I was taught, “Don’t write so that you can be understood, write so that you can’t be misunderstood.” I would take this a step further. Communicate so that you can’t be misunderstood.

There’s been a lot of focus on “messaging” lately. But what is messaging? It’s communication. About thoughts, ideas, opinions, persuasion, basically everything we want to convey to others. Rather than focusing on messaging though, the challenge is staying laser-focused on how the messaging will be received. Or understood. Or most importantly, how will it resonate. This is essential.

What do I mean by “resonate”? I mean to have an effect or impact; to influence; to engender support. That is the point, isn’t it? Here are a few ways to make sure that others really do understand what you’re conveying — that it resonates.

Repetition is key. I’ll repeat that. It’s necessary to share your message numerous times for it to be “heard.” Why? The human brain filters out “noise.” Also consider that at the time you’re delivering “outgoing” messaging, they may not be receiving “incoming”. Prepare to deliver it again. And again. And again.

Unpack your message in several ways. Expand your meaning by elaborating. This may be supported by the use of metaphors, analogies and illustrations. For added impact and retention, toss in an anecdote or story.

Be sure to check in by getting as much feedback as possible. And not just from those who are already “sold.” Ask questions to determine if your messaging is hitting the mark. The answers will determine how well others understand what you’re sharing. And what you’re not sharing.

Repetition won’t help if people don’t understand or feel what you are putting out. Poor messaging won’t build your brand or organization. It is likely to hurt it in the long run if you appear to be tone deaf. What you say must be dynamic, not static. It works best when it reflects the feedback you receive.

There are other ways to analyze and understand the results of your messaging initiatives. Why is this important? Having a grasp of communication metrics is a crucial step in evaluating the outcomes of your strategy.

One way to gauge how much you’ve been able to raise awareness of your business or organization is by tracking brand/organization mentions in the media and social media. Quantity isn’t the only measurement. Don’t ignore negative mentions or feedback received. Understanding what is working and what isn’t is the goal. Engagement is key.

Engagement covers a wide array of areas in social media, for example. It isn’t limited to looking for “likes.” It’s about the interactions that are being conducted on various platforms like Instagram, FB, and Twitter. With built-in analytical tools like Facebook Insights, you can look into whether increased likes, shares/reposts or comments are being generated, and any trends associated with what you are seeing.

For many, websites are the first thing that returning and new visitors see. Therefore, looking at website traffic is crucial in evaluating your efforts. Google Analytics is a handy way to not only track what type of visitors are coming to a website but what is leading them there.

As you can see, gaining knowledge about the existence and significance of metrics can help you become an expert in the field when evaluating your next campaign. There are dozens of programs to assist in this effort. Getting familiar with them is a great way to obtain additional information about your efforts.

You may have the best messaging ever. But if it doesn’t resonate — be sure to find out why. It may not be your audience. It could be what you’re “selling.” Make sure that you can’t be misunderstood.

Stacy Cornay is the owner of Communication Concepts Public Relations & Advertising. She may be reached at 303-638-7127; scornay@comm-concepts.com; www.comm-concepts.com; Facebook.com/Communication Concepts; X @CommConceptsPR; or Linked In.