By Tom Andronas
I recently listened to an episode of Think Fast Talk Smart the podcast, by Matt Abrahams at the Stanford Graduate School of Business.
The final question the host asked his guest was, “what are the first three ingredients that go into a communication recipe?”
This got me thinking about what my three key ingredients would be, from the perspective of helping our clients to communicate their messages.
Authenticity
Whether you’re sitting in a pitch meeting, a podcast interview, or writing an article, you must present your true authentic self.
This requires you to have complete confidence in what you’re communicating, as well as the confidence to display vulnerability and acknowledge what you don’t know.
Unfortunately, there are myriad elements within any business that act as roadblocks to authentic communication, including comms and marketing teams trying to craft your message, legal teams restricting your ability to say what you believe, and the ongoing internal conflict to represent the company in a positive light, while remaining true to yourself.
The most effective communicators I’ve worked with have an incredible ability to navigate these roadblocks, while still sharing their own authentic self through their communication.
Simplicity
One of the biggest challenges people often face is distilling their key messages from jargon and clutter. Yet this is pivotal to crafting a clear message that is easy for your audience to follow, understand and engage with.
Drilling down into what you actually wish to communicate and stripping away the noise is a critical skill, that often requires the input of a communications professional.
But it’s important not to fall into the trap of repeating ‘lines’, because that’s a key trigger for your audience to switch off.
Take politicians, for example. There is no less authentic communication than a politician conducting a press conference. Unless the individual is advocating for something they truly believe in, the likelihood is they’re regurgitating a line an advisor has fed them, which despite all their media training, usually lacks authenticity.
The key: work out what you really want to say, then say it as succinctly and authentically as you can.
Value
It sounds like a no brainer, but any communication must offer some sort of value to the consumer.
No matter what the communication type or message is, in order for it engage the audience on a deep level, it must present them with something they haven’t heard elsewhere, something they can’t simply Google, something that’s unique to your expertise and insight.
In a written context, focusing on this value proposition can help you to establish your status as a thought leader. But it’s also critical in other contexts where you wish to gain genuine engagement from your audience.
Keep in mind though, that there’s a difference between sharing your expertise and selling it. People are tentative to engage with salesy content, but if you connect with them on a deeper level and offer genuine value, you’ll find the sales will follow.
So that’s my take: my three key ingredients to a delicious communication recipe are authenticity, simplicity and value.
What are yours?
