Making your organization listen to your business ideas can be challenging. Many things are competing for your audience’s attention, and while your team members might be speaking to you, they may thinking of hundreds of other things, from the pressure of a new product launch to what they’re having for lunch. Sometimes, however, they just don’t care about whatever is on your mind.
To express your ideas effectively, you need to consider the context, plan your approach towards presenting your thoughts, adjusting your communication style to get and hold your audience’s attention, and making a connection with the pressing business needs. Here are five ways to make people care about your idea:
Know Your Audience
The first way to get people to listen to you is to find out what makes them tick. You should be aware they value the most. Is it profitability? Is it the quality of service and satisfaction of customers? Is it the successful branding? If you know your audience, you’d be able to present your idea in a way that should interest them.
Be Empathetic
The next step is to be empathetic with your audience. Think the way they do. Identify what problems they want to be solved first. Anticipate questions. Show willingness to entertain questions and criticism. Chances are, if they see that you’re not willing to defend your idea, they will assume it’s unimportant.
Choose the Best Medium
Moreover, you have to choose the best communication medium. Does your audience prefer to see all numbers? Present your idea using Excel. Do they appreciate a simpler set of data and visuals? Submit your idea using graphs. Whatever medium you choose, remember to back them up with a strong story. Facts come and go; the story of your message that will always resonate.
Be Relevant
Likewise, be relevant. You can’t present your next big idea if your organization is still in the process of strengthening a recent product offering. After all, the perfect timing would matter more than a perfect idea.
Be Solution-Oriented
Lastly, people would care about your idea if they see that it will solve a problem. Package your idea in a way that it is solution-oriented. Demonstrate how this can solve a pressing problem or challenge in the organization.
Through these five simple ways, you can increase your luck by making people care about your idea. Remember, however, that attention spans are getting shorter, so you must deliver your message as briefly and concisely as possible. Using the best and most appropriate medium for your situation, show knowledge of your audience, be empathetic and relevant, and provide a solution.
