSISTENCYNothing more upsets a | | | | adverts. On the strength of these, he was |
| regular reader of, say, your newsletter than | | | | hired to create an advert for Pacific |
| inconsistency of your message.Taking a | | | | Southwest Airlines (PSA), forever remembered |
| position on an issue one week, only to | | | | in the annals of advertising as 'White |
| overturn it the next, then overturn THAT | | | | Knuckle Flyer'."He was aiming at people who |
| position the following week, only breeds | | | | hate to fly and are forever worried that |
| distrust in your message.And distrust in | | | | planes crash. To pacify them, he got the |
| you!People who distrust you are exceedingly | | | | airline to hand out security blankets - |
| unlikely to take the action you wish them to | | | | literally, tiny blankets with the PSA logo - |
| take. They are also highly unlikely to pay | | | | to any passenger worrying that flying might |
| any attention to your future messages.As well | | | | get them killed. It was hilarious. And the |
| as consistency amongst multiple messages, be | | | | airline died laughing."Somewhere between gag |
| aware that inconsistency within your message | | | | writing and all the fun," comments Jerry |
| can be just as deadly to audience | | | | Della Femina, who was called in by PSA in a |
| comprehension.At the risk of sounding like | | | | panic to undo what Freburg had done because |
| the Grouchy Grammarian, please make sure that | | | | they didn't think they were going to survive |
| your tenses remain the same, that your | | | | him, "someone had to sell something. The kiss |
| viewpoint doesn't wander between the 1st and | | | | of death in advertising is when you make the |
| 3rd person and back again (unless you | | | | mistake of falling in love with your own |
| deliberately want to create a linguistic or | | | | words." PSA had succumbed to humour and, |
| story-telling effect - be careful with this!) | | | | unfunnily, went out of business.As Granville |
| and that your overall 'theme' or message | | | | Toogood says in his excellent book 'The |
| doesn't change.4. MEDIUMIf the only tool you | | | | Articulate Executive', humour is a very risky |
| have in your toolbag is a hammer, pretty soon | | | | strategy. If you are determined to use humour |
| everything starts to look like a | | | | in your presentation, then please follow |
| nail.Similarly, if all you believe you have | | | | Toogood's recommendation:Tell the story as if |
| as a communications tool is PowerPoint then | | | | it were true. The punch line is a lot funnier |
| pretty soon all you'll do is reduce very | | | | if we aren't expecting itTell the story to |
| communications opportunity to a PowerPoint | | | | make a business point. If you don't make a |
| presentation. And as any of us who have sat | | | | point, you have no business telling a |
| through one too many boring slideshows will | | | | jokeMake sure you tell the story correctly, |
| attest, "seen one, seen 'em all."There are a | | | | don't mess up the punch line, and make sure |
| myriad of was you can deliver your message - | | | | it's appropriate.The opening and closing of |
| the trick is to use the right one.Which is | | | | your business communication are the two most |
| the right one?The one that communicates your | | | | easily remembered and therefore essential |
| message:with the greatest accuracywith the | | | | elements. Make sure you give your audience |
| largest likelihood of audience | | | | something to remember.7. THE PSYCHOLOGICAL |
| comprehensionat the lowest fiscal costat the | | | | RULE OF 7±2 (seven plus or minus two) |
| lowest time costNote: it must meet all of | | | | Psychologists have long known that the human |
| these criteria. There's absolutely no value | | | | brain has a finite capacity to hold |
| in spending the least amount of money if the | | | | information in short-term or 'working' |
| medium you choose doesn't deliver on any of | | | | memory.Equally, the brain is also structured |
| the other criteria.So what media are | | | | to retain information in 'clusters' or groups |
| available? You have a choice from any one or | | | | of items.These clusters or groups average, |
| combination of the following:* paper-based | | | | across the whole of mankind, at seven items, |
| memo | | | | plus or minus two.Which means that your |
| | | | audience is only able to hold on to between |
| * letter | | | | five and nine pieces of information at any |
| | | | one time. Similarly, your audience will group |
| * one-to-one face-to-face presentation | | | | your business communication's message with |
| | | | between four and eight other messages in |
| * seminar | | | | their long-term memory.Now do you see the |
| | | | importance of clarity of message and of |
| * one-to-one phone presentation | | | | having a distinctive and memorable opening |
| | | | and close?If you want your key points to be |
| * meeting | | | | remembered even five minutes later, it is |
| | | | essential that you limit your business |
| * one-to-many personal presentation | | | | communication to between just five and nine |
| | | | key points.Equally, if you want your key |
| * plain text email | | | | action points to be remembered five weeks |
| | | | later, ensure that your communication is |
| * one-to-many phone presentation | | | | amongst the five to nine most memorable |
| | | | messages your audience has attended to in the |
| * text + graphics email | | | | last five weeks.The human brain 'chunks' |
| | | | information together, so if you have a long |
| * voice email | | | | document or communication that you want to |
| | | | deliver, especially on paper, then structure |
| * webpage | | | | your document so that you have:7±2 |
| | | | 'chapters' or sections7±2 sub-sections in |
| * webcast/webvideo | | | | each sectionIf you find that you end up with |
| | | | 10 or 11 sub-headings in a chapter, or |
| * radio broadcast | | | | sub-sections in a section, see if you are |
| | | | able to either consolidate two or three |
| * television broadcast | | | | sub-sections in to, or create a new main |
| | | | section out of them.CONCLUSION... There are |
| * press release | | | | seven essential elements to successful |
| | | | business |
| * tv/film commercial | | | | communication:StructureClarityConsistencyMedi |
| | | | umRelevancyPrimacy/RecencyRule of 7±2If |
| * cd-rom/dvdChoosing the right medium or | | | | you are going to communicate effectively in |
| media is obviously critical, as the fiscal | | | | business it is essential that you have a |
| costs of some in the above list are higher | | | | solid grasp of these seven elements. |
| than others. Get the media mix wrong and you | | | | |
| could end up spending a whole lot of time and | | | | When you match consumer psychology with |
| money on a very visually attractive business | | | | effective communication |
| communication that delivers next-to-zero ROI | | | | |
| (return on investment).5. RELEVANCYIt never | | | | styles you get a powerful combination. Lee |
| ceases to amaze me that business managers | | | | Hopkins can show you |
| still believe that everyone would be | | | | |
| interested in their message-and then proceed | | | | how to communicate better for better |
| to subject any and everyone they can find to | | | | business results. At |
| a horrendous PowerPoint slideshow put | | | | |
| together by a well-meaning but | | | | you can find the |
| aesthetically-challenged | | | | |
| subordinate.Screen-after-screen of lengthy | | | | secrets to communication success. |