Your customers, clients and employees are confused and frustrated. They really want to understand what you’re saying – BUT. If your messages and marketing are as clear as mud then you need to clean up your act. Here are 4 effective ways to boost communication and maximize marketing.

Clear As Mud

It’s my fault and I admit it. The telephone buzzed and a business friend asked a favor. He was writing a presentation and needed the latest corporate terms to stimulate performance. With less than five seconds thought I pulled two out of my … well, I made up two.

Over-Aspirationalize** – Over-Aspirationalize KPO’s for 2016.

Objectivize Bilateral Goals** – Objectivize bilateral goals for each department.

** Feel free to use these expressions in your business communications. Please send us 25¢ for each usage. I know it’s hypocritical but we’re talking a load of money.

He was happy and I was smug … and then it hit me. I had just contributed to the deluge of senseless babble that is drowning critical communication. The biggest problem with marketing and business bull is the effort it takes to attempt to understand the message it isn’t worth it. The messages are as clear as mud.

Shower of Babble

Ponder this. In marketing we shave and simplify every message to the bare bones in hopes of generating the desired results. But, when we talk to customers, clients, franchisees and employees we lard the messages with business jargon, obscure acronyms and personal charm of a doctoral thesis.

Let’s be honest with ourselves. We use business babble and over-intellectualizing in an attempt to convince people that we know what we’re talking about.

Do you really need to Empower a Buy-In so you can dive from the Burning Platform into the Swim Lane and use your Bandwidth to Do More With Less as you Growth Hack your way to success?

We actually don’t want to boost communication. What’s obvious to all the people on the other side is – you aren’t confident about your message and really don ‘t know what you’re talking about. So just cut the crap and use words, terms and expressions that everyone understands.

What the %@&& are You Talking About?

As a consultant and content expert I hear a lot of excuses for intentionally confusing people. The biggest one is, “We need to educate our customers/top management/employees. They just don’t understand my – product – service – plan – proposal (whatever you want to do).”

The secret message is, “If you weren’t so stupid you’d agree with me.”

I’m sure the emotions come from frustration but making the people you depend upon for success feel dumb and uninformed is not a winning strategy. When you design your communication (send) based on the audience’s (receiver’s) context and perspective you take ownership of the message and the outcome.

The Lost Art of Plain Talk

What are the desired results? How do you boost communication? What does the person need to see, hear, understand, appreciate and value to do what you want them to do? If you are a regular reader of this blog this should sound familiar. Then, use plain talk to communicate it.

Make your ideas impressive and your language simple – Speak in ways so people can easily understand and value what you are saying. Use simple declarative sentences.

If you have to explain a term or acronym, don’t use it – unless there is no acceptable substitute. If two out of ten people don’t understand the term, 20% of your audience/customers has stopped listening and are trying to figure out what you mean. No one is paying attention.

How much extra time and energy would it take to say “key performance objectives,” “cost of living adjustment,” “business to business” or “earnings before interests, taxes, depreciation and amortization”?

Don’t assume understanding – Imagine a recent drug launch and the marketing manager explaining how the company will use social media to spread the message. He uses “viral videos” and “going viral” often. The audience is physicians … oops! Jargon doesn’t necessarily have the same meaning from company to company or even department to department. Make it simple, clear and unambiguous. When it doubt, ask.

Be clear, not cool – Don’t use made up expressions, acronyms or Internet speak. Be clear, not cool. Unless the audience still uses acne cream don’t litter your messages with: SHIZZLE, WUWU, ICYDK and STS. Hey, if you have to look these up to find out what they mean – you’ve just proved my point.

Follow the Four Steps of Clarity

1. What are you really trying to say?

2. How does your message relate to the problem/goal/opportunity/situation?

3. What needs to happen and how will you know when it works and when it’s right?

4. What does the audience or the person you’re talking to gain by doing it or lose by not doing it?

Boost Communication and Maximize Marketing

Bottom line is no one will buy your product, accept your plan or share your vision is they can’t understand it.

• Clear communication is the face of the organization.

• Believable communication is the core of marketing.

• Credible communication is the heart of employee relationships.

Trust me, “What the hell are they talking about?” is not a positive response.

I hope that this article has instilled random recognition and contributed to over-asperationalizing a multi-disciplinary, cross-functional approach to minimizing pushback and leveraging intellectual disconnects so you can proactively and seamlessly engage 24/7 initiatives through best-of-breed actionable, client-facing items. By the end of the day.

Know what I mean?

Let’s spend 15 minutes talking about your next project or challenge. Just click on CONTACT US or send an email to andy@ideagroupatlanta.com and get in touch.

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