Is This Thing On? How to Rise Above the Noise With Your Communications
Here’s a scenario that may feel familiar to parents of multiple school-age children. Your kids race through the door, anxious to tell you about something silly or exciting that happened during their school day. Of course, they want your complete and undivided attention, so they start talking over one another. Talking becomes yelling, and you can’t focus on anything that’s being said. It just sounds like so much noise. It’s frustrating for all involved.
When my kids do this (and boy, do they do this a lot), I try to remind myself that it’s just human nature. Our natural reaction as human beings to feeling like we aren’t being heard is to speak louder. Use more words. Say something, anything that will grab the attention of the person or people we are trying to reach. It’s how many of us handle these situations in our interpersonal communication, and so, of course, it follows that a similar approach is taken when it comes to mass communication. Companies and organizations worrying that their message is being drowned out will try to turn up the volume. More emails. More social media posts. More everything. Often, this “throw lots of things at the wall and hope something sticks” method of communication (I hesitate to call it a strategy) has an adverse effect, driving away the very audiences we hope to attract.
So how do we rise above the noise, particularly now when it seems deafening? With the ongoing global pandemic and evolving humanitarian and ecological crises taking up so much of our focus and an ever-increasing number of businesses and causes vying for what’s left, how do we cut through the commotion? One thing is certain: shouting isn’t the answer. Unless the goal is having people tune us out. A better idea is to put down the bullhorn and think deeply about how to communicate in a way that is more likely to hit the mark.
Understand your target audience.
Who is the “they” you are trying to engage and how much do you actually know about them? Messaging that is created with a clear sense of what motivates and concerns a particular audience has a far greater chance of success than generic, non-specific copy. Similarly, it’s vital to know how your audience consumes information. A stellar social media campaign will fall flat if the people you’re trying to reach are not active on those channels. It’s easy to give in to feelings of panic that we just need to put something out there. Today. Right now. It can be refined later. But you risk making a bad impression or (and this can be equally bad) no impression at all. Taking the time to do some audience research will ultimately yield better results.
Define your unique differentiator.
If you are completely without competition, congratulations. The reality is that most of us, regardless of sector, have direct or indirect competitors. And they’re equally determined to be heard. So how do you set yourself apart in a crowded field? By clearly articulating what makes you special. Can you show greater impact? A better process? More satisfied customers? And be specific. It’s not enough just to say “we’re better at what we do.” Anyone can make that claim. You don’t have to give away the recipe to your secret sauce but be able to talk about why it makes you distinctive. Here again, it’s important to do some research to ensure that what you’re calling unique genuinely rises to that level.
Drop the jargon.
Big words can sound impressive. They can also be very off-putting and, well, boring. It’s important to demonstrate expertise, that you know what you’re talking about and can actually do what you say you can. That can be accomplished without using a bunch of technical terminology that confuses and alienates your audience. Highlighting your results is a far more effective way to show that you are a trustworthy expert in your field. Equally important, are you showing that you care about what you do? It’s much easier to communicate with purpose and clarity if you are intentional about weeding out unnecessary jargon.
Use storytelling.
A compelling story has the power to do what a thousand beautifully crafted words about your organization’s work cannot — humanize it. A feature about a satisfied client or one of the passionate professionals on your team can give a face and a narrative to why what you do matters, whether that’s providing a service or championing a cause. Incorporating testimonials and quotes into your communications can improve the likelihood that they will grab the attention of someone scrolling on Twitter or sifting through hundreds of emails. Because another thing about human nature — we love a good story.
If my story about my kids engaged you and made you want to read more, then you already know how this works. Now, you just need to make it work for you.
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