When it comes to communicating with a broad audience, knowing them is the first step in reaching them. The smaller the audience the easier it is to know what will resonate with them. But when you're dealing with thousands of people, you can waste a lot of money on ineffectual communications and marketing if you haven't done your research on what makes the majority of them 'tick'.
There really is no such thing as a homogenous group - we are all individuals, and we all think and react with our own individual bias or emotion. While some research can be too broad sweeping - so much so that it really gives you no direction at all, pursuing a communications or marketing initiative without some basic knowledge is a big no-no. Individuality aside, good research will find the trends and commonalities that help you to better know your audience as a whole.
You can usually tell that you need research done when you're having a meeting with a group of people who keep saying things like "They probably think..." "They probably want..." "I think they're ..." "I think they might...". Not the most solid analysis to base a $5000 campaign on let alone a $100,000 campaign.
Some research is already done for us and if you have a good sense of the demographic of your audience, you can rely to some extent on sources like Statistics Canada to make some assumptions. In fundraising, for example, existing research generally shows that older people give to health care and younger people give to animal welfare. You can draw a conclusion that older people feel their mortality a bit stronger while younger people are still pretty emotional about their pets.
However, what if you want to reach an audience that is a mish mash of old and young? Working and retired and still in school? Multi-cultural? Multi-lingual? If you have a good list of questions and a good sampling of your entire prospective audience, then you're going to end up with some good answers to what will reach them best.
I'm no expert in developing those questions - that's why I hire outstanding research firms (like Viewpoints Ltd in Winnipeg for example). That's their job. My job is to take those results, the firm's analysis of them, and create the marketing and communications miracles that will resonate with my target audiences. And incidentally, the projects I've worked on over the past two decades that were based on solid research ALWAYS resonated with the audience.
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Non verbal cues
As I sat in the dentist chair yesterday having a root canal, a good example of non-verbal communication occurred. Near the beginning of the procedure, I was feeling some pain as my dentist worked on the tooth. I didn't grunt or moan or hit him, I simply clenched my fist. He stopped immediately and asked if I was feeling anything to which I obviously responded "Gash" since I had a rubber dam in my mouth. He added more freezing and continued on with the three hour procedure and I had no more pain. Well, until the freezing came out but that's another story.
My point is that it doesn't matter what job you do - communication is absolutely vital. My dentist is one of the best and the fact that he picked up on that non-verbal cue so quickly is evidence that he is a very good communicator.
Just think of all the non-verbal communications we get in a day. Teenagers are famous for rolling their eyes to get across their disdain - but I've seen it happen in the office as well. Having a poker face would be a real blessing for some people - me included.
There is also the communication from a receptionist getting a flurry of complaints - she runs her hands through her hair repeatedly saying without words "I'm overwhelmed, somebody help me take all these calls." A good manager sees the non verbal cue and takes action.
I think the reason we rely on non verbal cues to get a message across is because many times we don't want to appear to be a whiner or to ask for help. We WANT help, we just don't want to have to ask for it.
Next time you see a coworker cover his or her face with both hands and expel a big breath, ask if they need a hand with something. They might say yes, they might say no, but at least they know someone was 'listening'.
My point is that it doesn't matter what job you do - communication is absolutely vital. My dentist is one of the best and the fact that he picked up on that non-verbal cue so quickly is evidence that he is a very good communicator.
Just think of all the non-verbal communications we get in a day. Teenagers are famous for rolling their eyes to get across their disdain - but I've seen it happen in the office as well. Having a poker face would be a real blessing for some people - me included.
There is also the communication from a receptionist getting a flurry of complaints - she runs her hands through her hair repeatedly saying without words "I'm overwhelmed, somebody help me take all these calls." A good manager sees the non verbal cue and takes action.
I think the reason we rely on non verbal cues to get a message across is because many times we don't want to appear to be a whiner or to ask for help. We WANT help, we just don't want to have to ask for it.
Next time you see a coworker cover his or her face with both hands and expel a big breath, ask if they need a hand with something. They might say yes, they might say no, but at least they know someone was 'listening'.
