Taking your communication efforts to the third power considers all audiences
The Golden Rule of real estate is the three Ls: 1) Location, 2) Location and 3) Location. Successful businesses consider the “three Cs: 1) COMMUNICATE, 2) COMMUNICATE and 3) COMMUNICATE. So how do you strategically allocate your “Cs?”
Know Your Audience.
Who are they? What do they want? What motivates them? How can you engage with them? Answering these questions can help you tailor your messages appropriately.
Your audience evolves as life does — communication strategies that worked well several years ago may not have the same effect today. According to the Communication Statistics 2023 report released by Project.co, more than a third of people say communication has become more of a challenge since the pandemic.
While creating an effective business communication strategy is essential to your company’s good reputation, only four percent of leaders rate their efficiency and communication as excellent, according to the survey. A significant majority of businesses (more than half) believe their efficiency levels are ‘average’ with 13 percent combined believing they are ‘below average’ or ‘poor.’ There is definitely room for improvement!
Here’s how to give each of your audience members a “C” to secure your company’s “A+” reputation when it comes to communication.
Communication #1: Internal Staff
It is important to take an “inside-out” approach to communication within your company. Before you make any kind of public announcement, be sure you have communicated with your executives, leaders, managers and staff. The overwhelming majority (92%) of people feel that communication within their company needs to be improved, according to the Communication Statistics 2023 report. Clear, consistent and ongoing communication to your internal team can help align them with your goals and initiatives.
Everybody wants to be part of something special. Communicating to your staff is just as important as spending money on advertising for customers and the public. If your staff feels valued and important, you’ll have higher employee retention and recruit solid applicants to your organization.
Tips for success: Over-communicate; make sure communication is transparent; and communication with staff ahead of your other audiences.
Communication #2: Customers
Once your internal team is on board with the details and vision of the products and processes you have developed, your second audience for communication is your customers. It is important to recognize them and involve them in your direction.
The Communication Statistics 2023 report showed 96% of people feel the businesses they buy from have room for improvement when it comes to effective communication. Perhaps most telling: 68% of people say they’ve stopped dealing with a company and moved to a competitor due to poor business communication skills.
Tips for success: Provide gratitude; solicit feedback on your products and processes; make customer status easily accessible.
Communication #3: The Public
Your third audience is the public, including advocates, the media and influencers. Ensure they are notified about who you are, and what you stand for in your overarching vision and theme. Providing quality communication on an ongoing basis may be the focus of your advertising or marketing departments (and budget), but be sure to balance these efforts with your first two audiences.
Tips for success: Market and communicate to the public from their perspective. Focus on their likes and dreams, the solutions you can offer to their pain, and the benefits you can bring them.
The Whole Communication Enchilada
Keep in mind that although the three audiences for your Communication, Communication, Communication efforts should be prioritized sequentially, they should be balanced equally with regard to your efforts. Looking at the whole enchilada of your business communication strategy, each audience would receive a solid third. Putting it all together then, makes the whole better than the sum of its parts.
