Communication thoughts: The use of FAQs

I’m a big fan of the use of FAQs, why? Because it can aid your communications and provide background information and context to an announcement.

Often, organisations jump straight into big, glossy campaigns or fancy announcements, forgetting that their audience usually just wants straightforward answers to their most obvious questions.

An FAQ can:

·        Anticipates concerns before they become complaints

·         Builds trust by showing you understand what people want to know

·         Makes life easier for your front-line staff (less time answering repetitive questions)

The great thing about FAQs is that they don’t need to sit on your website. You can use them in emails, on social media and include a section on our staff intranet.

I find that once the FAQs are out, within the first week, it’s best to review to see if other questions are raised, if they are and are not answered, it’s a great opportunity to add them into your messaging.

Clear communication isn’t just about what you say—it’s about removing confusion before it even starts.

If your organisation has a big announcement coming up (or even a small one), ask yourself:
“Do we have an FAQ to back this up?”