As a communicator, the last thing we want our audience asking is “what’s the point?”  How do we communicate in a way that both gets the point across and also spurs our audience on to action?

To ensure our point gets across we need to ask two questions.  First – What do I want my audience to know, and Second – what do I want them to do about it?

In developing our communication plan, whether it be verbal or written, we need to understand what we want our audience to know.  This question gets to the heart of what we are trying to communicate.  Sometimes, this leads to a three or four point argument, but often, the best forms of communication have simply one point; a clear, concise argument with a call to action.

Next, we need to determine what we want our audience to do about it.  This step helps us determine how we deliver our message.  Perhaps we want our audience to leap into action.  Maybe we want our audience to change their behavior.  Or, sometimes we just want the audience to chew on the idea we are presenting.

As communicators, we need to ensure we answer “what’s the point?”  To that end begin by determining what you want the audience to know.  Once that question is solved, determine what you want the audience to do about it.  With those two questions answered we can build our argument and at the very least, give our audience something to chew on.