Schlagwort-Archive: Target group

Verbal Smoke Bombs

In times of the continuous production and distribution of news, the attention of the target group is the most important currency. Negative novelties damage in this context particularly people, who depend at most on the public opinion: Politicians and the stock market.

Ansprache

They need regularly formulations that let them appear in positive light. The following approaches are used, if the actual news is mediocre or even bad.

  • Proclaiming normality
    Sometimes things happen that do not correspond with expectations. Then, they simply make normality out of the current situation. „It is completely normal that… “
  • Focusing on positive results
    At the end of a project a positive impression evolves by describing the results and by concealing shortcomings.  They make successful partial results to the overall success of the project. “We achieved the following results.”
  • Demonstrating decisiveness
    They show resoluteness by deciding explicitly something banal and emphasizing it. The target group will mainly remember the decisiveness – „We decided unanimously to reflect about further steps“
  • Complaining about the lack of information
    They do not want to face a negative fact. In this case they doubt the existence of the problem due to the lack of information. “We are lacking the complete information.”
  • Planning pro-active action
    If the truth cannot be denied, they announce a plan that will provide new insights in a near future. „We installed a task force for… “

If you do not want to lose your credibility, be more specific and avoid these vague formulations.

Meaning is not simply defined

A substantial part of the economy, politics and other areasof life is the exchange of information. The biggest mistake is the assumption that a situation is clear per se. On the one hand, due to generalizations, distortions and deletions parts of the message get lost. On the other hand, receivers of the message extend the actual meaning with their own associations and interpretations. Although contents are passed on deliberately, the meaning lies in the eye of the recipients. The path to the message is steep and uncertain. It requires effort and time. There is no guarantee that the desired outcome can be achieved at the target group. Meaning is not simply defined.

For this reason, a good preparation is important. The actual exchange is not limited to the statement, but requires conscious coordination – talks and discussions. Since understanding only becomes visible in doing, meaning design reaches until practical implementation.

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Meaning design consists of three steps: developing the idea, exchanging information and the realization in doing. If a step is skipped, the probability of obstacles grows.

Develop
From the idea to the concept, the stability of contents evolves. For this purpose, it is favorable to consider alternative options. In the case of developing ideas, the arguments for the selected solution as well as the counterarguments for the other alternatives arise.
Example: The market for video rentals is breaking down. You develop new business models, in order to stay in business. Alternatives are: starting an on-line business, specializing your offer or giving up the business. You decide for a specialized offer of cultural rare pieces that will be rented and sold nation-wide.

Communicate
From concept to the prepared message to the desired effect, the basis of acceptance is defined. The translation of the abstract concept into the language of the target group is crucial for understanding. Therefore, it is important to know the language and ways of thinking of the target group. In mutual exchange of ideas, the edited message and aspects of the concept are improved. The result is the common understanding.
Example: You visit your branches and present the new concept to your employees. They give you the idea, to add foreign films to your product range that are difficult to obtain. The employees are enthusiastic about your training program that teaches them the new assortment.

Do
From the initial doing to mastery, the desired effect evolves. Not until the message causes an action, it becomes visible, whether the concept functions or not. The involvement of the doers into a regular dialog ensures the desired advantages in the long-term.
Example: After you prepared the market with elaborated advertising for your offer, first issues arise in the support of your knowledgeable customers. With the introduction of appropriate information systems, the employees adjust themselves to the new market. The revenue develops in the desired direction.

Bottom line

The conscious use of meaning design enables the transfer from an old to a new condition. Crucial are the thoughtful concept, the active reconciliation with the involved ones and the continuous improvement of the outcomes.