Monday, April 19, 2010
The 3-Second Rule
When you drop a piece of food on the floor you have the 8 second rule - pick it up within the count of 8 and you can still eat it. Great rule to live by even if scientists have proven that you get as much bacteria on that dropped piece of food in 1 second as you do in 8 seconds or more.
In marketing and communications we live by a lot of rules including something called the 3 second rule. When creating a billboard you have only 3 seconds of your audiences' attention - that's how long a car typically takes to drive past your billboard. In that 3 seconds you might try to get across who you are, what you do, why you do it, where you do it, why it's important etc etc. But that's not necessary. In fact, that counterproductive.
What you really want to accomplish in that 3 seconds is to plant a seed in the imagination of your audience. I believe the absolute best billboards are ultra-simple. They have your corporate name or logo and an image that says a thousand words. Phone numbers generally aren't a good fit for a billboard - but a website address can work if it is easy to remember. But you risk clutter when you add a website so err on the side of less is definitely more on billboards.
I recently worked on a campaign that included billboards and they were far from sterling. Far from simple. We tried to do too much in that 3 second space. Too many pictures, too many phone numbers, too many messages. Next time I'll spend a week, a month or longer finding the exactly right image to go with the logo - and that's all you'll see, even though you'll remember it for a long, long time.
In marketing and communications we live by a lot of rules including something called the 3 second rule. When creating a billboard you have only 3 seconds of your audiences' attention - that's how long a car typically takes to drive past your billboard. In that 3 seconds you might try to get across who you are, what you do, why you do it, where you do it, why it's important etc etc. But that's not necessary. In fact, that counterproductive.
What you really want to accomplish in that 3 seconds is to plant a seed in the imagination of your audience. I believe the absolute best billboards are ultra-simple. They have your corporate name or logo and an image that says a thousand words. Phone numbers generally aren't a good fit for a billboard - but a website address can work if it is easy to remember. But you risk clutter when you add a website so err on the side of less is definitely more on billboards.
I recently worked on a campaign that included billboards and they were far from sterling. Far from simple. We tried to do too much in that 3 second space. Too many pictures, too many phone numbers, too many messages. Next time I'll spend a week, a month or longer finding the exactly right image to go with the logo - and that's all you'll see, even though you'll remember it for a long, long time.
Monday, April 12, 2010
Face-to-Face - The Interview
Sometimes I find myself so busy with so many different projects that the temptation to do an interview by phone is pretty strong. And you know what? I do conduct phone interviews - but only if I have met the subject at least once before in an interview situation.
There are just too many things you miss while talking on the phone that can really add to your story. What the person says verbally is only half the message. Make sure you interview them on their turf and then observe. Always go to an interview prepared with a few questions based on the research you've already done about the person. But don't let that bog you down.
Let the conversation flow. Through your observations you'll find other things to talk about besides your interviewee's latest invention or project. You might see family pictures - did family ties inspire your interviewee to pursue his or her dreams? Maybe they have a crossbow hanging on the wall - what's that about? How does that tie into your story? How do the surroundings make your subject more human for your readers?
If you came to my home to interview me you would see in my living room some pictures of my family and my collection of pink depression glass. Beautiful glass - yes I inherited it from my mother who passed away 15 years ago. It's beautiful, and fragile and reminds me every day that relationships are important and not to take them for granted. My memories of my mother make me want to be as good at listening as she was. Listening is a key part of being a good communicator.
And that is why having an interview face-to-face is so important - you have to listen with your ears and your eyes to get the deepest part of the story. Besides, getting out of your office regularly is one of the perks of being in communications.
There are just too many things you miss while talking on the phone that can really add to your story. What the person says verbally is only half the message. Make sure you interview them on their turf and then observe. Always go to an interview prepared with a few questions based on the research you've already done about the person. But don't let that bog you down.
Let the conversation flow. Through your observations you'll find other things to talk about besides your interviewee's latest invention or project. You might see family pictures - did family ties inspire your interviewee to pursue his or her dreams? Maybe they have a crossbow hanging on the wall - what's that about? How does that tie into your story? How do the surroundings make your subject more human for your readers?
