Good Communication Repeats Itself


A lot of businesses and organizations don’t want to repeat themselves. So they find other things to say or they stop communicating entirely. The result is inconsistent communication.

To really connect with people, you’ve got to say it and say it again and again and again.

Let’s be honest: People aren’t listening. Most people aren’t paying attention. They’re not reading your emails or social media posts or newsletters. They’re hearing your message maybe a tenth of the time you’re communicating it.

That means when you feel like you’ve repeated yourself for the fourth or fifth time and want to say something different, your target audience hasn’t even heard you once.

You need to repeat yourself.

Two Ways to Make Repetition Work

There are two ways to address this issue:

1. Clarify Your Message

The most important communication task for any business or organization is to figure out what your message is. What are you all about? What’s the elevator pitch?

You need a clear, simple message about who you are and what you do.

It doesn’t need to be rocket science, it just needs to be clear:

  • The honest, reliable auto mechanic.
  • The fast, fresh deli.
  • The nonprofit that gives homeless people a voice.

Here’s why this is important: People aren’t listening. So on the rare occasion when they do, you need them to understand immediately who you are and what you do. All of your communication should include this concept in some form.

Clarifying your message gives you consistency.

2. Repeat It

Now you need to repeat yourself. Ad nauseam. It’s OK to say the same thing. You don’t need to waste time coming up with more and more unique things to communicate. Instead, say the same thing—slightly tweaked and refreshed—over and over again.

For that honest, reliable auto mechanic, maybe the tagline is “We’ll treat you right.” A perfect ad campaign would be that tagline with a series of super simple stories showcasing how they’re honest and reliable:

  • We’ll treat you right: Interior vacuum included on every job.
  • We’ll treat you right: We check filters, wipers, and air pressure every time.
  • We’ll treat you right: Free tire patching while you wait.

Remember: When you’re getting tired of a slogan or a specific pitch, that’s when your target audience is just starting to hear it. Keep repeating yourself.

Once More With Feeling

Say it again. And again. And again. Keep saying it. When you’re sick of saying it, people are just starting to hear you.

That’s how communication works. Break through the noise by repeating a consistent message.