WWWWWHM?

Heard an event organizer on the radio today doing her best to talk about changes to a much-loved event in the community. What was a two-day event in a park is now... something. I don't actually know because she was nervous and talked more about the process of the changes, as well as what wasn't going to happen this year, versus what was actually happening.

Here's a communications tip I got from a boss: WWWWWHM.

Who, What, When, Where, Why, How Much?

Any event announcement, any news item, anything you are trying to convey to an audience should include those items as quickly as possible.

In an interview situation where you don't control your time, get it out early. In a press release, it's the first paragraph. Social media post? Make sure it's above the "read more" link. Zoom call? It's in your intro. PowerPoint? It's in the first few slides.

The trick I learned - write these down on paper and have it in your hand and refer to it as needed (on the sly, of course.) It'll get your message out, calm your nerves and keep you on track.