Don't miss an issue - add newsletter@seeseeeye.com to your address book.

volume 5, number 3

Meaningful Conversation

by Teresa Wheeler, Writer & Senior Web Developer, see see eye

The home inspector shook his head at the sight of the telephone wall plates in the then-five-year-old house I planned to buy. “With all the cordless and wireless options available there was absolutely no reason to install those,” he said. It was hardly a deal killer, but off and on since moving in nearly two years ago I've stared at the wall plate in the kitchen and thought I should cover it up somehow. But the location – a narrow strip of wall adjacent to the pantry door – is an odd spot for art.

I'm fond of vintage tchochkes, like old advertising signs or kitchen gadgets, as well as frequent visits to eBay to hunt for them. It didn't take much looking to make the practical – and incredibly obvious – decision to put a working vintage phone in the spot. The '70s era model arrived the other day, still in its original carton. I chuckled when I saw the message printed on the side, aimed at prospective buyers of the time: “Relax a little...save steps...add security with an extension.”

Sure, it sounds more than a little campy today, but at the time the writer of that message took the right approach. If we communications professionals want our audiences to care about what we have to say, we too need to talk to them in terms of what's in it for them – not simply what we want to sell. And, to maintain that relevance, we have to continually revisit our value propositions as new ideas are generated and introduced in our marketplaces.

How Valuable is Your Proposition?
These days, most people are seldom out of arm's reach of a phone, and purchasing decisions rarely involve questioning that convenience. More often they're about a better cordless frequency – or whether to use a landline at all – things Ma Bell at the time couldn't have imagined. It doesn't hurt that telecom companies are in a booming industry, but to grab a decent share of that pie they've got work to get attention.

Market-leading telecoms get noticed and gain ground by staying on top of what's important to prospects and customers and then shouting about it, whether that's claiming the fewest dropped calls, touting the security and stability of a landline or offering a suite of VOIP services for half the cost of a landline. As communications professionals, we need to take the same approach.

Taking Stock
So, do our audiences need or want what we're offering? If not, what can we offer them that they would want? How can we speak to them in a way that helps them connect with us? Which medium will best get their attention and carry our message? We can get help answering these critical questions by:

• Asking. Start an honest dialogue with our audiences to find out what they need from us. As The Cluetrain Manifesto asserts, the Internet has transformed markets into conversations and “Markets want to talk to companies...” This dialogue could be as wide-ranging as a blog or as focused as a top-level executive calling a customer or partner for feedback.
• Getting out of our silos. We can compare proposed communications campaigns against our marketplaces or industries by reviewing white papers, web sites, advertising, blogs or other industry content and gauging the distinctiveness of our propositions.
• Setting aside for a moment our tendency to do things the way we've always done them. Instead, bounce ideas off of a diverse group of colleagues to learn how our messages might be received across different generations, cultures and professional roles.
• Paying attention to company- or industry-related forums or message boards. The feedback we can glean is typically direct and unvarnished, though it can also be polarized. Still, it's good way to tap into the pulse of our audiences.

Whether working with an outside communications firm or on an in-house effort, steps like these help craft messages that better resonate with recipients and communicate companies' differentiators in meaningful ways.

Can You Really Ever Go Back?
Since pressing the vintage phone and its melodious brass bells back into service I realized how annoying the chirping ringers in digital handsets can be – I turned them all off. But as fond as I am of the old phone, I have to admit that it's cordless freedom, Caller ID and touch-tone dialing that I reach for. Nostalgia and multitasking just don't mix and, at least for the foreseeable future, I've got more to-dos than time.

You have received this message from see see eye because you have an existing relationship with us or you have subscribed to our e-newsletter at www.seeseeeye.com.

590 Means Street NW, Suite 201, Atlanta GA 30318 USA | 404.841.6697 
© 2007 see see eye | subscribe | unsubscribe | privacy policy