How to tell your story with impact - Part 4

Part 4 - Messages to drive action

Now that we have put the audience up front and centre in what we do, we can start to plan our communications approach so we can bring our stories to life and to do so, you need some kick arse messages. It is very tempting and common for people to jump straight to the HOW (the mechanic and delivery) and work backwards from there but remember this is the plot and the characters for your story.

This is your opportunity to share your unique story and set yourself apart from the rest so you need to let your messages inform your delivery choice not the other way around.

The big question to ask yourself at this point is “What do you want people to do with the information you are giving them” What is the action you would like to see? Because to have real impact on your audience, you need to engage their heads, their hearts and their hands to make a lasting impact. You want your communications to drive some action or behaviour.

Unlike a novel however, you don’t have the luxury of several chapters to set the scene and build into the story so I think of this as the Elevator pitch – if you only had 45 seconds in a lift with someone, what would you want them to know?

Your key messages should be succinct statements that encapsulate your story and argument. They are the “big ideas”, the things you want your audience to remember or do as a result seeing and hearing your story.

Here are a few tips for crafting great messages. None of it is rocket science but at the end of the day, if you don’t know what your key messages are, don’t expect your audience to figure them out for you! Spend time getting these right and above all - Be authentic. Never try to be something you are not!

If you need help crafting killer key messages that stick for your upcoming initiative - Lets Talk