Some organizations like to communicate. They like to send out emails to their stakeholders, put up posters on bulletin boards, fences and mailboxes. They print glossy brochures and have a website or twitter account for every department. If you asked them, they would say they are excellent communicators. What they really mean is they know how to put out.
With all those avenues of communication, does your audience know where to go for their information? Do they find it a guessing game? Are they asking “Is the time for the event under the first shell (email) or the second shell (brochure)?” Eeny meeny, miny moe…
As the old adage says, less really is more. Just remember, you still have to make sure your information is presented via the best possible channel. Take the time to figure out how your audience will best receive your message. Choose a primary method of communication and make sure that you devote the majority of your time there. If you have a very broad audience and need two methods, make sure you don’t split your information. Don’t make them guess where they need to go to get what they need.
As a communications hero of mine once blogged “Normal people always take the path of least resistance and if they have to work too hard to find something, they’ll just take what’s on top.” Kem Meyer, author of Less Clutter. Less Noise. So make it easy for people to find the information they need and don’t make them have to search through reams of communication.