If you came to my home to interview me you would see in my living room some pictures of my family and my collection of pink depression glass. Beautiful glass - yes I inherited it from my mother who passed away 15 years ago. It's beautiful, and fragile and reminds me every day that relationships are important and not to take them for granted. My memories of my mother make me want to be as good at listening as she was. Listening is a key part of being a good communicator.
And that is why having an interview face-to-face is so important - you have to listen with your ears and your eyes to get the deepest part of the story. Besides, getting out of your office regularly is one of the perks of being in communications.
Saturday, April 10, 2010
Communicating Through Conversation
Oh man, I don't know what to say to these people. I'm just going to sit here in my corner and pretend I'm wearing invisibility spray.
Starting a conversation or breaking in on a conversation can be very tough. When I took Dale Carnegie classes 25 years ago we were taught that people loved to talk about themselves, so let them. That's all well and good but you do have to contribute to a conversation to be part of it. Otherwise you start giving people the 'stalker alert' heebie jeebies.
Single person households in the United States increased by 21 percent in the 1990's which might explain why our converational skill set seems to be waning. We have nobody at home to practice conversation with. Well I do - I talk to my dog all the time. I say 'walk' and she runs around in circles. I say 'treat' and she runs around in circles. You can see where this is going.
But conversation with real people requires a bit more skill than a conversation with a dog or cat. I recently picked up a book called The Art of Conversation by Catherine Blyth. She's a funny British woman with some very witty observations about conversation. Her book provides everything from tips on small talk to appropriate topics to the fine art of flattery. At the end of each chapter, she also provides "The Typology of Bores, Chores and Other Conversational Beasts". If you find yourself described in this box, you need to rethink your conversational skill set. Blyth gives rules for each situation and I have to say that reading this little bible of information is fun, it's also very useful.
One thing Blyth and Carnegie agree on is that good listeners make good conversationalists. That doesn't mean you stand (or sit) there with your eyes glazed over nodding. It means you're actually hearing what the other person is saying and your responses continue the conversation, rather than steering it in another direction.
What to talk about
You can be a good conversationalist with just a little work on your part. If you have a dinner party or event to attend, during the day switch your radio to a news station at the top of the hour and listen to the five minute news cast. Read the newspaper - not just the horoscopes and sports, but other sections like entertainment and business. And something that will really make it easy for you to start or carry on a conversation is to have information about something that interests you.
Online is a natural place to look up information about so much stuff - what interests you? Start googling - home decor, home renovations, cars, pets, travel, French cuisine, movies, books, gardening, making stained glass windows, building bird houses. Find out some information on what makes you tick so that you can actually be informed. You'll be amazed at how much better you can communicate when you can have a conversation.
Starting a conversation or breaking in on a conversation can be very tough. When I took Dale Carnegie classes 25 years ago we were taught that people loved to talk about themselves, so let them. That's all well and good but you do have to contribute to a conversation to be part of it. Otherwise you start giving people the 'stalker alert' heebie jeebies.
Single person households in the United States increased by 21 percent in the 1990's which might explain why our converational skill set seems to be waning. We have nobody at home to practice conversation with. Well I do - I talk to my dog all the time. I say 'walk' and she runs around in circles. I say 'treat' and she runs around in circles. You can see where this is going.
But conversation with real people requires a bit more skill than a conversation with a dog or cat. I recently picked up a book called The Art of Conversation by Catherine Blyth. She's a funny British woman with some very witty observations about conversation. Her book provides everything from tips on small talk to appropriate topics to the fine art of flattery. At the end of each chapter, she also provides "The Typology of Bores, Chores and Other Conversational Beasts". If you find yourself described in this box, you need to rethink your conversational skill set. Blyth gives rules for each situation and I have to say that reading this little bible of information is fun, it's also very useful.
One thing Blyth and Carnegie agree on is that good listeners make good conversationalists. That doesn't mean you stand (or sit) there with your eyes glazed over nodding. It means you're actually hearing what the other person is saying and your responses continue the conversation, rather than steering it in another direction.
What to talk about
You can be a good conversationalist with just a little work on your part. If you have a dinner party or event to attend, during the day switch your radio to a news station at the top of the hour and listen to the five minute news cast. Read the newspaper - not just the horoscopes and sports, but other sections like entertainment and business. And something that will really make it easy for you to start or carry on a conversation is to have information about something that interests you.
