Many things come in threes: the three little pigs; the three wise men; the three musketeers. There is something magical about that number.
On a recent chat with Glenn Bryan, president and CEO for Legacy Community Federal Credit Union, I was once again reminded about the “Principle of Three.” Glenn has a rich 38-year history working at the same financial institution. With that kind of wisdom, when he speaks, I always listen.
He shared that when working with the credit union’s board he always asks himself, "What do I want them to know; what do I want them to feel and what do I want them to do?"
Glenn is spot on when it comes to that philosophy. And that technique has many applications. For example, when you are communicating as a:
Let’s break down those three key messages you must always communicate:
Know
What do you want {insert who are targeting} to know? Whatever it is, keep it brief. Boil down your message to six words or less. Remember, brevity is clarity. Whether it is a leadership message, a marketing message or a one-on-one sales message, be crystal clear on what they should know.
Feel
What do you want {insert who you are targeting} to feel? Most people make decisions more on emotional reasons rather than logical. As Maya Angelou famously said, “People will forget what you said, people forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” Work your way backwards with this one: do you want them to feel excited, feel hopeful, feel angry, feel proud, feel helped, etc.? Put yourself in their shoes before you start communicating.
Do
What do you want {insert who you are targeting} to do? This is that famous call to action. Whether it is a board member, a particular marketing niche, an individual member/customer or one of your employees, more than likely there is something you want them to do. Approve a recommendation. Apply for a loan. Open an account. Understand your company vision. You need to answer for them what the next best action is (don’t assume they will know).
Know. Feel. Do. The next time you are in a sales conversation, creating a marketing campaign or chatting with one of your employees, keep those principles in the forefront of your mind.
