Comedian, writer, actor, and director Louis C.K. is a pretty funny guy. I came across a video of his on YouTube not too long ago. It is a short excerpt from one of his sitcoms, called “Lucky Louie.” It’s less than three minutes long, and well worth watching: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WZ32BZT9pnk
So why am I sharing this video in my blog?
Well, oddly enough, the video illustrates my approach to clients’ projects. You see, clients often come to me saying they need something written or produced–a white paper, or video, or blogpost.
So what do I do?
I start peppering them with questions:
– Why do you want this written?
– Where is this content going to appear?
– Who is your target audience?
– Why is this the audience you want to go after?
– Why do you think this is the best way to reach them?
If the answers to these (and other) questions make sense, we move forward. If they don’t, we work harder to make sure the message is aligned with the audience’s informational needs and learning style, as well as the client’s communication objectives and business goals.
So Why Am I Telling You This?
Because if this particular communication piece (or campaign or program) is not aligned with the audience’s informational needs and learning style, the message is not going to penetrate. And if it’s not aligned with the client’s communication objectives and business goals, what’s the point of paying me to write or produce it? While I certainly appreciate getting paid, I get much greater fulfillment from knowing I am contributing to my clients’ success by producing work that will truly have a positive impact on their audiences.