Clarity of communication was never more critical than ever before.
Most of us are:
- Working remotely
- Texting more than calling
- Juggling many things at once
- Bombarded with social media messages
- Trying to manage overflowing email inboxes
Often, there is a massive communication gap between what you have in your head and what you convey to others.
Importance of Clarity in Business Communication
A recent study found that the average human attention span is now 8 seconds, which is shorter than a goldfish.
To me, clarity of communication is the key to success for most businesses. Without clear communication, it is not possible to cut through the noise and connect with your prospects in today’s world.
If you are struggling to grab the attention of your ideal customers, you must review the clarity of all your business communication.
It is your most important job to pass the clear message to your customers, instead of relying on them to understand your offerings. All business ideas are usually great. However, how you implement any business idea determines the outcome.
Clarity of your communication is a huge part of implementing any business idea. It is hard to lead any movement if you can’t convey your vision.
By including the following three essential points in all your communications can dramatically improve the results.
Clear Goal
Can you guess what Tiger Woods would have always imagined before hitting the golf ball?
I guess that his complete focus always would have been at the target “hole” in the golf course. Just imagine what could happen, if he focused on filling any of the holes in the golf course with every short?
Aiming for everything means you are aiming for nothing.
You should have one clear goal (message) for every communication piece for maximum return. For example, if you are writing a blog post, aim for one clear goal.
You can choose to:
- Explain how to do one particular thing that will help your prospects
- Clarify your opinion about a specific point
- Share a top 10 list of best communication tools.
- Write a case study
- Q&A post
Your post title should reflect that clear goal to help your readers get the maximum value without summoning their scarce will power.
Value
People don’t buy your products or services they buy solutions to their problems.
Answering the following question before creating any piece of communication will help you significantly improve all your business communication.
What is in it for the receiver?
Answer to this single question will help you create better:
- Website copy
- Blog posts
- Landing pages
- Brochures
- Customer replies
Answering to this question helped me always with all my personal and business communication.
Clear Call to Action
A clear call to action is a final and highly crucial step of every communication, which can make or break all your efforts.
Don’t forget that most of us nowadays have attention span lesser than goldfish and don’t have time to think. Therefore, most people will not take action if you will not ask them to do it clearly and precisely.
It is like making all the efforts to bring the customers to your shop, explaining all the benefits and not asking to buy.
For a blog post, any of the following could be right calls to action to add at the end of your post:
- Sign up for email updates
- Share on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn etc.
- Share their thoughts or opinions in the comments
- Ask more information or help
- Buy your or affiliate product
- Make a donation
Asking for one clear call to action produces better ROI.
Tips to Improve Clarity in Business Communication
Following is the list of few essential modern communication, which will help you make your point fast:
- Use simple words
- Write shorter sentences
- Think twice when writing an email with more than three lines
- Bold the main point
- Format your communication for skimming
I am excited to learn from you what has helped you to clarify your communication? Please feel free to add your thoughts in the comments below.
Interesting points. I think that you rightly mentioned that people don’t buy your product – they buy solutions to their problems and that is a key communicating point. Couldn’t agree more that a clear call to action is most essential to your copy. I need to keep remembering this point when I’m writing my own copy!
Simple yet important formula. You can’t go wrong if you follow it!
Thanks
for the posting. Loads of excellent writing here. I wish I had found this
site sooner
Couldn’t agree more that a clear call to action is most essential to
your copy. I need to keep remembering this point when I’m writing my own
copy!
Hi Rana,
You are right in saying that clear communication will lead to success, I particularly agree with the point about people buying solutions to their problems … What that sentence implies is how important the listening side of communication is also. After all without listening we can’t really know which problems our customers are looking for a solution to.
Great post 🙂
Rana,
Great stuff! The clear call-to-action is probably the biggest and most costly mistake that most bloggers make with their Online presence. They’re still trying to be everywhere and everything to everyone…
Ask for one thing and watch that one thing happen.
Thanks!!
Ryan H.
Wow, Rana… I’m a huge fan of clarity & clear purpose in life, and I talk about it and teach about it often.
And I’m continually getting clearer myself, thanks for the reminder.
I really like have you gave examples of clear goals for blog posts, headlines, and CTAs.
Clear post Rana 🙂 I’m a seasoned thought rambler, it does come out on screen , thanks for the tips. Dawn
Hi Rana,
You’re absolutely right; one idea per message, make it about benefits, and include a call to action. That’s like the copywriting 101…
There’s a lot that could be added, but nothing quite as important comes to mind. Keep these three in mind and your marketing will work 😉
Always remember that in this communication age we don’t have time to
think. Therefore, most people will not take action if you will not ask
them to.
Have you ever thought about the clarity of your communication,
whether are you passing the clear message to your customers or employer
instead relying them to understand your feelings?
There is a huge difference between knowing something and passing that knowledge well to others.
There is a huge difference between knowing something and passing that knowledge well to others.
http://www.host-italy.com/
Great stuff! 👍
Very interesting, you summarize this topic with three points with clear examples.
Excellent Line: (People don’t buy your products or services they buy solutions to their problems.)
Hi Rana,
Really good post and right on topic. Clarity of communication is a must thing. You have to be specific and clear in conveying your message to others. Whatever you are conveying kept in mind that it hits directly to the other person emotions. Just like you said people dont buy your product they buy their solutions to problem. Same as sell emotions not logic.
Really appreciated!
Rightly said! In today’s busy world everyone is in a hurry they don’t have time to listen to other people for hours.
If you want to convey anything you have to be precise in your comminution otherwise the person loses interest easily. Couldn’t agree more to your post clarity in comminution is everting.
A good one, Rana.
The best part was that no one is buying my product, they are buying solutions to their problems. And a distraction free buy now button/CTA can definitely persuade someone to focus on that and that only.
So if I am able to aim for solving the problems of the people, business is going to come in naturally 🙂
Yes, no doubt that clear communication will lead to success.
Excellent Line: (People don’t buy your products or services they buy solutions to their problems.)
You can’t go wrong if you follow it!