Truth be told, sometimes being a great communicator isn’t about writing at all.
You can be in the presence of a great communicator while listening to an amazing TED talk, or in a classroom.
The same could happen while in conversation with a colleague or friend over coffee or a drink. It’s not just professional writers and speakers who have this gift.
What does it take to be a great communicator?
Four qualities jump to mind.
If you think about traditional digital marketing, almost all the marketing materials and content are created by the company or organization.
Copywriters are hired to write Facebook ads and Google ads, email sequences, landing pages, sales pages, shopping carts, and more.
On the content side, writers are tasked with writing articles, blog posts, newsletter issues, social media posts, and so on.
A typical launch package comprises many thousands of words of professionally written copy and content.
As for the customers or audience… in the traditional marketing model, they are rarely required to write anything at all. Although a comment on a Facebook post is nice to see from time to time.
First, let me define what I mean by Web 3.
Web 3 is the next step in the evolution of the Internet.
It is a new iteration of the Internet that resides on decentralized blockchains.
At its heart, the culture of Web 3 is all about decentralization and privacy.
Web 2 is highly centralized, around huge companies like Google, Facebook, Amazon and Microsoft. They control almost everything, including your personal identity and information.
Web 3 is the opposite of that. With blockchains like Ethereum there is no central company. No boss. No shareholders.
On the left is a Patek Philippe Aquanaut. This is a beautiful, high-end mechanical watch. You can pick one up for about $60,000. More or less.
On your right is Bored Ape #4108. Last time this Ape changed hands, the buyer paid about the same… $60,000.
Bored Ape #4108 is an NFT… a Non-Fungible Token, or unique digital asset.
If you have no idea what NFTs are, or have never heard of Cryptokitties, Cryptopunks, Art Blocks, or the Bored Ape Yacht Club, here is some reading for you.
Anyway…
My wife and I have a puppy.
A lovely little fellow, but he can be a bit of a challenge sometimes.
So my wife joined a few support groups, most of them on Facebook.
She goes there to share her experiences, to ask for help, and also to give help to other puppy owners facing similar training challenges. These are vibrant, active communities.
When you meet someone new, you have a conversation. Maybe starting with, “Hi, I’m Nick. Good to meet you.”
These first conversations take place at work, at a coffee shop, at your local gym, at a friend’s backyard BBQ. And so on.
However trivial their content, conversations lay the foundations for our relationships.
What we say to people creates a first impression. Good or bad.