Each month here at Honest we take time out for looking after clients to carry out monthly knowledge shares and this month we focused on looking at the power of language.
Language is a powerful thing. Without it, quite frankly in our line of here work at Honest, we’d be out of a job, and more interestingly, society would be without the creativity and evolutions that we see all around us every day. Language can do many things – it can generate different thoughts, help form opinions and impact behaviour. It’s even helped to elicit some major changes in society.
When we talk about language though, it’s easy to assume that we’re talking about our native tongue, the words that come from our mouth or the words we read in print. For the most part that’s exactly what it is, but as the incredible motivational speaker, Poet Ali, would argue, there are so many different languages, many of which go far beyond words and are instead languages of shared experience.
In our knowledge share we watched Poet Ali’s TED talk on “The language of being human” in which he extends the definition of language, arguing that there are many other languages that go beyond our lexicon of words – the language of universal experiences that has the power to unite us all.
So whether it’s laughter, loneliness, love, pain or even gardening, there will be a group of people that understand these ‘languages’ because they’ve experienced these events themselves. These ‘languages’, argued by Poet Ali, are the most powerful forms of connection.
Brand values and communication are no different. Crafting the right values can act as a language you speak to connect with your potential customers. Whether it’s a commitment to sustainability or a promise to look after staff, the topics you choose to highlight and the ethos that you stand by will attract a certain group of people. It’s therefore important that you carefully consider the messages you are putting out, so you and your target audience are speaking the same language and are on the same page.
Navigating the tricky world of language, thinking beyond words and taking shared experience into consideration can be a challenging. As can finding the best ways and platforms to speak to your audience – it can all take time and needs careful consideration, but there’s no need to worry, that’s where we come in!
We offer an array of services that can help streamline and effectively execute your communications strategy. Whether it’s a Brand Voice workshop to look at the best language required to reach your customers and then to establish the right tone for all your communications; conducting media relations and securing media placements; or running influencer campaigns and writing and monitoring social posts to grow your online platforms, the options for getting your brand’s message seen and heard are endless.
If you and your audience need a little help speaking the same language, get in touch and let us lend a hand.
