The Connection Triangle

Having good content when having a conversation or giving a presentation is only part of success in communication. You have to ensure that your content is received by the audience in the manner you want, which is achieved by focusing on the connection triangle.

Connection is the key to communication success, and by completing the connection triangle you know you will achieve the ROI you want from every conversation and presentation.

The connection triangle is achieve when you have effectively completed the following:

1. Connecting to your message

2. Connecting to your audience

3. Connecting your audience to your message.

Most people approach a conversation or presentation with the goal of sharing their content, but this is only 1/3 of what it takes to create communication success. I was talking with some folks about craft beers and I realized it is a perfect for creating an analogy about the connection triangle.

If you make a good craft beer you have effectively connected to your message. But anyone who makes craft beer knows making the beer is not enough for business success. You have to have good beer, but it does not make a viable company.

Next you have to find the beer drinkers that want your beer. Maybe you make a killer IPA, then you need to connect with IPA drinkers. I personally wont drink a beer I can see through, so I would not be the right audience for a good IPA, but someone who makes a killer Stout would want to find and connect with me. And my wife drinks wine, so she would not be the audience for you no matter how good your beer is.

Great, now you have achieved two of the three sides of the connection triangle:

1.  Connecting to your message - you made a great beer

2.  Connecting to your audience - you let the right beer drinker know about your beer

But what about connecting the audience to the message. I know you are there and have a beer that is good I might like, but you have to get it actually in my hand. This is the final part of the connection triangle, getting my your audience to connect with your message, your beer. If the beer is not in my hand how will I know I like your beer instead of other beers that exist. 

This is true for communication as well. You may have a great message and know the right people to hear your message and connect with them, but you still have to ensure they have heard your message and connect with the message, not just you.

This is the connection triangle, and without a complete triangle you will not achieve the ROI you want from every conversation or presentation.