Making communications land - Are they received and understood as intended? webinar Thursday 2 May 2024 A joint webinar created by the APM Enabling Change and APM People Interest Networks, this is the third of our three part series on Making Communications Land. presented by Ian Cribbes, Director, IMC&T Ltd @cribbesheet The link to the write up page and resources of this webinar: https://www.apm.org.uk/news/making-communications-land-are-they-received-and-understood-as-intended-webinar/ Content description: How do we ensure that what we have communicated was received and understood as we intended and how do we course correct if it has not.

1. Making communications land – Are they received and
understood as intended? webinar
Using smart targeting to give your communications
more chance of getting a result
Joint webinar by APM People Interest Network and Enabling Change Interest Network
Ian Cribbes
2 May 2024

2. The mechanics of a communication:
In your environment, what ‘levers’ can you pull?
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3. What tools to you have to apply to your communication?
• Do you know your audience intimately?
• Can you do some ‘pre-research’ or a Change Readiness Assessment?
• Do you have time to adjust your message if you need to?
• Are you aligning with the culture and adjusting your message?
• Have you ensured you have used neuro-diverse language?
• What is your mechanism for assessing if the message was assimilated?
• Do you have a backout plan in case you need it?
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4. Ian Cribbes:
The neurological approach to targeting your
message
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5. The neurological approach to targeting your message
• People construct their model of the world differently – “the map is not the territory”.
• People are convinced in different ways. Use the stats to your advantage.
• Are you reaching people at the right neurological level?
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6. Maps of the world – Perceptual Positions
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Your target audience:
The people you are hoping to influence
with your communication

7. Maps of the world – Perceptual Positions
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Visual language:
… what good looks like…
… we will show that…
… the current picture looks like…
… you can see that….
45%

8. Maps of the world – Perceptual Positions
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15%
Auditory language:
… does that sound right…
… we can tell you…
… so we can discuss…
… hear your opinions….

9. Maps of the world – Perceptual Positions
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40%
Kinesthetic language:
… check that feels right…
… take you on a journey…
… everything in place…
… your experience….

10. Maps of the world – Perceptual Positions
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What to do:
• Ensure you cover all 3 ‘styles’ of writing when you
compose your message.
• Test it out on someone before transmitting
(so it sounds natural).

11. Convincer channels – how we come to believe things…
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Your target audience:
People tend to be convinced through
Different ‘channels’ – do not assume
we are all the same.
What type of information does a person need to gather in order to be CONVINCED?

12. Convincer channels – how we come to believe things…
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SEE: 55% of us need to experience the
evidence first hand.
(but beware fake news!)
55%

13. Convincer channels – how we come to believe things…
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HEAR: 30% of us are convinced when
we hear something told by others.
30%

14. Convincer channels – how we come to believe things…
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DO: 12% of us are only really
convinced when we do it ourselves.
12%

15. Convincer channels – how we come to believe things…
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READ: Only 3% of us are totally
convinced by reading something
written down.
3%

16. Convincer channels – how we come to believe things…
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What to do:
• Consider if you can deploy a mix of convincer
channels. Is it appropriate for your comms?
• Test it out on someone before transmitting
(so it sounds natural).
• 55% need to experience first – are there ways
you can ‘test the market’ (pre or post)?
• 30% are convinced via ‘spread the word’ – can
you create ambassadors?

17. Convincer modes – another dimension to think about
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How does a person treat information gathered in order to BECOME CONVINCED?
Whatever Convincer Channels we favour have to impact on us enough to make the convincing complete:
Number of
examples
52% …of us are convinced when we
experience something repeated
Consistency 15% …of us are convinced by evidence
that supports itself in a consistent way
Period of time 25% …of us come to be convinced by the
passage of time
Automatic 8% …of us just ‘get it’ without a need for
further impact

18. Convincer modes – how to optimise your convincing…
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What to do:
• Repeats – you may not have the luxury of
multiple ‘shots’ so think about ‘meta-messages’.
• Consistent – always aim to be authentic and
emphasise the same message’.
• Period of time – can you use multiple ‘shots’?
• You can only be certain that around 8% of
your audience will ‘get it’ first time.