Good communications are always crafted with the audience in mind. Great communications are developed with many different audiences in mind.
Whether you’re rolling out a new policy, making a crucial hire, or responding to news events, there is never just a single group who hears your message. Any email, social media post, or media statement will be greeted differently by different stakeholders, drawing an array of responses and questions.
Sometimes, these groups have overlapping needs and questions. Sometimes, they have competing priorities.
Think about the questions a business may get from shareholders, employees, and customers when earnings are up or – even more intensely – when they are down. Or the response a university will draw from students, parents, faculty, donors, trustees, law enforcement, and elected officials when it prepares for controversial campus speakers or events.
Every communication is an opportunity to solidify trust and reinforce credibility with a wide variety of groups. That’s why it’s important to be proactive in meeting your audience’s needs and expectations. How do you do that?
Understand potential responses: You should discretely “test” any message with trusted colleagues from different stakeholder groups before you post it. Hearing their questions, assessing their concerns, and spotting red flags in tone and language can help you communicate more clearly and effectively.
Prepare for follow-up conversations: Good communications are conversation-starters, not conversation-enders. They will generally draw responses and input, and you should be ready to engage. So, it’s helpful to craft talking points that help you go deeper with stakeholders who bring an array of questions or comments.
Lean into your values: While different audiences may want or need different things, it’s important they all understand that your decisions and messages reflect your core values and long-term organizational goals. Make that clear.
Also, remember that every message will be forwarded, posted, and shared within minutes. There is no such thing as “internal communications,” and any message to one group will be seen by others. So, it’s essential to understand how all audiences will respond when it lands in their inboxes.
If you want to talk about your organization's audiences and how to reach them, just let us know.
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