Mastering the Art of Communication: Adapting Your Persona for Different Platforms

In today’s digital age, effective communication is crucial for success, whether in professional settings or personal interactions. The key to impactful communication lies in adapting your persona to fit the platform you’re using, be it email, social media, video conferences, or others. This blog will explore how to tailor your communication style for various platforms, using contemporary examples to illustrate how individuals successfully navigate these channels.

Hi, my name is George Eapen, Chief Storytelling Officer at Next Dimension Story. Over the last 20+ years, I have successfully tailored my message to various organisations, individuals, cultures and communities, across the globe. What has helped me to consistently tailor my message has been the TPC method – Time to consume, Prompts to engage and finally the Context of engagement. Let me unravel the TPC method within this blog to help you to effectively tailor your message to your followers and subscribers, thereby enabling you to succeed with powerful communication across your channels of engagement.

The Importance of Adapting Your Communication Persona

Before diving into specific platforms, let’s understand why it’s essential to adapt your communication persona:

1. Audience Engagement: Different platforms attract different audiences with unique expectations. Tailoring your communication helps you engage your audience more effectively.

2. Message Clarity: Each platform has its norms and limitations. Adapting your style ensures your message is clear and concise.

3. Professionalism: Maintaining appropriate professionalism for each platform helps in building credibility and trust.

4. Impact Maximisation: Adapting your communication increases the likelihood of your message resonating with your audience, driving the desired impact.

   
   

Moreover, on top of these 4 considerations within your communication persona, given the complexity and variety of channels that you are using to tailor and broadcast your message, you need to keep the TPC framework within your consideration set.

Each channel that you broadcast your message has a predefined Time for viewers to consume the content. Given that we are all trying to win the attention of our audience to maximise success, we need to take into consideration the time that our audience will give us, depending on the channel and type of content. For example, followers on TikTok and Instagram might give you a couple of minutes to view your content on your channel vs. a long-form YouTube video, where viewers might give you 15-30 minutes to explain concepts and details within your content. Therefore, it is important to take into consideration the Time to consume habits and norms of your audiences based on specific channels and types of content. 

The next important consideration is the Prompts to engage your audiences. Each channel has built-in tools and prompts to grab and sustain the attention of your followers and subscribers. TikTok initially was heavily geared towards dance-based content whilst YouTube shorts offer lots of tools and prompts (music, captions, tags, etc.) to engage with your audiences. For online blogs and newsletters, you can effectively use text, photos and videos to engage multi-dimensionally with your readers. Do take into consideration the various prompts and tools within each channel to maximise your engagement and reach your target audiences.

The final consideration is the Context of engagement. This describes the mental and emotional state of the audience when they view your content. Are they hurriedly consuming your content whilst they are waiting for the morning transportation network (train, bus, tram, etc.) to school/work or are they relaxing over a coffee/tea whilst reading your email or online blog? The context of engagement is crucial to tailor your content so that it perfectly fits with the mindset/emotional state of being of your target audience. This will significantly boost the impact and success of your message.

To help you to master the TPC technique along with other ways to maximise the effectiveness of your communication, here at Next Dimension Story, we offer various audio and video courses to help you take your communication impact to the next level. Whether you want to master the TPC technique or effectively use characters to command attention and drive impact across your engagement channels, take the initiative and upskill your communication with the 10x impactful communication audio and video courses. These courses will provide practical, easy-to-follow and impactful strategies to 10x your communication success.

Email Communication

Emails remain a cornerstone of professional communication. Here’s how to adapt your persona for effective email communication:

1. Clarity and Conciseness: Emails should be clear and to the point. Avoid long paragraphs and use bullet points where necessary. This is part of the Time to consume aspect.

2. Professional Tone: Maintain a professional tone, especially in formal settings. Use appropriate salutations and sign-offs. This is part of the Context of engagement. 

3. Personalisation: Address the recipient by name and tailor the content to their specific needs or interests.

4. Subject Line: Craft a compelling subject line that summarises the email’s purpose and encourages the recipient to open it. This is part of the Prompts of engagement. 

   
   

Example: Sheryl Sandberg, COO of Facebook, is known for her clear and concise emails. She often uses bullet points to outline key actions and maintains a professional yet approachable tone.

Try and map out the TPC aspects across the engagement channels below. 

Social Media Communication

Social media platforms vary widely, each with its own culture and expectations. Here’s how to tailor your communication for some popular platforms:

1. X(formerly Twitter): Keep it brief and engaging. Use hashtags to increase reach and tag relevant individuals or organisations.

2. LinkedIn: Maintain a professional tone. Share industry insights, professional achievements and thoughtful commentary.

3. Instagram: Focus on visual storytelling. Use high-quality images or videos and concise, engaging captions.

   
   

Example: Gary Vaynerchuk, a social media influencer, adapts his communication style for each platform. On LinkedIn, he shares in-depth articles and professional advice, while on Instagram, he uses engaging visuals and motivational captions to connect with his audience.

