‘Tis the Season. Not the season of jingle bells and holly jolly – but the season of scientific innovation. It’s the time of year where the greatest minds in scientific research convene to discuss the industry, milestones and potential collaborations. If you’re planning on participating in any of the season’s festivities (ASCO, BIO) this is the time for you to shine, to promote your accomplishments and the mission of your organization.
Whether you’re an active participant trying to raise awareness of your company or presenting a plenary session – you have a powerful message to share. Likely a message of hope that’s communicating information that will one day change the lives of patients. And because of this, we wanted to share a few tips to craft your message and ensure you’re a successful science communicator.
Set your goal
Prior to any communications it’s important to define your goal, the “why” behind your upcoming discussion. Is your goal to inform a large group of a scientific breakthrough? Or are you speaking to an investor in hope of garnering additional funding? By identifying your goals, you can work backward to identify the talking points you need to support the “why” of the conversation.
Know your audience
Research, research, research. Conduct a quick Google search to see who’s participating in the meeting. Check LinkedIn profiles to see who you have in common, perhaps you have the same alma mater and can use that as a conversation starter. In order to engage your audience, you have to know who they are and identify creative opportunities to encourage participation. It’s also important to keep in mind that not everyone is a scientist. Avoid too much jargon and keep it simple.
Establish an emotional connection
In the science world, we have a tendency to show data and posters to prove our point and establish credibility, but the best way to engage any audience is by establishing an emotional connection. Can you begin your presentation by telling a story of a patient? Or share your own personal story of why you’ve dedicated your career to this type of research? Likely, you didn’t fall into science – you love science. Share why you love science and it will build an even stronger credibility to the work you’re doing.
Have a call to action
As a result of the discussion, what do you want the participants to do? At the end of any discussion, establish the call to action – whether it’s providing a business card for further discussion or sending the participant a link to a website, be prepared to share what action they can take next.
Communications is powerful, we’ve all seen the impact it has in our day-to-day activities. By communicating more effectively with each other, the faster we can spur innovations that will have a monumental impact on our patients and communities. And isn’t that what this season is truly all about?
Wishing you all a Merry Scientific Season.