Importance of Multi-Channel Communications

There is a theory in marketing, called the "three-times convincer" concept. It states 80 percent of people need to hear a message three times before they buy into it, 15 percent need to hear it five times, and five percent up to 25 times.

In other words, sometimes you need to repeat a message many times for your audience to internalize it. That is, you need to repeat a message many times before your audience will internalize it. (See, it works!)

But, what is the best way to distribute the message? It depends on your audience.
* If you're trying to reach the under-20 crowd, you better look to mobile technology to communicate.
* If aiming for the metro-commuters you should consider radio spots.
* If you're hoping to inform the retiree, communicate through the newspaper.

And if you want them to actually internalize the message, you should send the message every way you can.

In an organization like ours, where we need to reach all segments of the public with our information, it is essential that we employ multiple channels to communicate. Through print news, radio, television, Websites, twitter, Facebook, e-mail, mobile marketing, newsletters, columns, tangibles, publications, and programs, we can blanket the audience with our messages.

We can reach not only the 80 percent who need to hear it three times, but the 15 percent that need to hear it five times. Thankfully, we have the infrastructure within KSRE to be able to use multi-channel marketing effectively and efficiently.

For more on multi-channel communication, go to:

• How Multi-Channel marketing is like a county fair (You may need to register for free to read this article)
• Wiki: Multi-channel Marketing
• Or check out the book “Multichannel Marketing: Metrics and Methods for On and Offline Success” by Akin Arikan (Preview available online)

Importance of Multi-Channel Communications

K-State Research and Extension Business and Economics

K-State Research and Extension Business and Economics

K-State Research and Extension Business and Economics

Forming Plurals

When you need to write about a multiplicity of items, you need to be able to form plurals. Some plural forms are easy: If you have more than one cat, you have cats. This follows the most common way to form a plural in English -- add s to the end of the word (dogs, 4-H'ers, tools).

If a word ends in s you add es (buses, horses). This rule also applies to words that end in ch, sh, ss, tch, x, or zz (couches, axes, dishes, watches).

Many words ending in y form the plural by changing the y to ies (try becomes tries, kitty becomes kitties). When the y is preceded by a vowel, you usually just add an s (days, trays). For proper names where a consonant precedes the y, just add s (Kelly becomes Kellys).

Words ending in o sometimes cause confusion. Many form the plural by simply adding s (radios, solos, pianos), but others add es (potatoes, tornadoes, tomatoes). Check a dictionary if you're uncertain.

Form the plural of an individual letter by adding 's (A's, B's, C's, D's, F's). This is the one of the only times you use an apostrophe to form a plural (it helps avoid confusion with other words). Form the plural of multiple letters or single- or multiple-digit numbers without an apostrophe: ABCs, pdfs, 1970s, 1s.

There are other ways to form plurals in English. Consult a dictionary for correct spelling of any word you're unsure of. --Linda Gilmore lindagi@ksu.edu

Forming Plurals

Saving Money on Print Newsletters

The print newsletter continues to be an effective communication piece for local offices. The good news is that local offices should still be able to provide a quality print newsletter within budget. Here are some money-saving tips:

* Look for creative ways to distribute your newsletter. Save postage costs by putting the newsletter in racks at the local supermarket, café, hardware store, Co-op, or other public area.

* Use K-State Research and Extension's print shop to produce your newsletter. Because of quantity pricing, the Duplicating Center can produce your newsletter for less, and local offices don't have to pay the lease cost, copy charge and supplies for your own machine.

The Duplicating Center also is looking into the feasibility of providing distribution racks to counties at no charge. Learn more about the Duplicating Center's services by visiting www.communications.ksu.edu , or call Greg LeValley at 785-532-1158

Saving Money on Print Newsletters

Communicating in Tough Times

In tough budget times, it's important that you communicate and market your program more, not less. Here's some sensible ways to continue showing people the value of your programs:

1) Be very clear and consistent in your message. Make sure people clearly know the value in what you're offering.

2) Identify and understand your target audience. This helps you spend your time reaching folks who will most benefit from your information and who also may be advocates of your program.

3) Develop partnerships. Work with people who have similar goals. You might consider sharing the cost on an advertisement or insert or booth during a local event.

4) Further strengthen your focus on doing your best work for your clients and customers. Satisfied clients remember you, and when economic times get better, they'll continue to support you.

5) Don't cut corners on service. Brainstorm with your office staff on creative ways to offer the same great product (information) and service with less money.

Simply, remember to communicate and stay in front of clients and customers. Remain positive and position yourself as a group that makes the best of a tough situation.

For more communications tips or to share your own ideas, contact us at melgares@ksu.edu

Communicating in Tough Times

Is it "fewer" or "less"?

To decide when to use fewer and less in writing, decide if you are counting items or an amount. For example:

• There are fewer marbles in this jar than in that one (items).
• There is less water in this glass than in that one (an amount).
• She has less than $50 (an amount), but fewer than four $10 bills (a number).

Trust your ear: if you would use "much," (much more water) use "less"; if you would use "many," (many more marbles) use "fewer."

Use "less than" when describing a mass, a measurement, or a total, such as:

• The building was less than 50 years old, or less than 10 percent germinated.

In this case, "years" refers to a period of time, not individual years and a percentage is an amount.

To compare amounts or numbers, use more than, such as "she has more than 25 cats." "Over" describes a spatial relationship: the bird flew over the parking lot. "Over" also can describe the passage of time: over the past 15 years, they became friends.

For more information, please contact Mark Stadtlander at mark@ksu.edu.

Is it "fewer" or "less"?

Email Etiquette

E-mail is a great communications tool when used properly, but when used incorrectly it can become a hindrance to effectively working with others spread across the state as we are. Here are some basic rules for effective communication using e-mail.

There are three types of recipients on a standard e-mail message: To, CC, and BCC. When sending an e-mail message, only add direct recipients to the To field. That shows the message is directed to those recipients and they alone should act upon it. Recipients in the CC, or Carbon Copy, field are those who should not directly act upon the e-mail but simply be aware of what it contains. You could consider it an "FYI" field for e-mail.

BCC or Blind Carbon Copy, should only be used when sending e-mail to large distribution lists, and the only other recipients listed in this case should* *be* *in the To field. Those recipients will not be able to see each other's e-mail addresses, only the sender's address in both the To and From fields of the message. It is considered unethical to include BCC recipients on a message with other recipients listed in the To and CC fields since they will not be aware this message was sent to others.

Good e-mail is concise and covers only a single subject. Make sure the subject line effectively describes the point of the message. If you need to cover multiple topics, it is best to send multiple e-mails, so the recipients will see multiple subject lines.

Also, if the recipient should take a specific action or provide a response, it is best to prompt them. Use an "If-Then" format, such as, "I am available for a meeting tomorrow at 10:00 and 2:00. If one of those times works for you, please reply with that time and where you would like to meet. If not, please let me know a couple of times that would work for you." That will let the recipient clearly know that he or she must respond to this e-mail with specific information.

Look for more e-mail tips in the weeks ahead.

Russell Feldhausen

Email Etiquette