Information, focused content, media, technology, what else can you possibly need?
It would be easier if all those people had been unconscious for the past 20 years or living in a condo-cave somewhere, completely cut off from society, mass media and entertainment. Just imagine if all those participants, attendees, audience members, employees, clients and customers would simply take what we tell them at face value? Do they? No? Will they? No. Can we? No! So how do we design marketing, training & development, meetings & events, B2B, B2C, internal or external communication in ways that drive meaningful results? Don’t you just love run-on sentences?
Think, Feel, Act, Do
Okay, take a moment and write these four words down on a convenient pad. They are your keys to achieving critical results regardless of your communication deliver system.
Think
You want the people you depend on for success to think about the ideas, information, products, services and benefits you are presenting. You want them to process and evaluate.
We tend to over explain, over instruct, and provide more information than is necessary in the hope that people “understand.” Well, you can’t make someone understand. Understanding comes from thinking things through. Your audience generates its own understanding. Instead of hosing them down with data, give them enough to get started and then let them think for themselves. Under explain. Challenge them to think and allow them to ask for anything else they need.
Feel
No emotions equals no passion. Results come from personalization. Your critical people need to get involved with the messages, personalize them and appreciate the value. Don’t be afraid of feelings, you need them.
Everything can’t be positive or emotion neutral. The people on the other side are adults and face a full spectrum of emotions everyday. We are all emotion junkies. Look for ways to make that link to emotions. Honest emotions help you communicate at a deeper level and add legitimacy to your messages.
Act
Passive isn’t profitable. Motivate them to take action. Clearly communicate the expectation and back it with relevant messages, understanding and “what’s in it for me?” Without getting too psychological there are four things that motivate action.
- An external situation or force that causes the action
- A personal desire or goal that directs the action
- A personal need that creates a sense of urgency
- A specific return or reward for taking action
All this deep-seated psychological motivation is an intellectual way of saying, “Don’t just sit there, do something!” We have to create an action environment in our marketing, meetings, programs, trade shows, training and communication.
Do
This is different than Act. Do means taking the actions that generate the specific results you need. Action is great but you own the expectation of results. This is the ultimate payoff. Often results are left as the surprise after everything is all over. We use whatever metric to measure the results, look at them and decide if we are successful.
Results are the #1 consideration. Start with the results and work backwards to determine the “How.” If you plan carefully, utilize practical creativity, integrate the messages and information and design for results, you can determine those results in advance. A company doesn’t introduce a product or service without an accurate projection of return. A company doesn’t invest in an advertising campaign or promotion without an estimated ROI. In the months and years ahead we will be expected to provide a projection of return in advance. Before projects and budgets are approved, we will have to be able to promise specific results.
Think, Feel, Act, Do is the strategy we use to approach every project. Start with the results you want and need. What do you want to happen? Why should the audience do what you want? What’s in it for them? Why should they care? Then, what does the audience need to see, hear, feel and understand to motivate them to do what you want them to do?
Think, Feel, Act, Do. Give it a try on your next project. It’s how you can please your audiences, internal and external clients and generate all those valuable results you need.
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Andy Johnston is an multi-faceted communication professional with deep experience from strategic planning, to messaging, to marketing, to media, to events, to training, to creative direction … and there are several other ”to’s.” Andy is known for his energy, creativity and his unique ability to discover the key results that must be generated – and then to develop ingenious ways to engage and motivate audiences. Positive business results are the objective. He believes that one of the most important results is an enjoyable experience for everyone involved. Andy is a principal partner at Think! Consulting Group and The Idea Group.
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