Communication is ever-evolving but some things don’t change. Like the laws of nature, communication has immutable rules based on inherent principles that are constant over time. Here I’ve put together 10 of the top communication rules to keep in mind when crafting your message to improve your chances of it sticking and achieving your desired audience impact.
1 The rule of the audience
Every message needs an audience or it’s just words. Your message is important to you but it’s only important to another person because of the meaning they give it. Make your message more meaningful to an audience by positioning it in the context of the bigger picture and how this relates to the current situation. A message linked to our everyday lives is more relatable.
2 The rule of perception
People understand a message based on their unique perspective. While we can’t know everyone’s unique experiences and perspectives, we can seek to understand an audience’s worldview by considering the group psychographics – their attitudes, beliefs, fears and aspirations – then frame our message so it resonates with these attributes.
3 The rule of three
The rule of three is based on the idea that three is the optimum number of points to form a pattern of information to aid memory retention. Some well-known examples are: ‘Friends, Romans, ountrymen’; ‘The good, the bad and the ugly.’, ‘Blood, sweat and tears.’ The rule of three isn’t just for bulleted lists, it also works in headings and in general sentence construction.
4 The rule of reciprocity
Communication only happens if there’s a two-way exchange, otherwise it’s information only. The word ‘communication’ is derived from the Latin word ‘communis’ which means ‘to share’. However, just because information is shared doesn’t mean it’s been received as intended. If the recipient hasn’t understood the message then the communication hasn’t been effective.
5 The rule of duality
Messages exist on a continuum or a range. For every point of view, there’s an opposing one and many shades of grey in between. Consider which position on a spectrum is best to position your message, based on the worldview of the audience. Consider that messages too close to either end of a spectrum may not be as palatable to the majority of people as a message that sits closer to the middle point of view.
7 The rule of conviction
Every message must be backed by conviction and own a position for it to carry weight. Messages without conviction – that ‘sit on the fence’ – fall flat because they fail to communicate why something matters. Conviction is at the core of all great messages and have the greatest power of engaging hearts and minds to bring about change.
6 The rule (law) of cause and effect
American psychiatrist and psychologist Milton Erikson said, ‘‘The effectiveness of communication is not defined by the communication but by the response.’ Every communication has a corresponding impact, ranging from no reaction to highly responsive. If you’re message hasn’t elicited the desired response, you need to adjust your communication.
8 The rule of simplicity
The mind processes simple messages more easily so it’s worth taking the time to simplify your communication so it’s more readily understood by the audience. Here are some tips:
- Use short words instead of long ones. It’s not about being clever, it’s about being understood.
- Active voice is preferred to passive voice because the language is more direct, clear and concise. For instance, ‘the dog chased the ball’ (active) is stronger than ‘the ball was chased by the dog’ (passive).
- Focus on one main idea or key message in your communication so it’s more easily absorbed.
9 The rule of alignment
Credibility is lost when actions don’t match words. For organisations, messages and behaviours must align with the brand principles, purpose and promise. For individuals, there must be congruence between verbal and non-verbal communication. This means that words, tone and body language need to be in sync to maintain credibility and impart the desired meaning.
10 The rule of repetition
Some sources suggest that a customer needs to be exposed to a marketing message at least seven times before making a purchase decision. On the other hand, employees may not need as many exposures to a message but this will depend on a range of factors, such as the status of the messenger, the importance of the topic and the mode of delivery. Generally speaking, however, messages need to be repeated several times for them to sink in.
With people experiencing information overload from a bombardment of competing messages streaming from multiple sources daily, gaining people’s attention is a key challenge for us all. By keeping these 10 communication rules in mind, you’ll not only improve the stickability of your message, you’ll also have a greater chance of achieving the desired audience impact.
(c) Ros Weadman 2025
