My goal is to get everyone thinking and preparing for the future of communication.
Exponential technologies are radically changing our culture, and we’re experiencing massive changes in how we connect and communicate with each other.
If you have a message to share with people, you need to take a serious look at the changes that have already happened and begin preparing now to take advantage of the changes that are coming soon.
I’ve written about this before. There is coming a time—and it’s already here—when your opportunity to communicate your message will be while people are on the go with their mobile devices.
Therefore, make your message mobile.
To be clear, a mobile message is something that is made for people to see or hear while they are not in the classroom or in an auditorium.
How do I make a mobile-friendly message?
There are two sides to a mobile-friendly message: technical and communication.
Also there are two sides to the technical and two sides to communication.
Let’s start with the technical.
This is using media equipment to record, edit, enhance, and publish your message. It is a “mediated” message. It’s not face to face. It’s not inside your classroom. It’s not from the pulpit.
Technical: technology and technique.
Technology is the stuff.
It’s the microphone, the recorder, the DAW (digital audio workstation).
It’s the image editor, the word processor, the blogging app, and podcasting app.
Technique is how you use all the stuff.
It’s good mic technique so you sound good without plosives (popping Ps) or lots of reverb.
It’s how you pay attention to levels so your audio doesn’t clip or pick up tapping pens bumping on the table.
It’s how you edit so no one hears the edits.
It’s knowing what all the “knobs and buttons” do on your equipment.
- Technical is both technology and technique.
- Technology is what you use. Technique is how you use it.
Between these two, technique is more important than technology.
Now let’s look at communication
This is what you want to teach and preach. It’s the information, inspiration, education, and motivation you want to share in order to get people to respond to your message. In fact, this is the heart of your message. The technical helps you make this mobile-friendly.
Communication: content and presentation
Some people still say content is king. That’s not true.
Content is only one half of your message. It’s only part of the communication process.
If you record a podcast or give a speech, the content is the words you use. It’s the script or outline.
When you make your message mobile, you also have to consider the presentation.
In that podcast or speech, the presentation is how you say those words.
The presentation can also include other elements such as sound effects and music.
Presentation is also your tone of voice, pacing, pausing, varying your rate of speech.
It can also be the level of seriousness or silliness and whether you’re respectful or sarcastic.
- Communication is both content and presentation.
- Content is what you say. Presentation is how you say it.
Opinions vary, but I believe both are of equal value when creating your mobile-friendly message.
So when you’re ready to make your message mobile, consider all four of these components: technology, technique, content, and presentation.
As I move forward with my podcast at OnTheGo.FM, I plan to elaborate on each these four areas of a mobile message. You can subscribe to the podcast for free on your favorite podcast listening app.
