How To Develop A Communication Strategy
Developing Effective Communication: 3 Basic Strategies
Picture this. Your prospective client is sitting right across the table from you. You have given her all the details concerning your product or service. You have gone through every single benefit and value of your offer in painstaking detail. You finish your last point and smile. You just KNOW the client will jump at the chance of hiring you or buying your product. How could they not! After all, you have just delivered a presentation that you are passionate about. You gave it your all, it is obvious there is nothing, and no one, better out there.
As one second turns into two, you observe how your client quietly zips her drink. NO expression in her eyes, no clear emotion or excitement. You are floored! How can this person be so unmoved after listening to such an outstanding presentation?
The answer is simple, you failed to EFFECTIVELY communicate your idea. There is a huge difference between giving out accurate and interesting information, and effectively communicating a thought or idea. It is the distinction between “telling” and “showing.” It is one thing to express something so that the other person understands you. It is quite another to present it so that they understand AND feel what you are communicating. The latter is what I mean by “Effective Communication.”
There are three very simple ways to move your communication from adequate to effective. These strategies are so all-encompassing; they can be applied to every area of your life, not just your business. They can literally mean the difference between an angry spouse and a loving spouse. These tools are so powerful; they can defuse the temper of a rebellious child. When used properly, these techniques can even unlock the key to success in your career or business. Are you ready to find out what they are?
A couple of points need to be quickly clarified before we move on. First, the ideas we are about to look at are not my own. I studied an outstanding audio series by Steven K. Scott, entitled “Lessons Form the Richest Man Who Ever Lived.” These concepts are derived from his work. Secondly, in order for any of these strategies to work you must first know your audience. If have not taken the time to research and get to know the person with whom you are trying to communicate, then these strategies, incredibly powerful as they are, will do you absolutely no good. With that clear, let’s dive right in.
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HOOK
Begin your conversation with a “hook.” A hook is nothing more than a way to get the persons undivided attention. One of the main reasons why communication fails, is because people have almost non-existent attention spans. So, the first thing you need to do is make sure they are actively and attentively listening. How do you do that? Well, begin the conversation with one a question. Not any question, though, one that you can use to draw the person into the topic of the conversation. You could also start with a story or anecdote that you know could be interesting to the person. You could make a controversial comment, or an appeal to the person’s sensitivities. The point is to make sure they are engaged in the conversation by giving them a chance to respond to your initial hook.
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SALTING
As I mentioned before, people have really short attention spans. So, what do you do to keep them focused? Is there a way to overcome the attention deficit most of us have? You’ve heard it said that “you can take a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink”? Well , yes you can. All you have to do is make him thirsty enough. How? Feed him salt! This strategy called “salting” is based on that idea. How do you keep a person’s attention focused on you topic? Keep making them thirsty for it. Peak their curiosity. Give them morsels, but reserve the feast. Make them wait for it until they can’t stand it anymore. That is what the principle of salting is all about: keeping them curious and wanting more.
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RELEVANT WORD PICTURES
So, now you’ve got their attention and you have kept them curious enough to ensure that they have attentively listened to every word you had to say. How do you now drive the message home? This last strategy will give you the secret to making others “simpatico” with you. You can make people feel the same excitement and/or frustration you feel. There is a way to open the door to true understanding. This is the technique which, when used properly, can catapult you into success in ANY area of life. That is the use of relevant word pictures. While this is the most powerful of the three skills discussed here, it also requires a greater understanding of the person(s) to whom you are delivering your message. See, the strategy consists of telling a story that clearly and emotionally illustrates the emotion you want your audience to feel. But, in order to elicit any kind of emotional response, it HAS to be relevant for them. So, take some time to get to know your audience, and incorporate into appropriate moments of the conversation mental pictures which will help them identify with and feel solidarity towards you and your cause.
Practice these skills and you will see, in a very short time, how your relationships improve. You will begin to see how others seem to be more on your side than ever before, and how doors which seemed to be soldered shot, are suddenly open. Take the time to develop effective communication. It will be the best time investment you ever make!
About the Author
Marcy Amaro is the owner and creator of http://www.GlobalMarketingClassroom.com . She is a Christian, wife, mother of two, and a former English teacher. She has found a way to put her family back at the top of her priority list. You too can have the time and resources to focus on what’s really important and enjoy life once more! Find out how at http://www.StrategicMarketingMaven.com .
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