The four Cs of business communication - or communication in any field where you want your message to be clear and memorable - are comprehension, connection, credibility and contagiousness. These four Cs are said to be the major ingredients needed for a good marketing campaign, speech or business communication - without them, it is thought that the communication will fall flat.
• The First C - Comprehension
The first C, comprehension, requires that your audience understands exactly what message you are trying to convey. The Comprehension aspect of the four Cs states that any communication will fail if your message is not clear and easy to understand. Repetition and clarity are necessary for audience comprehension, as is conciseness - don't talk or write for too long, or about irrelevant information.
• The Second C - Connection
The second C, connection, means that your message must have an effect on the audience - if your message causes a specific behavior or emotion, then your message has successfully connected with the audience. A strong connection between the audience and the message means that the audience is more likely to remember the message itself.
• The Third C - Credibility
Credibility is regarded by many as the most important of the four C's. This is why, for example, companies do long and extensive searches to find the new face of their product or brand. If the audience does not believe who is delivering the message, how they are delivering it, of what the message itself actually is, then even if they comprehend and connect with the message, they are likely to ignore it. Audiences are intelligent in that they will question the source of the message, and if the source appears unreliable, then the product, brand or business idea appears unreliable too.
• The Fourth C - Contagiousness
Messages of any kind are most effective when they get people talking. Television advertisements with catchy slogans or theme tunes, or controversial billboard adverts, are examples of contagious messages as they get people talking. For a new brand, product, theory or idea, being the topic of conversation is essential, as it spreads the word and widens the base from which the new concept can rally support.
• The First C - Comprehension
The first C, comprehension, requires that your audience understands exactly what message you are trying to convey. The Comprehension aspect of the four Cs states that any communication will fail if your message is not clear and easy to understand. Repetition and clarity are necessary for audience comprehension, as is conciseness - don't talk or write for too long, or about irrelevant information.
• The Second C - Connection
The second C, connection, means that your message must have an effect on the audience - if your message causes a specific behavior or emotion, then your message has successfully connected with the audience. A strong connection between the audience and the message means that the audience is more likely to remember the message itself.
• The Third C - Credibility
Credibility is regarded by many as the most important of the four C's. This is why, for example, companies do long and extensive searches to find the new face of their product or brand. If the audience does not believe who is delivering the message, how they are delivering it, of what the message itself actually is, then even if they comprehend and connect with the message, they are likely to ignore it. Audiences are intelligent in that they will question the source of the message, and if the source appears unreliable, then the product, brand or business idea appears unreliable too.
• The Fourth C - Contagiousness
Messages of any kind are most effective when they get people talking. Television advertisements with catchy slogans or theme tunes, or controversial billboard adverts, are examples of contagious messages as they get people talking. For a new brand, product, theory or idea, being the topic of conversation is essential, as it spreads the word and widens the base from which the new concept can rally support.
