Message Strategies: Clear? Crystal.

Developing A Strategy: Where To Begin

After a PR team has identified their audiences and publics, nailed down their objectives, and then come up with a plan, they must now decide how best communicate what they wish to. PR is all about strategic communication and this is a step where that really all comes into play. When we get to this point in the process, we must first establish the actual differences between a public and an audience. Publics are "[groups] of people that share a common interest vis-à-vis an organization, recognizes its significance and sets out to do something about it." On the other hand, "[audiences are] a group of people who pay attention to a particular medium of communication" (Smith, 2020). We must treat the various publics as the audiences we are communicating with and devise a plan for effective communication strategies.

Structuring A Message:

Because the structure of a message delivered to key publics is so crucial, this subject has become the face of several research prompts. Specific things that have been researched regarding this subject are: "giving one or both sides of an argument, the order of presentation, and the value of drawing conclusions or making recommendations" (Smith, 2020). There are two types of arguments: one-sided and two-sided. One-sided arguments give the speakers point of view while two-sided does also in addition to opposing views. According to the American Psychological association, "one-sided messages tend to be most effective when recipients are unlikely to generate arguments on the other side of the issue. Two-sided messages are most successful when recipients are likely to generate opposing arguments (American Psychological Association). As for order of presentation, this refers to how an argument unfolds and can be a key to how a message is perceived. Lastly, as for drawing conclusions, one must do so along with presenting evidence and teaching their audience how to interpret.

What Actually Is In The Message: Why Clarity Is Important?

When it comes to actually delivering a message, the tactics used can have a significant impact on whether the message is received at all and to what degree of success it has. This is where clarity along with a clear branding message as a whole comes into play. According to Oxford Languages, the definition of clarity is “the quality of being coherent and intelligible”. Clarity is important when it comes to both writing and speaking, because if a message isn’t easy to understand, how can an audience be expected to interpret it? Everything that makes up a brand and it’s campaigning are what makes it unique. Without clear branding and a strong brand message, “you can't expect your organization to flourish. Creating a clear and meaningful brand takes time but that doesn't mean it should be pushed aside” (Herrick). This way, loyal customers will easily understand the goals and values of a brand. Additionally, this will help new or potential customers become more likely to stand behind something that they may not know much about.