Are you truly a “big-picture” communicator? Four questions to ask yourself

Let’s call it buzzword bingo.

Blue-skying. Thinking outside the box. Seeing the forest through the trees. Strategic visioning. Ideating. Pushing the envelope. Ad nauseam.

In this game, the winner is the person who can spout off the greatest number of trendy corporate buzzwords and convince those listening that he or she is the most strategic thinker in the room. No one else is as uniquely skilled at considering every audience, every channel, every opportunity. No one.

What is this person actually saying? Well, nothing of course. So what has this person won? At most, a fleeting faith among the more gullible and inexperienced listening that he or she can deliver. But a reckoning will come … and buzzwords alone can’t deliver results. 

Alas, communicators are particularly skilled at this game. We’ve all watched it play out and encountered these people in meetings (or maybe we’ve been this person!) We’ve suffered through their puffery when we know all too well that the substance behind these words is usually missing.

How do you avoid this fate? How can you ensure that you’re not just another buzzword bingo player, and that your communications are legitimately strategic in scope and thinking?

The following are four questions you would be well advised to ask yourself before laying claim to being a “big-picture” communicator:

Who haven’t you invited to the party - are you taking all audiences into account?

Sure, you’ve identified your core audience. Often it’s potential customers. But what about employees? What role could they play in getting the word out? They are typically your most effective brand ambassadors. Is your senior leadership up to speed with your plans and the objectives? Are there community partners who could amplify your message? How about legal, government affairs, regulatory? Are they aware? Could they help refine your messaging and avoid any headaches down the road? Are there community activists who could hijack your plans? The list goes on and on…. Be thoughtful in fully exploring all of your potential audiences early on and how they can help maximize (or derail) your message. It’s foundational to your success.

It’s all about leverage and amplification - have you explored every channel and vehicle for sharing your message?

The number of channels and vehicles available to communicators to share their messages has never been greater … or more daunting. News releases. Social media. Email. Organic and paid search. Native advertising. Blogs and owned media. And that just scratches the surface. But don’t get overwhelmed. Embrace the channel ecosystem available to you and allow it to fuel your amplification strategy. In your planning, map out every channel and vehicle that could effectively tell your story. But be smart in consistently carrying your messaging over from one channel to the next. Avoid being redundant, and don’t recreate the wheel every time. Bottom line: don’t leave anything on the table when it comes to the smorgasbord of communications channels available to you. You’ll be amazed at how deep and targeted your message penetration can be.

Are you just sharing information, or are you telling a story?

Too often, communicators fall into the rut of simply sharing “information.” We forget that at our core we are all “storytellers”. Anyone can share information, but it takes a talented communicator to weave a compelling story. Does your communication tell a story? Does it have a story arc? Does it have an emotional hook? What is the “tonality” or personality of what you are creating? Have you even considered it? Even the driest internal communications can incorporate the elements of effective storytelling.

Where are the blind spots - how can all of your well-laid plans go awry?

As any seasoned communicator who’s been tried by fire in the crucible of crisis communications (and often burned) knows, our true value goes far beyond proactively sharing a positive, compelling narrative about our organization. No, the equal if not greater value we bring is to see around corners. Recognize threats before they arise and plan for them. Develop messaging and contingency plans for issues that threaten to become existential reputational risks. It takes time to hone those skills, and it may not be the sexiest part of what you do, but it’s critically important. Hopefully, you will very rarely have to execute on this sort of “doomsday” planning. But when you do, you’ll be ready, and it will make you a hero.

By asking yourself these questions early on, you will have set the foundation for a communications strategy that is comprehensive, compelling and that exploits all opportunities and mitigates any threats.

Of course, ultimate success depends on stakeholder buy-in, thoughtful execution, consistent monitoring and robust reporting. But by starting with these questions, you will be positioning yourself to be respected as a truly big-picture communicator.

And leave the buzzwords for the bingo players.