Video Conferences

With the rise of remote work, video conferences have become a crucial communication platform. Here’s how to adapt your persona for effective video communication:

1. Professional Appearance: Dress appropriately for the meeting and ensure a clean, distraction-free background.

2. Engagement: Make eye contact by looking at the camera and use body language to show attentiveness.

3. Clarity: Speak clearly and at a moderate pace. Use visuals or slides to support your points if necessary.

4. Interaction: Encourage participation by asking questions and inviting input from others.

Example: Satya Nadella, CEO of Microsoft, excels in video conferences. He maintains a professional appearance, uses clear and concise language and often incorporates slides to enhance his presentations.

Written Reports and Documents

Writing reports and documents requires a different approach than emails or social media posts. Here’s how to adapt your communication persona for written reports:

1. Structured Format: Use headings, subheadings and bullet points to organise information clearly.

2. Detailed Analysis: Provide thorough analysis and supporting data. Ensure accuracy and credibility.

3. Formal Tone: Maintain a formal and objective tone. Avoid casual language and personal opinions unless requested.

4. Executive Summary: Include an executive summary that provides a high-level overview of the report’s key points.

   
   

Example: Warren Buffett’s annual letters to Berkshire Hathaway shareholders are exemplary. They are well-structured, insightful and provide a clear overview of the company’s performance and future outlook.

Public Speaking and Presentations

Public speaking requires a dynamic and engaging communication persona. Here’s how to adapt your style for impactful presentations:

1. Confidence: Project confidence through your body language and tone of voice. Practise to reduce nervousness.

2. Storytelling: Use stories and anecdotes to illustrate your points and keep the audience engaged.

3. Visual Aids: Use slides or other visual aids to enhance your message. Ensure they are clear and not overloaded with information.

4. Audience Interaction: Engage with your audience by asking questions, encouraging participation and responding to feedback.

   
   

Example: Simon Sinek, a motivational speaker, is renowned for his engaging presentations. He uses storytelling, clear visuals and interacts with the audience to deliver impactful messages.

Messaging Apps

Messaging apps like Slack or Microsoft Teams are widely used for quick, informal communication. Here’s how to adapt your persona for these platforms:

1. Brevity: Keep messages brief and to the point.

2. Clarity: Use clear language and avoid jargon. Ensure your messages are easily understood.

3. Tone: Maintain a friendly yet professional tone. Emojis can be used sparingly to convey tone but avoid overuse.

4. Responsiveness: Be responsive and acknowledge messages promptly to maintain smooth communication.

   
   

Example: Stewart Butterfield, CEO of Slack, effectively uses messaging apps to communicate with his team. He balances brevity with clarity and maintains a friendly, approachable tone.

Blogs and Articles

Writing blogs and articles requires a more in-depth and engaging communication style. Here’s how to adapt your persona for written content:

1. Engaging Introduction: Start with an engaging introduction that captures the reader’s attention.

2. Informative Content: Provide valuable and informative content that addresses the reader’s interests or pain points.

3. Personal Voice: Use a personal and conversational tone to connect with your audience.

4. Clear Structure: Organise your content with headings, subheadings and bullet points for easy reading.

   
   

Example: Seth Godin, a renowned author and blogger, effectively uses his personal voice and engaging content to connect with readers. His blogs are well-structured and provide valuable insights in a conversational tone.

Adapting Your Persona: A Practical Guide

Now that we’ve explored various platforms, let’s summarise practical steps to adapt your communication persona:

1. Understand the Platform: Know the norms, limitations and audience expectations of each platform.

2. Define Your Goals: Clearly define what you want to achieve with your communication.

3. Tailor Your Tone: Adjust your tone to fit the platform. Be formal or informal as required.

4. Be Consistent: Maintain consistency in your messaging while adapting your style to each platform.

5. Seek Feedback: Continuously seek feedback and refine your communication approach based on the response.

   
   

Conclusion

Mastering the art of communication involves adapting your persona to fit different platforms. By understanding the TPC of each platform and tailoring your communication style accordingly, you can engage your audience more effectively and drive the desired impact.

Whether you’re crafting a professional email, engaging on social media, presenting in a video conference, or writing a blog, the key is to be adaptable, clear and engaging. Use the contemporary examples and practical TPC tips discussed in this blog to enhance your communication skills and succeed in any platform you choose.

Ready to take your communication skills to the next level? Take the initiative and upskill your communication with the 10x impactful communication audio and video courses. These courses provide practical, easy-to-follow and impactful strategies to 10x your communication success.

Remember, effective communication is a continuous journey of learning and adaptation.