Tesar-Reynes

Marketing managers are inundated with e-mails, phone calls, and requests daily. Convey your ideas to them in clear and concise words, and not only will they thank you for your brevity, but they’ll think you’re smart too.

That’s how my new boss feels about any client contact we have. At PRSA’s International Conference in San Diego last week, she noted this 3-minute drill for communicating with clients and managers. She shared it with us at a staff meeting:

1. Intro your topic.
2. Tell them why you’re bringing it up.
3. Let them know where you’re headed.
4. Give them options.
5. Get out.

Looks simple, yes?

Why is it whenever we communicate with our superiors we feel the need for longwinded correspondence and pedantic tactics? I can recall a handful of times as in intern when I sent wordy e-mails in a vain attempt to appear smart. I often realized, after I hit send, that I was being overeager and try-hard.

This week, I tried the outline above in status updates that I had to send to my firm’s account executives or our clients. I felt infinitely better about the structure of those e-mails and confident I was clearly communicating myself in the fewest amount of words possible. My PR teachers used to always say PR writers have to learn to be clear AND concise.

This messaging technique isn’t necessary for all of your correspondence. It wouldn’t work for brainstorming, for example. But when you’re updating your clients or superiors, consider using it. They have a million other things on their mind daily. You’ll help them out by giving them only the info they need to make a proper decision. You’ll get a better response from them by spelling out their options.

And once you’ve done that, get out. They’ll get back to you.

Ciao,

Roland