You see the ads all the time, come spring: refine what you’ve got and be ready, beach bod-ready in time for summer. While most think of June, July, and August as the time to get back on your New Year’s resolution to be fully engaged in all the fun these warmer months have to offer, the reality is that summer is also the perfect time for another type of refinement: your message.
Regardless of your title – congressman, CEO, would-be candidate, or head of a non-profit – message refinement is key to finding success in congressional hearings, board room meetings, and fundraising. Every single company, candidate, or non-profit has two things in common: stakeholders and a goal. To effectively reach said goal, you need to convince your stakeholders, and you can only do that if you have a solid message.
Luckily for you, big decisions are rarely made during the summer because the kids are out of school, families are planning their vacations, and folks are making plans to hit the beach house or the cabin. With all the downtime and quiet time, here are five ways you can refine your message:
- Goals & Objectives: Every successful message needs to have a point. What are you trying to convey, why does it matter to the intended audience you’re sharing this message with, and why is it relevant to them now and in the future? To make your point, take a look at your goals and objectives. If you’re a candidate, your goal may be winning your race and your objectives will focus on what you need to do to get there, whether it’s targeted fundraising efforts or policy positions you plan to take to find success. Focusing on your purpose through goals and objectives will get you there.
- Target Your Stakeholder: Stakeholders need to ensure that their time and investments are being used wisely. However, you most likely have more than one type of stakeholder that you’re engaging with on a daily basis. As the CEO of a Fortune 500 company, you’ll have a board of directors, shareholders, government entities, employees, and customers. Your message will vary depending on who you speak with, and in most cases, a one-size-fits-all approach will lead to failure. Refining your message to focus on stakeholders will only increase your chances of a successful message.
- Meet the Elevator Pitch: Nothing is more true today than being short, sweet, and to the point. The reality is that Americans have shorter attention spans. The average person scrolling through social media sees a post for approximately three seconds, and there’s a reason X has a character count of 280. Stakeholders and audiences aren’t interested in long-winded diatribes. They are more interested in getting to the point. Elevator pitches are a surefire way to ensure you introduce yourself, explain what you do, offer a unique value that creates interest, and end with a call to action.
- Practice, Practice, Practice: Effective messages aren’t built on words alone. Message refinement means looking beyond the words to look at things like posture, confidence levels, tone, and articulation. If you’re a CEO looking to approach a board of directors lacking confidence and sounding weak, your message will be dismissed immediately. However, if you’re a candidate for office who comes across as confident, caring, and passionate, you’re more likely to find supporters in your corner. Practice is key. It allows you to embody your message and get a feel for what works best for you, so you can deliver a strong message.
- Refine (Yes, Again!): You thought you’d refine once and be done? Well, just like that summer beach bod, your message requires maintenance and constant refinement. Goals and objectives will change, so will audiences, stakeholders, environments, and even your messenger. Regular refinement will allow you to meet the moment with the most relevant, timely, and cohesive message possible.
At K2 & Company, we’re committed to helping our principals, whether they’re getting ready to face the board room or the back room of a campaign stop, refine their message all year long. Let us know how we can help you refine your message and find your winning strategy today.
-Preya Samsundar, Senior Communications Director