DHC has a recipe for effective communications—7 parts reiteration, 5 parts multiplicity, 2 parts engagement. 

What does that mean?

DHC’s overarching strategy lies in an integrated approach—utilizing a mix of tactics through a variety of mediums to engage audiences. We could write a textbook on why this approach is so effective in conveying a message, altering perceptions and supporting business goals, but the crux of it lies in these three numbers.

How many times a consumer must hear a message for it to register.

How many different sources consumers must hear a message from in order to trust it.

Number of people or parties needed to communicate.

Those first two statements are widely accepted by marketers and communicators across the globe as the new reality thanks to the proliferation of digital information, advertising, and new mediums. The average person is assaulted by 3,000 messages per day—it’s an ever-increasing wall of clutter. So much so that people are now conditioned to tune it out. Even the most creative message presented in a unique way is still just 1 of 3,000 vying for the consumer’s attention.

The lesson here is that a single tactic—pure advertising, pure media relations, pure community outreach, etc.—won’t do the job on its own. But hearing the message through an ad, as a news story, in a company newsletter, via social media—together this fosters the recognition and credibility a consumer needs to act on a message’s call to action.

Then there’s that last statement about how many parties are required to actually communicate.

Sounds like common sense, but many communications strategies we observe don’t seem to pay it much heed. Gone are the days when an organization could do all the talking and expect audiences to just listen. 95% of consumers don’t trust advertising and 84% don’t believe companies have consumer interests at heart.* To foster any sense of credibility and support for your brand, establishing two-way engagement is critical. A single medium won’t reach enough of your audience to ensure they know your organization is earnestly trying to engage them where they’re at. But when they see a combination of ads, their opinions being asked for through social media, positive stories about you in the news, and see you in the community giving back, that’s when a dialogue based on trust can commence.

So keep those three numbers and the statements behind them in mind. In a world of cluttered messages and jaded consumers, an integrated strategy is required to make a message stick. That’s why it’s at the heart of every strategy we plan for clients.

*Your Brand: At Risk or Ready for Growth? Published by Alterian, Written by Michael Hulme of the Institute for Advanced Studies at Lancaster University