Geoff Davies defines the structure of effective communications

In a working life spent writing business communications material, it has not been unusual for me to be asked to provide some copy for, say, a brochure that has already been designed and paginated. Each time something like this has happened, I have thought: why didn’t they ask me to write the copy first, before expending time and money on designing something whose contents they didn’t yet know?

Unfortunately, there are many people working in business and even in business communications who persistently focus their attention on the medium rather than the message. Their typical view of the primacy of design and / or technology regularly misses the mark, however, since the ‘true’ role of the design and technology (elements of the medium) is to serve the message.

Those wiser communicators who make the formulation of the message their first priority (and only then go on to determine the media that best serve its delivery) are closer to the essence of communication. Even these more insightful people can, however, lose sight of a still deeper purpose.

It is understandable that they see the reason for their documents, articles and electronic material as being to communicate the essential message; it is also understandable that they regard the delivery of that message as the final objective. Yet beyond the basic need to be clear about what it is that we want our communications material to say is a deeper need to be clear about what we want it to do.

What is the favourable outcome that we are seeking, that lies beyond delivery of the message? What development(s) do we want to take place that will make that delivery effective? If we are successful, what happen as a result of our efforts? How will things be different?

It is, of course, unrealistic to expect to deliver a formulated message just once, and then expect an immediate result matching all our hopes. The message may require delivery across different business sectors and geographical areas, as well as over time. It may need to be periodically modified and up-dated. Its effective communication will doubtless require much repetition and reinforcement. These necessities do not, however, undermine the primary purpose of effective communications, which is almost always to instigate change.

The pursuit of that change may be anything from an unrealistic expectation to an achievable task; but either way (or anywhere in between) it is more likely to succeed if the communications formulated and delivered to the target audience are brief, focused, articulate, clear, distinctive, and memorable. It is also best if they are supported by design and technology rather than subordinated to them.

Geoff Davies is a business communications writer with 45 years’ experience.