IT MAY NOT BE NEWS TO YOU, BUT …

Don’t you love when the discount-store cashier turns to you and mumbles, “haveaniceday”? There’s not much sincerity in her delivery of that familiar line, but you cut her some slack. After all, you reason, the poor woman has probably said that line 150 times today.

Doesn’t matter. You see, you’re hearing it from her for the first time today, and she should deliver it with that in mind. There’s a lesson in there for companies, organizations, and anyone who has to market the same thing day in and day out. No matter how many times you may hear yourself saying the same thing, it’s the first time your audience has heard it.

You need to keep that in mind with your communications materials. They need to present your organization as interested and enthused, no matter how bored and jaded you may really feel. Treat each encounter with your audience as if it’s the first time you’ve made them aware of something, and act as if they’ve never heard what you have to say.

No, it isn’t easy, but it will connect more effectively with them and make your message far more memorable than the rest they’ve heard today. Just think of how you feel when a cashier or someone in a fast-food restaurant treats you like you were the best customer they’ve ever had. You can remember those situations, because they’re so very rare. Make sure you’re one of the people (or companies) your audiences remember in the same way.