Online is a natural place to look up information about so much stuff - what interests you? Start googling - home decor, home renovations, cars, pets, travel, French cuisine, movies, books, gardening, making stained glass windows, building bird houses. Find out some information on what makes you tick so that you can actually be informed. You'll be amazed at how much better you can communicate when you can have a conversation.
Friday, April 9, 2010
A Questionable Lead
The lead sentence of any written piece is unquestionably the most important sentence, so starting it with a question seems, well, rather questionable.
Tongue twisters aside, catching your audience's attention and then holding it is the main role of the lead sentence. If you ask a question, particularly a close ended (yes/no) question, then you are taking a huge risk of immediately losing a large percentage of your audience.
It's much better to lead into your article with the facts. We learn it in journalism school and we need to remember it- lead with the five w's and you rarely go wrong. Who is this about, when did it happen, where did it happen, what happened and why did it happen? The challenge as a writer is to make those five w's have enough flair to catch your audience and enough information to keep them reading.
There are dozens of books to read on writing a good lead but one you might want to check out is News writing By George A. Hough. Of course, a good lead isn't restricted to writing a news release or news article -- it's important when writing an email message, a letter, even a memo. Because bottom line, if you're going to invest your time in writing something, you want your audience to feel invested in reading it -- all of it.
Tongue twisters aside, catching your audience's attention and then holding it is the main role of the lead sentence. If you ask a question, particularly a close ended (yes/no) question, then you are taking a huge risk of immediately losing a large percentage of your audience.
It's much better to lead into your article with the facts. We learn it in journalism school and we need to remember it- lead with the five w's and you rarely go wrong. Who is this about, when did it happen, where did it happen, what happened and why did it happen? The challenge as a writer is to make those five w's have enough flair to catch your audience and enough information to keep them reading.
There are dozens of books to read on writing a good lead but one you might want to check out is News writing By George A. Hough. Of course, a good lead isn't restricted to writing a news release or news article -- it's important when writing an email message, a letter, even a memo. Because bottom line, if you're going to invest your time in writing something, you want your audience to feel invested in reading it -- all of it.
Thursday, April 8, 2010
Politically Correct Communication
Working in the marketing and communications field for the past 15+ years, I have certainly seen my share of 'language' that has had to be changed to be politically correct. As a woman, I personally don't have a problem with calling it either a manhole or a utility cover - I think men would be more offended by the first than women, frankly.
When I'm writing copy, I'm always aware and conscientious about using the politically correct term. The letter carrier appears in my written work, but it's still the mail man that my dog barks at. On paper, I would refer to the people on the airplane as flight attendants but when asking for assistance, chances are I'll say, "Excuse me, stewardess, can you help me?"
Frankly, I have the same problem with miles and kilometers. Did that throw you for a loop? The changes that were made in both our weights and measurements world and in our politically correctedness world happened about the same time, right at the end of my elementary education.
For me, and I expect millions of others caught in the time warp, we are destined to forever being frantically doing the math or language problem in our head before we can spit out the answer:
"The fireman, make that firefighter, carried the little girl, make that child, down the 30 foot, make that 10 meter, ladder to safety." I'm very lucky that most of my communication is written, and edited.
When I'm writing copy, I'm always aware and conscientious about using the politically correct term. The letter carrier appears in my written work, but it's still the mail man that my dog barks at. On paper, I would refer to the people on the airplane as flight attendants but when asking for assistance, chances are I'll say, "Excuse me, stewardess, can you help me?"
Frankly, I have the same problem with miles and kilometers. Did that throw you for a loop? The changes that were made in both our weights and measurements world and in our politically correctedness world happened about the same time, right at the end of my elementary education.
For me, and I expect millions of others caught in the time warp, we are destined to forever being frantically doing the math or language problem in our head before we can spit out the answer:
"The fireman, make that firefighter, carried the little girl, make that child, down the 30 foot, make that 10 meter, ladder to safety." I'm very lucky that most of my communication is written, and edited.
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