Making Your Communications Stick

By Patty P. Tehrani
ptprep66@yahoo.com
LinkedIn

Have you ever sent a communication that caused confusion and required at least one more communication to clarify the message? Any communication that is unclear, disorganized, or just too long and complex will most likely be ignored, misunderstood, and probably not read by readers in its entirety.

In today’s world of information overload, you need to grab your readers’ attention by making your communication “stick.”  To help out, consider the following key points to make your communications more effective and “stick” with its intended audience.

• Keep it simple. Keep the message on point by using sentences that are clear and concise.
  • Distill complex requirements into easy to understand thoughts and avoid technical jargon and legalese.
  • Avoid long messages (you don’t need to explain every aspect and issue related to the topic).
  • Write in the active voice.
  • Give the draft to someone and ask them to review it.
    • If they can understand the communication in one read, then you did your job.
    • If not, ask them for feedback and re-work the communication until it passes the one-read test.
• Stick to the relevant text. Don’t send the communication without proper consideration and preparation.
  • Organize your thoughts before you start writing.
  • Jot down the key points about the topic that you want the reader to take away from the communication.
  • Set the purpose and most critical points at the top and any key takeaways (including a summary or recap) at the end.
  • Use the Subject Line to convey the purpose of the communication.
  • Include contact information for follow-ups and questions.
  • Use paragraphs or even better bullets to separate key concepts or requirements.
  • Use bold face type or capital letters to highlight critical information, such as due dates.
• Know the intended audience. Know the intended audience for the communication and what they may need or have to do in order for the message to have the intended result.
  • Who is the audience? And how are their activities or responsibilities relevant to the subject matter of the communication?
  • What is the purpose of sending the communication to them?
    • Make sure you know and understand the purpose. If you don’t, then even the best written piece will not be effective if it is unclear why the communication is being sent.
  • What outcome do you expect from the audience?
    • If you need a response (for example, an acknowledgement, completion of a measure, submission of a form, etc.), let the reader know what type of response you require.
    • If there is a due date, be sure to highlight this in the communication.
• Check the communication before you send or submit it. Proofread the communication before sending or submitting it.
  • Do a spell and grammar check (misspellings and incomplete sentences can diminish the effectiveness of any communication).
  • Read the message to make sure it is easy to understand.
  • Make sure any important items and deliverables are highlighted.
  • Include contact information for follow-ups and questions.
  • Check the links and attachments to make sure they can be opened.
• Keep the message professional. Be professional at all times to avoid the message from being easily misconstrued.
  • Stick to the facts and avoid emotions.
  • Do not use any jokes or sarcasm to ensure that you do not offend your audience.
    • If you work for a global company, there may be cultural boundaries so be careful about how you address your reader.
    • If you’re unsure about how the communication might be received, test it with colleagues in different countries to see how they react.

To recap:

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