7 Steps to Communicating a Powerful Vision
Whether you’re looking to knock your next pitch out of the park or garner good press with a local news agency, effective business communication skills are critical to communicating your vision.
So, read on for some proven tips on crafting a powerful story that you can apply to your business today.
Determine your intention
Why and what do you want to communicate? Is it to highlight a service/product as an extension of your business or to highlight your team’s principles to build brand awareness?
For example, do you want to communicate that you’re an expert in small business marketing or a sensation at design and decor? Knowing your purpose keeps you focused.
Write it down
Get it down, or you can’t share it with the right audience. If writing or recording a video intimidates you, lean on employees who are willing to learn or be trained at a new skill. Of course, there are also professionals who can help with effective communications, whether it’s writing, editing or social media engagement. You’re not expected to put beautiful prose together like J.K Rowling.
Keep it simple
Clear, concise, succinct. Stay away from filler or what author Ann Handley calls “meandering” – she emphasizes that businesses should communicate ideas in a way that “respects the reader; to ensure that any content we produce doesn’t come off as indulgent.” We can get stuck in a loooong trail of writing that takes 10 words instead of 50. A good way to know if you’re getting stuck in that trap is to read your words out loud or to someone else.
Be authentic
Storytelling isn’t permission to tell a tale – especially one that isn’t true or genuinely your story. Too many communicators tell a similar story, one that follows a template or format, void of details or connection. A good story is real – it’s oozing with emotion, delivered with motivation.
Capture your voice
Use your words, your expressions. You don’t need to sound like that captivating speaker you recently watched on a TED Talk (although we all have our mentors who can model some good habits in delivering content). Deliver your message your way – but be sure to practice it, feel comfortable in your delivery and communicate it with confidence. A note about style: Stick to a conversational style versus one that’s scripted or clinical.
Write it for your audience, not your peers
Whatever you write has to be meaningful to readers. Remember, you’re building a relationship with them. It may not resonate with everyone, and that’s OK. A common mistake professionals make when trying to market to their target audience is writing for their peers, not the end user. Often times, they’re not one in the same.
Review & rehearse
This will separate the novice from the professional. We’re so used to hammering something out on the keyboard and pushing that send button without pause. But that’s not how the professionals do it. Even the most seasoned executive business coaches take their time with a manuscript, put it down, and come back to it. You want to come out strong and sharp.