Merriam-Webster defines effective as "producing a decided, decisive or desired effect." Effective communication, therefore, leads its target audience to a planned or desired outcome.  Conversely, ineffective communications do not produce the desired effect.

<strong>Not with signs that point the wrong way</strong>

This morning I attended a business networking event at a local hotel. I haven't attended any events in this location before, and I have only been in the hotel's lobby once before. I walked in, and asked at the check-in desk where the event was being held. I was told to go around the corner to the elevators and down to G2.  When I turned around, <em>behind</em> me, was a sign for the event. The sign was facing the check-in desk, not the main entrance, so it would not be seen at all by someone entering the hotel.

This sign was ineffective because it did not address the needs of people entering the lobby from the main entrance.

<strong>Not with a mismatched presentation and audience</strong>

Last week, I attended an event  entitled "Communication and Marketing Strategies that Will Grow Your Business." It was held under the auspices of a networking group, in a business accelerator space. Most of the audience members were very small businesses, freelancers or solopreneurs (companies of one). The presenters were from a large, multinational communications firm that services large clients. They decided to give a presentation on how to develop a marketing plan (a four-step process according to them).

It was clear that the presentation was completely mismatched to the audience when the presenters  got to the generation of tactic ideas.  among the tactics they advised was holding a press conference. Now, in my career in public relations I have seen clients hold press conferences very rarely. Press conferences need to be about big news to get any kind of coverage, especially in this age where media attention is so fractured.

<strong>Effective communication only happens when you consider the audience</strong>

Effective communication consider the needs of its recipients. Without considering what those recipients (or target audience) need to know, or how they need to know it, the communications will