Communicating the Message (Action) - 4 of 5

I've recently broken this cardinal rule when trying to write this blog: Action!

Where do I start? What do I emphasize? How can I make it helpful? It's taken me forever to start this one.

Planning is only half the fun in communication. The other half is seeing messages take flight and generate influence, hopefully for the greater good.

I had the recent privilege of working alongside a friend and client, Eleatta Diver, as she did a "graphic recording" for a regional health summit. Her doodles were not only helpful and a work of art in the making, as they unfolded throughout the day, they emphasized all the activity surrounding the discussion. (Follow the transformation from doodle to painting here.)

What they came away with at the end of the summit? Ideas. Ideas should lead to a strategic plan. A strategic plan should lead to strategic action.

My favorite phrase in the whole thing (lower left of the photo): "We must move from passive concern to strategic action."

How are you taking the risk, taking the leap and moving your fantastic communications plan into action?

Communicating the Message (Context) - 3 of 5

Context in communication is what essentially I'll call "the frame". It's the piece that was missing when you started the story that nobody understood. It's actually the fun piece, the artful masterpiece of communicating your message.

Imagine you need to create an on-ramp for selling an amazing, life-changing perfume. And your audience is a large group of 40 year-old men. What is the story?

Context is often the clutch player in making a hit or miss piece of work. 

Would or should the story take on a different feel if the group were 40 year-old women?

Of course. And this is context. It can influence everything about your communication - how and where it's communicated, who your most likely audience may be, and how to talk to them.

You have an idea. Great, who knows and who cares?

Answering the questions who knows (or who needs to know) and who cares (or why they should care) are your key starting questions to getting your ideas heard.

Next up: action.

Starting Small

When I start a new project, I often feel just like this. Very small. Never as cute.

I saw this photo, and besides being completely undone by my friend's child, I saw myself, sitting in front of my computer, feeling exactly like this -- a little confused, a lot intimidated and extremely curious.

And I'm reminded that this is what I feel like every time I start a project that is worth doing - intimidated, ignorant and curious.

How do we cross over into the world of wonder from the world of fear? We get curious. We allow ourselves to move forward, gain wisdom, and we follow the gingerbread trail to its glorious end.

Stay small. It's a gift.