I just sent a note to a friend embarking on his first business media project, to help him understand his audience.
Business leaders are a coveted audience, and they are always looking for relevant information and intelligence. But they are elusive, always busy, and very hard to reach.
Which means you have to carve a message that gets through to them immediately. You may only get one shot.
So here is my advice:
Business leaders are in the simplification business.
They demand inputs that are clear and uncomplicated, and their outgoing messaging is very much the same. Give them too much detail and their eyes glaze over.
So make sure your messaging is always easy to follow, shuns technical jargon, and avoids unnecessary complications. CEOs want clear solutions and easy-to-follow strategies for success.
As the writer/marketer, value their needs over your own. Use the word "you" at least three times more often than you use "I" or "me" or "us."
The buck stops here. But so does nuance, indecision, evasion and ambiguity.
