Tips for Communicators

Let Hard Times Work for You

Listen to what a few of the great sages had to say about tough times.  And then resolve to make today’s challenging economic environment work for you:

When everything seems to be going against you, remember that the airplane takes off against the wind, not with it. (Henry Ford)

Tip:  Look for ways to re-engineer yourself and your business environment so that you can “take off” with maximum efficiency.

There is no education like adversity. (Benjamin Disraeli)

Tip:   Learn something from every situation, easy and harsh.

Adversity has the effect of eliciting talents, which in prosperous circumstances would have lain dormant. (Horace)

Tip:  Bring unused skills and talents of the people around you to bear on whatever problems face you.

Adversity precedes growth. (Rosemarie Rossetti)

Tip:  Remember that many of the world’s great accomplishments arise out of challenging circumstances.  You can sow the seeds of your future success right now.

 

Cutting Costs During Rough Times

When times are tough, look around for ways to save on expenses and conserve cash.  A few places to start looking:

• Supplies – can you switch to generic brands?
• Contract services – can you perform some tasks yourself?
• Inventory – can you reduce inventory you keep on hand?
• Overtime payroll
• Utilities – can you cut temperature or reduce lighting slightly?
• Telephone – can you eliminate unneeded lines or services you use sparingly?
• Travel

By cutting spending for items that don’t directly influence sales, you may be able to increase that tight profit margin, and develop budgetary habits that can persist far in to the future.

Create Your Personal Brand

If you could “brand yourself,” how would you define your personal brand?  What qualities make you unique?

Some possibilities:  Perhaps you offer a unique talent to your employer, customers or clients.  Or you have an unusual knowledge of your organization’s history.  Or you are the creator of an unusual product or process.  Perhaps you’re at the center of a complex network of associates or customers.  Or you have an uncanny ability to accomplish tasks at breakneck speed.

What gives you unique brand identity?  Answer this question and promote your personal brand to the people around you.  The result: a competitive advantage for yourself, and long-term success.

Generate New Ideas with Mini-Retreats

Want to creatively examine problems or generate new ideas – without spending days away from the job?  Consider a “mini-retreat.”  This brief, but action-packed, activity can get you and your people focused on whatever need or opportunity happens to be facing you.

Schedule your mini-retreat in a corner of a staff meeting – say, 30 minutes of tight discussion.  Or use a series of focus questions to marshal wide-ranging thoughts on a topic of concern.  Or lead ten minutes of intense brainstorming.  Or split your people into two-person teams and give them a limited period of time to re-engineer a process.  Or turn your problem into a game, and build your mini-retreat around some simple competition.  Or give your people a short period of silence – and instructions to visualize solutions to a problem.

Whether you use any of these mini-retreat formats, or develop one of your own, the focused retreat can be a refreshing change of pace – and an ideal way to generate ideas and enthusiasm.

Personalize Your Letters-to-Readers

If you open your periodical or Web posts with a regular “Letter-to-the-Reader” column, personalize your communication for maximum impact:

• Inform readers about important content.
• Motivate readers by discussing challenges and opportunities you observe in your field, and urging readers to take action.
• Lead readers with stories and commentary about innovation.
• Inspire readers with accounts of success and service.
• Entertain readers with humorous anecdotes from your own work life.
• Affirm readers by reminding them of the importance of the work they do. 

The Web -- Writing or Conversation?

The Web is an entirely new communication medium.  Web “content” is often created with text, yet engaging content often sounds more like casual conversation.  When you’re planning Web content, remember that:

 The Queen’s English doesn’t always apply.  Sentences can begin with conjunctions and end with prepositions – just like speech.

• Content can come in bits and pieces.  Sentence fragments are often OK.
• Contractions and casualness rule.  "Yeah" sometimes works better than "yes."  And "it’s"  sometimes works better than "it is."
• Lists and bullet points can get the message across more effectively than conventional paragraphs.
• Trains of thought can start and end anywhere.  And then expanded with convenient hyperlinks.
•  It’s OK to turn discourse into dialogue.  Traditional text can be interspersed with reader (or viewer) reaction.  Or photos, animation and sound.
•  So when you’re preparing Web content, don’t just write text.  Talk instead – and you’ll create conversation that produces results.

Nurture the Creative Spirit

Hundreds of tools are available to help you nurture the creative spirit of your staff, colleagues and freelancers - and get them talking to you about great ideas and copy for your periodical or Web site. Here are just a few:

• Ask your people to send you their favorite periodical articles, and explain what makes them so great.
• Write a series of provocative headlines and ask for article proposals on them.
• Pass along pieces you think are great, and solicit comments and reaction.
• Send your people a prospective subject list and ask for topical suggestions.
• Ask your people to send you their very best work – with suggestions for more great work.
• Invite your folks to design an ideal table of contents.
• Pick a series of pieces (published or unpublished) and ask your people to critique them.
• Provide a random series of words and images your people can use to generate periodical and Web content ideas.

Your Techno-Tools Checklist

Are you using the modern communication tools available to you?  Review this list. And resolve to begin using at least one tool that you’re not using now.

• - Blogs
• - Collaborative calendars
• - Collaborative and user-driven reference materials
• - Feeds
• - Networking groups
• - Photo sharing
• - Podcasts
• - Social networking
• - Tagging
• - Targeted text
• - Video sharing
• - Widgets
• - Wikis

The world of technology changes almost daily.  Use the accessible (and often inexpensive) resources today’s technology brings you to get your message across.  And stay tuned for new and exciting tools to come.

Recognize Readers and Build Loyalty

Recognizing your readers for their achievements and distinctions usually builds widespread interest – and lots of reader loyalty.  All it takes is a line or two of text.  If you have a photo available, all the better.

Be on the lookout for reader news that can add luster to your periodical or Web site:

• Professional achievement
• Degree or academic honor
• Important sale
• New product line
• Civic, community or professional award
• Speech or presentation
• New membership in an organization (including yours)
• Publication of an article
• Accolades from a customer or client
• Reaching a milestone or anniversary
• Positive recognition in the media
• New ad campaign
• Expansion of a business
• Unique service project

Keep Your E-Mail Moving Efficiently

These days, e-mail can quickly become avalanche mail.  It can bury you - unless you manage it aggressively.  Here's how:

• Set your filters at high levels to prevent unwanted mail from getting through.
• Immediately enter the address of any offending mail in your "junk" utility.
• Answer new messages as you receive them. 
• Keep your e-mail inquiries - and your answers - brief.
• When action is need, quickly forward the message to someone else if possible.
• Delete mail once you're done.  If you must save an e-mail, create an online folder and transfer the message there.
• Organize your inbox by date so that you can see at a glance any unanswered messages.
• Ask to be removed from "cc" lists unless it's essential that you see the information being sent.
• Use an autoresponder to provide routine information, or redirect messages to a colleague or subordinate.