As is smart, today’s communicators are increasingly focused less on crafting messages and more on enabling communication across the organization. Core activities include coaching leaders to communicate more effectively, enabling employees to participate in social media, inviting stories and testimonials customers, and looking for opportunities to more closely align with the needs of the business. While the function evolves dramatically, one core still remains ever critical: writing.

Good writing, however, is no longer about perfect grammar or storytelling—good writing today is about prompting audience action.

As the CEC looks to support its members’ continued development across the core 16 communications competencies, we have explored what proficiency in writing looks like in today’s environment. Last week, we had the opportunity to preview a new Writing for Impact Workshop with the Communications team at W.W. Grainger. Our session focused on clarifying the one key engagement idea that solidifies for readers why they should care and would want to take action.

Our peers in Marketing believe that a simple, memorable advertising slogan can drive a campaign’s success. In Communications, however, a simple, catchy, and consistent message won’t do the trick–we aren’t typically talking about the coolest new consumer product. Our aim then must be to create messages that emphasize our shared values with our audience and clarify the desired action of our audiences.

We know we have an effective engagement idea if 1) it centers on what audiences care most about in regards to this issue; 2) it reveals differentiation from other companies or messages on other issues from your company; and 3) it clarifies why someone would want to take action.

Steps for developing a key engagement idea:

Understand the audience:

• Ensure a comprehensive understanding of audience motivators
• Identify an audience-centric rational for the message

Breakdown key messages:

• List all of the key messages as individual components
• Answer why the audience will care about each motivation

Identify common thread:

• Look for common elements among the individual rationales
• Articulate a single, common motivating thread

Center message on engagement ideas:

• Lead your writing with a concerted articulation of that common thread
• Consider how the “one key engagement idea” can inform the channel and style for your writing

Examples of Key Engagement Ideas:

• Staples was looking to expand their offering to small businesses and understands how busy this audience is. They worked to break down their key messages such as selection, simple ordering, low price, and ease of delivery to identify one common thread to motivate stakeholder action—“that was easy.” This simple idea was the center of press releases, corporate communications and spilled over into marketing and other channels (e.g., The Staples Button)
• In a recent webinar focused on how communications can drive a culture of safety, communicators in the energy/utility/manufacturing space described the various channels and campaigns they have used to get employee alignment with organizational safety goals. Southern California Edison shared how they simplified and centered their message based on an understanding that employees we more motivated by the safety of those they most deeply care about. Where they landed—“safe enough for our families.”

Where have you seen examples of “one key engagement idea” be successful in simplifying a message and prompting action?

Related CEC Resources:

• Write in a More Engaging Way Topic Center
• Dialogue Provoking Message Tool
• Create Content for Flow
• 7 Freshest Ways to Engage your Audience
• Available Soon: Writing for Impact Workshop. Email me if you’re interested.