Communicate with your audience and why it matters

Effective communication with your audience matters.  Of course we can all communicate.  That’s taken as read.  But can you really talk to people so they listen and hear the key messages you want them to get?  In other words, are you effectively communicating with your audience?

As part of our marketing delivery, we regularly provide corporate events on the Solent.  Brilliant fun.  We’re lucky to be  based in Lymington, a town that’s big on sailing with plenty of water-based facilities it’s a no-brainer.  Clients can opt for yachts, kayaks or RIBs (Rigid Inflatable Boats) and make the most of the cruising area.  Between the Isle of Wight and the mainland there are so many anchorages and harbours to enjoy such as Cowes, Beaulieu, Portsmouth and Yarmouth. 

On one occasion, our client entertained their guests on a very hot sunny day.  The group was split into teams and they were charged with undertaking a good old fashioned Treasure Hunt with plenty of cunning, skulduggery and humour required.

At the start of a full day, the first question that decided the winning team was posed: name as many songs as you can with references to water. And boy did one crew really go for it.  They had sheets and sheets of answers. Responses included Handel, Rihanna’s Umbrella, ella, ella, ella, Rod Stewart and the entire back catalogue of Wet, Wet, Wet, I seem to remember.

Involvement and interaction

So, I decided to include the task as an ice breaker as part of our LinkedIn training that we provide to clients.  On training day people don’t really know what to expect.  Am I going to be writing down pages of notes?  Or can I just hit the snooze button and read email by stealth?  But with a strong piece of interaction, everyone is involved.

Setting an ice breaker is a great way to get some early interaction.  But this time I wanted to ask the attendees to provide me with any song titles referencing marketing.  However, I was stumped.

So, instead I went for the song subject of money, as this is the real reason we all undertake marketing.  That worked.  Now that I have busted my intro idea, what do you do to get communication moving at the start of an event?  Effective communication with your audience is after all still relevant in any face to face situation.

If this has piqued your interest regarding any events, get in touch here with us at SG Marketing, or call us on 01590 674590. It all starts with a conversation.