THE THREE Cs of COMMUNICATION

 
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Communication is an ironic topic.
The goal of good communication is to effectively convey your message.

 

Yet too often does communication involve an overwhelming number of words and thought structures, completely contradicting the writer/speaker’s objective.

When tackling communication, I always argue that it’s important to abide by the “Three Cs” - Clarity, Cohesion and Consistency. I’ve gotten many “ahas” and “oohs” even from fellow communication professionals, but I’ll be honest - it’s not as easy as it sounds.

 

Developing effective communication, in fact requires more work.

 

So let’s take a look at the Three Cs.
Why they are important may be obvious, but it’s important to understand the significance of each, when it comes to implementation.

 

CLARITY

Ensure that your message is easy to understand and doesn’t get “lost”.

Aside from phrasing, think about the cadence of your communication to ensure that the delivery is clear. One way to think about this is to augment the essential elements, and check that non-essential points aren’t detracting from your objective.

 

COHESION

In business, we often find ourselves making multiple points to support our case.

But how often do you “proof” your communication to ensure that you aren’t contradicting yourself or confusing your audience? Here are a few key points to consider when creating cohesive communication:

  • Are there too many points to track and understand?

  • Is the information structured in a manner that helps your audience navigate in an intuitive manner?

  • Are you sufficiently keeping things on track? Or are you obscuring your point with “fluff”?

 

CONSISTENCY

I’ve noticed that a lot of brands tend to think that “consistency” simply means use the same phrases and keep repeating the concept. But if your messaging isn’t clear and cohesive (point #1 and #2), then no matter how often you repeat your messaging, you will not develop a deeper relationship with your audience.

 

When thinking about consistency, think about these primary attributes:

  • Content

  • Tonality

  • Frequency

 

By being consistent with how you articulate your information and concepts, it becomes easier to absorb and follow.
And by having consistent tonality and frequency, you build trust and familiarity.

 

Just for Sh*ts and giggles, I’m also adding another C for your consideration: Concise.
By pushing for your communication to be as concise and succinct as possible, you lower your risk of loosing your audience’s attention.

 

Which “C” do you find to be the most challenging?

Shoot me a note ———>📨

 
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