When I am working with an employer, one of the outcomes in most compensation projects is a communication plan and the supporting presentations, training materials, guidelines, and other resources.

That means we are planning the audience, key messages, owner, delivery method, and delivery date.

Communication Frequency:

· The Marketing Rule of 7 states that a prospect needs to “hear” the advertiser’s message at least 7 times before they will take action to buy that product or service. This rule was developed by the movie industry in the 1930s.

· Today, we have so many more ways of receiving messages than we did in the 1930s. To be heard above the clutter it takes more than 7 times to have someone “hear” your message and act in alignment with your messaging.

· What and who are competing for your audience’s attention? How do you get heard and understood given the clutter?

Communication Delivery Method:

· Not all channels of communication are equal. We have emails, newsletters, staff meetings, all employee meetings, videos, text messages, live and recorded video calls, posters in break rooms, etc. Which ones work best with your audience?

Key Messages:

· According to a report by the U.S. Department of Education, 54% of adults have literacy below the 6th-grade level. If you choose written communications, is your writing aligned to the literacy of your audience?

· Have you done a stakeholder/audience analysis to understand who cares about what and why?

You should be spending as much time on the communication plan and supporting resources as you do on the analysis and design of compensation programs. If not, you won’t achieve the highest return possible from your spend on labor.

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