The 5 C’s of Great Communications
You have approval to launch a new brand campaign and everyone on your team is so excited. But now you ask, “What should we say?” So many of us get captivated by fancy designs, new ads, and empty promises. But the real work of great marketers and communicators today lies in their ability to connect and care, or what we are advising our clients to focus on: The 5 C’s of Great Communications.
What makes someone stop endless scrolling? Why does one ad make you laugh or cry and the other to take a bathroom break? How can we figure out what makes us purchase that product a month later after several online campaigns? I’m going to give you a sneak peek into the art and science of great branding and explore why focusing on the Top 5 C’s will help you create a winning strategy.
5. CHANGE: Don’t start with the art
So many of us want to skip ahead and go straight to the drawing board for concepting. To get started, avoid this common misstep and start by listening to your audiences first. In today’s 24/7 world so much has changed. Finding out how to meet your key audiences where they are at in this moment of life is the difference between white noise and an effective campaign that actually reaches and resonates with your target. Focus groups are extremely effective at open-ended questions, understanding opinions, listening to stories, and finding the why behind their answers to inform your strategy.
- CHANGE your approach and start with listening.
4. CONVERSATIONS: Define and dig into your data
What do you already know? Most of us don’t have time to dwell in the past, but looking back at what you know about your audience, what they are saying on social channels, and what topics they care about most is the next step in clearly defining the purpose of your campaign. If you have gaps in your data, identify them and find a way to fill in with key data points rather than rely on assumptions or personal experiences.
- CONVERSATIONS create relevant campaigns.
3. CARING: Show your compassion
No matter your goals, adding a component of care and compassion that shows you understand where the customer or employee is coming from can help create an anchor or connection point for your audience to remember. Finding connection points comes from in-depth listening strategy along your campaign through interviews, focus groups, brand experiences, and surveys. Dial and message testing can be a great way to test some different types of messaging. The emotional responses usually score well as audiences like when you can empathize with them and their real-life problems.
- CARING shows your compassion for your customers.
2. CLARITY: Delivering simple and clear messages
The ability to clearly articulate your message to your audience is the foundation to delivering exceptional communications. So many times we speak in corporate or professional ways that don’t match how the message is interpreted, thus creating confusion, misunderstandings, and conflict. Using simple language while focusing on a few core points of your message can help. Need help finding your brand voice?
- CLARITY in delivering a simple message your audience can easily receive.
About Dial Testing
Ever wondered what your audience in thinking in real time about your message? A dial test with your target market gives a numerical score to your message at each second, helping marketers make edits as scores go up or down. A live conversation in focus groups can help explain reactions and make your ad or message even better than before. Tip! You’ll want to test your message before it’s in final production mode.
About Emotion & Recall Testing
By simply wearing a smartwatch, new technologies today link the heart and mind’s reaction and body’s emotional response in real time to online content. This takes the subjective guesswork out of self-selected scores and gives you data to see if the ad is most effective for creating recall and connection. Don’t forget to add time and budget to explore data-driven options so you can communicate with confidence. Understanding the body’s emotional response can predict changes in consumer behaviors – purchases and memorable experiences - that are sure to launch a successful campaign from the start.
1. CONNECT: Make impactful connections through storytelling
An effective campaign strategy today is all about making impactful connections with your target market. Creating engaging online communities is an important part of your brand strategy and we’re here to help you find those important, relevant, and compassionate stories to tell and share along the way.
- CONNECT with your audience through winning brand stories.
To help your team navigate your next brand or communications projects with the 5 Cs, find out more about our message testing services at Conversate Labs.
OUR MISSION
Conversate Labs empowers brands and leaders to connect with the next generation through audience-driven insights and powerful storytelling. We believe your words and actions matter most! Schedule a listening session today.
