What, so what, now what?

We are in the communications business. Ironically, we sometimes find it hard to communicate effectively both internally with our co-workers and externally with our clients. In our experience, this difficulty often stems from a lack of preparation or purpose or not taking a structured approach to communication. Thanks to technology, we have more opportunities to communicate in more channels, ways, and frequently. "Winging it" is no longer a sustainable strategy. Matt Abrahams is the author of Think Faster, Talk Smarter: How to Speak Successfully When You’re Put on the Spot. He says it all starts with having a structured approach to our communication. Having a structure, Abrahams says, provides:

Clarity: A structure eliminates ambiguity, ensuring your message is straightforward, easy to understand and easy to follow.

Retention: Ideas presented structured are more likely to be remembered, making your communication more impactful.?

Persuasion: A logical structure builds your case point by point, facilitating persuasion by guiding your audience through a reasoned argument.

Efficiency: Structure saves time and mental energy, simplifying complex ideas into digestible, actionable points.

Reduced anxiety: Having a predefined structure can significantly lessen communication anxiety, as you already know how to convey what you need to say, and you are less likely to forget your content.

We frequently discuss communication and how to improve in these sales tips. So, we are always looking for quick, memorable ideas for improvement. Abrahams's recent article in Harvard Business Review provides what he calls a "simple hack to help you communicate more effectively." The structure he introduces is based on three questions:

What: Describe and define the facts, situation, product, position, etc. So What: Discuss the implications or importance for the audience. In other words, the relevance to them.

Now What: Outline the call to action or the next steps, such as taking questions or setting up a subsequent meeting.

If you find yourself rambling or having difficulty organizing your messaging, maybe even your commercial writing, this three-question structure could be beneficial.

What are you talking about?

Why should I care?

What do you want me to do about it?

Answering those three questions before your next presentation or commercial might help you communicate more clearly, succinctly and effectively. What do you think?

Jeff Schmidt is the SVP of Professional Development. You can reach him at Jeff.Schmidt@rab.com. You can all so connect with him on X and LinkedIn.