The Visual Edge - Mastering Communication 2.0

The one big difference between an expert, often the best-kept secret, and an authority, the Go-To in their industry, is mastering the art and science of communication.

The importance of cut-through communication is nothing new, but I truly believe it’s becoming more sophisticated and more complex in 2024.

Why?

Because the expectations are higher, the competition has increased, and the tools available are endless. So, there is no excuse in 2024 not to elevate your executive presence and brand through effective communication.

The question is - which aspects of communication should you focus on? This is what this blog is all about.

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‘Attention is the number 1 asset’ - this is a slogan Gary V has been honing in for quite some time now, as it’s the profound truth of the morning landscape.

He’s also writing a book on day trading attention, as in the end, this is what’s required to be chosen, whether it is as an employee or as a business.

And it should come as no surprise. We live in a world inundated with information and choices, with a lot more noise out there, which makes it harder to cut through, to get traction and with that, get ahead. After all, attention is the currency of choice, and in order to be chosen in 2024, whether as an employee or as a business selling their products or services, it’s important to understand Communication 2.0, where mastering the art and science of connection becomes your key to influence and impact as an Authority Brand.

Let’s dive into the 3 big changes in communication trends for 2024 that I’ve been seeing developing for quite some time and truely believe these are :are shaping the future of effective and influential communication:

1. Visual Communication Dominance:

We are bombarded with information and notifications every single day, to the extent that our attention spans are getting shorter. This is the profound truth in the modern landscape, and you know it’s real when there is a newly coined term for it: information overload, also known as ‘infobesity.’ So, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that the first prediction involves an increase in visual communication across the board for various reasons.

We know that visuals are processed 60,000 times faster by the brain than written communication and are more likely to be remembered. Considering that we live in an attention economy, the challenge is in finding strategies and tactics that make us more memorable to others – and this is the essence of personal branding. So, what does this mean for you if you are serious about establishing yourself as the Authority Brand in your field?

Putting more emphasis on developing and publishing not only a variety of content across various channels but also in a visually engaging and compelling way is key. It starts by turning your intellectual property, which often only exists in your head (making it harder to communicate and be understood by others) or is somewhere in written format, into an easily understandable signature framework. You can then use it for your social media posts, keynote presentations, inclusion in proposals, pitch decks, speaker kits, as well as internal documentation and presentations.

The other reason for more visual communication is Global Accessibility:

With the world becoming increasingly interconnected, the audience for your message is likely diverse and all over the world, which means that you need to take into consideration different cultural understandings, communications practices, and interpretations. While words can be misunderstood or misinterpreted, visuals speak a unified language. This is especially crucial for leaders working across international markets, managing global teams, or aiming to build a global audience as a thought leader and authority brand. It's not just about what you say but how you present it. So by integrating visuals into your communication, firstly through your signature framework but also through various charts, diagrams, and other visual tools, makes your key concepts and ideas more memorable and shareable, enhances understanding but also caters to the varied preferences and backgrounds of your audience. This adaptability is a key asset in the evolving landscape of communication in 2024.

2. Elevate Your Marketing Assets:

Continuing on from the trend in visual communication - one trend that I see becoming a necessity is your marketing assets for your personal brand. In the end, your personal brand is only as strong as the assets supporting it. When I say ‘marketing assets,’ I mean every document that represents you when you’re not in the room or on Zoom. It is your CV, your LinkedIn profile, your LinkedIn banner, your ‘about me’ on any platforms you’re on, including a company website, a Medium account, a podcast channel - you name it. Plus, given content is the new gold, I also truly believe that having slick and professionally designed speaker and media kits are non-negotiables, especially as an executive who has a lot of media appearances but also wants to get proactive with podcast guesting and media contributions to build the company brand and reputation.

