Get your point across

Effective communication is about clarity and simplicity. The simpler and clearer your message is, the better are its chances of being understood. However, there's more to good communication than just this. Here are a few tips to help you get your point across, easily and effectively:

1.Identify your target audience and make a mental picture of them in terms of age, likes and dislikes, attitudes, etc. Communicating to them should be your primary goal. Everything else is secondary.

2.Next, choose a single prominent medium of communication, that will get their attention. It could be a blog, or a power point presentation, or even a printed article, depending on their demographics and psychographics.

3.Clearly identify the message or thought to be communicated. It is best to stick to one central message that is reiterated, with perhaps two sub-themes or sub-messages. That will prevent confusion of ideas.

4.Frame your message in an interactive way. That will gather the audience's interest and get them to pay attention to your thoughts

5.Keep it simple and straightforward. Use a clear style and precise words to convey what you want to say. Bombastic language may sound impressive, but if your audience has not understood what you tried to say, the purpose of your communication has been lost.

6.Make your messages personal and relevant. Customise them to suit your target group. If you need to give an example of a dance form to an Indian audience, try Bharatanatyam or Kathak, rather than Ballet or Salsa.

7.Ensure that your message is sensitive to the cultural, regional and religious sentiments of the audience. A well-intentioned statement can backfire if it hurts your audience's ideas and may land you in an embarrassing situation.

8.Avoid clichés. If it’s something your audience has seen elsewhere, they may not be impressed with what you are offering.

9.Encourage your target audience to contribute. This will go a step further to bring in a sense of belonging, especially during a presentation.

10.Humor helps, but do not use it unless it comes easily to you. A bad joke can create an unfavorable impression. It's best to intersperse your communication with interesting facts and anecdotes to break monotony.