Repition

One does not have to read too many of these blog entries to understand that their constant theme is that communication is a big deal. It has impact. It makes a difference. It matters. With each entry, I attempt to drive home this point by use of past or current events, various works of scholarship, and my own real-world experiences. With each entry I strive to drive-home the value of effective communication. While we can certainly argue as to how well I do this, there can be no doubt that my focus remains constant. I do this so that persons who do read even a few entries of this blog walk away understanding that communication is a vital aspect of our lives. 

I repeat this overriding point because, to me, it is worth remembering. I want people to navigate each of their days remembering that how well they communicate helps determine the quality of their days and lives. For it to "sink-in" as deeply as I wish, this message needs to be repeated. People need to hear and/or read it more than once. Any marketing or advertising research expert will attest to the reality that for any message to be emotionally and intellectually embraced, then far more often than not, it must be read and/or heard more than once. Repetition is the key.

How many advertisements do any of us hear on radio where the "number to call" is mentioned multiple times throughout the 30-second spot? The same is often true when it comes to television advertisements. People, generally, are busy or distracted or both and do not always "catch" points that are being put forth to them all that quickly. Consequently, key points must be repeated for the key information in messages to be fully embraced. This also holds true when it comes to more informal settings, such as one-on-one conversations. The challenge for all of us is to repeat those key points in ways that are creative rather than insulting. Coming up with ways to repeat one's self is but one more challenge of communicating effectively.