Say, what?

As a follow-up to the post from 7/7/10 about the narrow demographic the Athletic Equipment Managers deal with when communicating with their athletes, there are a number of words, terms, and phrases that still seem normal to you nowadays but make no sense at all to younger people. It's not that you're getting old, it's just that they might have a completely different frame of reference than you do.

For instance, try telling a 20-year-old that when he or she keeps repeating something or constantly bringing up a certain subject, he or she sounds "like a broken record". In fact, with today's MP3 players, you might not even be able to use "like a stuck CD" anymore.

Similarly, saying in frustration that "trying to talk to you is like getting a constant busy signal" is meaningless. Their lives have really only seen call-waiting and calls that go straight to voice-mail when someone is not available. A busy signal is not something they've ever had to deal with.

Picturing an actual person in your mind when composing your message can and will help you avoid these and similar pitfalls. Take the time to actually think about that person - what are they thinking, doing, feeling - what are their experiences and background - and take all of those characteristics into consideration as you compose your message.

It's an important point that's stressed in your "Break Through the Clutter" Communication Seminar because it is so critical to the success or failure of your message. It's all part of putting the focus of your message on your receiver.

Call or E-mail today to schedule your "Break Through the Clutter" Communication Seminar for your group or business, 913-631-2985, bkthrucomm@aol.com.

Audience Demographics

One thing that was fun and unique about the presentation to the Athletic Equipment Managers last month was that when we focused on communicating with their athletes, it was a very narrow "demographic" that we were talking about. "Demographic" here meaning the vital statistics, basically, involved with their audience of athletes. Nearly all Equipment Managers in the room worked in a collegiate environment. So, when they needed to communicate with their athletes, they would be talking to, primarily, 18-22 year-olds.

Most of the time you are not in a situation where the people you need to communicate with are almost all within a few years of each other. For instance, at work your receivers might have a wide age range, as well as a wide range of education, experience, background, and more. This unique situation with the Equipment Managers allowed us to get very specific in terms of the lifestyles, habits, and interests of their target group. It also allowed us to zero in on the "clutter" that affects this age range every day.

If you find yourself communicating with a group defined by such a narrow demographic trait, take advantage of that fact. As you picture an actual person in your mind while composing your message, be as specific as that narrow demographic allows. It's a great way to make your message even more effective because it is designed specifically for people who fall into that demographic.

Call or E-mail today to schedule your own "Break Through the Clutter" Communication Seminar for your group or business, 913-631-2985, bkthrucomm@aol.com.