How can you communicate the value of your work to stakeholders?

1 Understand your stakeholders

Before you communicate your value, you need to understand who your stakeholders are, what they care about, and how they prefer to receive information. You can use tools like stakeholder maps, personas, or surveys to identify and categorize your stakeholders according to their level of interest, influence, and expectations. You can also ask them directly about their communication preferences, such as frequency, format, and channel.

2 Define your value proposition

A value proposition is a clear and concise statement that summarizes how your work delivers benefits to your stakeholders and solves their problems or needs. It should answer three questions: What do you do? How do you do it? And why does it matter? To craft a compelling value proposition, you need to focus on the outcomes and benefits of your work, not just the features and activities. You also need to differentiate yourself from others who do similar work and demonstrate how you add value to the organization.

3 Choose the right metrics

Metrics are the quantitative and qualitative indicators that measure the performance and value of your work. They help you demonstrate your achievements, track your progress, and identify areas for improvement. To choose the right metrics, you need to align them with the strategic objectives and priorities of your organization and your stakeholders. You also need to ensure that they are SMART: specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound.

4 Tell a story

Storytelling is a powerful way to communicate your value and engage your stakeholders emotionally. Stories can help you illustrate the impact and benefits of your work, highlight your challenges and successes, and showcase your personality and passion. To tell a good story, you need to have a clear structure, a compelling message, and a memorable ending. You also need to use language and examples that resonate with your audience and reflect their context and culture.

5 Seek feedback

Feedback is essential for improving your communication skills and your value delivery. It can help you understand how your stakeholders perceive your work, what they appreciate, and what they expect. It can also help you identify gaps, opportunities, and areas for improvement. To seek feedback, you need to ask open-ended questions, listen actively, and thank your stakeholders for their input. You also need to act on the feedback and show how you have incorporated it into your work.

6 Be consistent

Consistency is key for building trust and credibility with your stakeholders. It means that you communicate your value regularly, clearly, and accurately. It also means that you deliver on your promises, follow up on your actions, and update your stakeholders on your progress and results. To be consistent, you need to have a communication plan that outlines your objectives, messages, metrics, channels, and frequency. You also need to monitor and evaluate your communication effectiveness and adjust it as needed.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?