Plus, having ready-to-go and slick assets also means you can scale your impact, your presence, and contribution without burning out, as you don’t have to come up with a new ‘about me,’ a keynote synopsis, or a media contribution. As we expand our services and more clients are asking for this support, we started outreach and pitching for retainer clients, but we only do it with those clients who’ve gone through the Authority Brand Accelerator, where the visual identity and asset development is included and we know that their market assets are on brand and spot on. However, we can only do this because we’ve done the groundwork, understand our clients’ decision-makers and goals, and can be strategic with the execution whilst scaling their influence and presence without them doing anything. This is the power of investing in strong foundations that you can then leverage. Most try to take the shortcut and either start straight with the design and haven’t actually mapped out their brand promise, persona, and content pillars and wonder why their message falls flat or they have done the groundwork but the execution is low brow. I truly believe that no one has any excuse anymore to not show up professionally. The time where we were forgiving for grainy images or outdated designs is over, and don’t forget - perception = reality, so when someone sees low quality of your marketing assets, you can put 1+1 together to understand what they think of the quality of your work and your attitude toward innovation.

In the end, your assets not only showcase your expertise but also position you as a thought leader in your field. Think of them as the polished introduction to your personal brand story. If you want to take your speaker and media kits to the next level - consider including interactive links like QR codes that link to your visual framework. It's about making your brand memorable and standing out in a crowded digital space while scaling your presence the smart way.

Last but not least - an oldie but goodie and one that will see more varied usage:

3. Rise of Video Communication:

Yes, again nothing new as such, but I see the use of video changing.

May it be because I work with my clients on reshaping their internal comms to not only build a more engaged team but also to help my clients practice their digital communication skills and help them get over themselves about being self-conscious to show up on video. We are in 2024 after all, and if you aren’t where your audience is at, don’t be surprised when you don’t get the buy-in or the connection you want from them.

Video is the next best thing after being with someone in person and it has become the bridge between leaders and their teams, especially since remote and distributed workplaces have become the norm. I see video also replacing traditional meetings like those drawn-out town halls. I'm still bedazzled every time I hear that there are still leaders conducting hour-long meetings to update the team on financials, numbers, and future direction. The trend of shorter attention spans hasn’t bypassed them, so when we struggle to pay attention to a 7-sec reel, how can anyone expect others to remember what was talked about for hours when it isn’t interesting, engaging, nor presented in a fun way?

I also encourage my clients to replace newsletters with short and sharp videos on three points: what happened last week (celebrations and challenges / quick recap), what’s on the agenda for this week, and what everyone expected to do. In the end - this is also what psychological safety is all about, knowing what to expect and especially in times of constant change, overcommunication isn’t a thing.

You cannot overcommunicate when people are looking for certainty, also when you don’t have groundbreaking news. Simply acknowledging and addressing what everyone’s thinking creates trust through transparency.

I’m working with a few executive leaders from very large organizations, and they’ve gone through three waves of redundancies already in 2023, and there are more to come in 2024. The teams sense it and kind of know it but it hasn’t been publicized anywhere, so you can imagine the level of fear and uncertainty in the workplace. If you’re familiar with Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, you know that a next higher need can’t be addressed when you haven’t met a lower need. So when you’re in fear of your safety, for example, nothing else matters, and you can’t concentrate on being and doing your best. It’s called a survival mechanism.

Anyway - why I’m sharing this is that people want to be kept in the loop and what better way to do it than showing up on video, being vulnerable, showing personality, and empathy. The rise of short-form video content on platforms like TikTok and Instagram Reels is reshaping how leaders communicate, emphasizing brevity, creativity, and relatability.

So how can you leverage this trend: if you have a team, consider creating short video updates for them instead of long-drawn written newsletters and reports. Send a short video message with your proposals or a LinkedIn or WhatsApp message to someone to celebrate a milestone or achievement. It adds a personal touch that emails or memos simply can't achieve. Externally, get started with short-form video content that you simply shoot on your phone or hop onto Zoom and record yourself - this is literally how I record 99% of my short-form videos that get released on a Tuesday. It builds authenticity, allowing your audience to see the face behind the brand.

And there you have it, folks, a glimpse into the changing way of cut through communication that shapes your authority brand and way of influence and impact in 2024. Staying ahead in communication is not just a choice; it's a necessity. If you enjoyed today's episode, don't forget to subscribe, and please share your thoughts with a rating - it means the world to me!

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