One of the key elements to any successful communication is targeting the audience you need to reach. Though this may seem like common sense, many forget to think through this step, miss the audience they intend, and suffer the consequences with a low response or unusable information.
Effective communicators define their audience, understand how they communicate and then speak directly to them, rather than try to reach the masses with a single communication. Given today’s diverse workforce, trying to focus your internal communications can sometimes feel daunting. Here are a few tips to help you better reach your target audience. Define your audience. To get the best possible response, have a clear picture of who you are trying to reach before you start writing. Put as much definition around your audience as possible using the criteria that will help you best reach your goals. Some examples might include: position/title, job description, common tasks/responsibilities, office location, a central rallying point, a common project, etc. The more specifically you define your audience, the more clear and focused you will be when you draft your communications. Choose the appropriate tools. Now that you know your audience, you should also know the ways that they communicate – and respond – best. Does your audience have access to a computer to check email or an intranet site? Or are they more reliant on hard copy letters, payroll stuffers or more traditional communication means? Are they more responsive to face-to-face communications, and a visit to a staff meeting may be more impactful? Using the most targeted tools for your audience will help boost your audience response. Speak the language. One of the biggest communication errors individuals make is writing to themselves instead of to their audience, leaving the audience with no understanding of the communication that the author understands clearly. Once you’ve determined your audience, communicate in the “language” your audience uses. Minimize the use of HR lingo and legalese, which may be cumbersome to understand. Instead, simplify the wording where possible to ensure the best audience understanding and speediest response. Understanding your audience and using that knowledge throughout your communication can help you create more clear communications, and ultimately boost your response from the people you really want to reach. Have you had any communications that have missed the mark because the audience wasn’t as clear as it should have been? Have you communicated differently the next time? What was the difference? We’d love to hear your learnings.
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