No matter what your profession or business is,  whether you are a company or an individual,  having a good communication strategy in place is crucial. How you communicate with your audience can impact sales, brand, buzz and so many other things. There are so many voices, commercials, e-mails, tweets, and blogs out there.  It’s easy to get lost in the shuffle. To be memorable and build a great relationship with customers you have to tailor your communications with the end in mind. Create clear, conscientious, consistent content that will keep you out of the discard pile.

How you communicate is part of your overall branding. It’s your voice, and an important component of your overall image. It’s how your customers and audience will come to identify you. It’s like any other relationship. Eventually, people will come to know your “voice” and it’s important that you be consistent.

When crafting a quality communication, there are three questions to ask yourself before starting out. Whether your communication is a speech, a Facebook Page, your overall Social Media Strategy, a letter, an e-mail or a newsletter, these questions will help keep you on track.

What do you want your audience to THINK about your company or you as a result of this communication?

What is your overall goal for the message? Do you want to be thought of as a a resource? What is your brand? Are you a speaker, teacher, coach? Provide simple, clear understandable information. Do you want to convey expertise or provide information? Review your communication and make sure that what you’ve said fits in with your overall branding.

How do you want your audience to FEEL as a result of this communication?

Is your goal to motivate, inspire or move to action? Use words and imagery that support your overall message and that are in line with the emotional impact you’d like to have. Do you want them to feel confident in your ability? You may need testimonials and statistics to show your track record for success.

What do you want your audience to DO after they receive the communication?

If you want them to do something after the communication, say so. Do they need to call, sign up for a newsletter or enroll in a class? Include all information about what they will get as result of signing up. Be sure to link them directly to where they need to go and give clear directions about what action is needed.

What your customer thinks, feels and does when they encounter sets the stage for success in your business. Ask these three questions and stay on top of the good “pile”.