Editor’s Note: Hey, hey! Our team at Blackwood has a podcast called The Big Brand Theory! This episode, our host, Kyle Johnson spoke with Kem Meyer, owner and brand therapist at Kem & Company, about communication and how to use it in the best way possible for your business.
Interpersonal communication is an asset that every person and business needs. Between verbal and non-verbal, communication focuses how you’re saying anything to anyone by everything you do. In terms of you and your business, this means everything. Your communication strategy is the lifeline to your company’s health and well-being. Like Kem says,
Every company, every business, every sector, every leader, every employee. Where things go off the rails is just bad communication. -Kem Meyer
| BAD DEFINITIONS |
How do you define communication? Your definition may affect more than you think. As it turns out, Kem says that bad definitions can be the poison to your company. Her advice is to be sure that everyone is on the same page about your definitions. This could be your definition for communication, your brand, your values, you name it. Everything boils down to how you define it and guaranteeing that everyone is on the same page about it is key. Jeff Bezos says:
“Your brand is what people say about you when you’re not in the room”
| REMOVING DISRUPTORS |
Well, we should probably start with defining a disruptor. A disruptor is defined as anything that could potentially block/disrupt a process in business. This could be any process in your business. Whether it be communication, supply chain, or a assumed rule held by your company, by removing potential disruptors, you’re refining your definitions and goals and making a clear path to success for your business and the people in it.
| GET PERSPECTIVE |
Kem recommends more than any other thing to get an outside perspective on your business. She recommends somebody who is completely unaffiliated who can give you a raw, unfiltered, and unbiased view of how your company is doing things.
“They become brand evangelists and they all have different spheres of influence that the cooperation will never infiltrate. “
More specifically, Kem mentions how she recommends everyone to have AT LEAST two image consultants.
1. Your boss/a leader who is able to give you a bigger picture perspective.
2. A peer who can say things like “I know what you mean, but that’s not how you’re coming across”
The good thing is, most of the time an image consultant is completely free. At most you might have to buy them coffee. The point is to get someone you trust into a room and have them lay it all out there. The outside perspective will help your company more than you can imagine.
| BRAND PERSONALITY |
“People don’t trust corporate brands, but they’ll lean into personable brands because they know there’s humanity there.”
We will put it the same way Kem puts it in the podcast; don’t be sterile. People don’t expect your brand to have it’s own personality, but people expect your brand to be personable. People want to find some sort of humanity in your brand and want to be able to relate with you on a human level. Gone are the sterile, corporate communication days. Be exciting and don’t be afraid to show your brands personality in all of your messaging.
| COMMUNICATION STRATEGY |
According to Kim, there are three ingredients to evaluating great interpersonal communication strategy.
1. Did it form a connection?
If you did something successfully, it probably formed a connection. If you did something unsuccessfully, it likely left the receiver confused or uninterested. In all your communication, whether it be over social media or in-person chatting, be sure that you’re clear in your definitions and authentic in your delivery. Things that have these qualities are more likely to form a meaningful connection.
“It’s painful. It’s not sexy. It’s not fun. Like it’s not, it’s not like a silver bullet. Something that’s really easy to execute. I’m not saying this is easy. This is hard.”
2. Did they engage?
How has your engagement been lately? On social media? Maybe even in person? Your website? Your engagement can be a crucial aspect of your business and it also a crucial part of your communication strategy. Kem emphasizes the idea that whatever you’re putting out should move someone to do something.
“If your communication is not moving people anywhere or a cause anywhere, then it’s not communication.”
3. Are they sharing it?
Where is your audience sharing your work? How are they responding to what you’re communicating? If your audience is sharing your work, that is a good sign. People engage with things that are clear, are well defined, and that they deem as meaningful.
If your current marketing and communication strategy just isn’t cutting it anymore, you’ve come to the right place. Our team of experts here at Blackwood Creative would be more than happy to work with you and help you meet and exceed your business goals. We’re in the business of building remarkable brands – yours could be next. Reach out to us today!
