Photo cred: Josh Fassbind

Even though we now have all these communication tools to our disposal it seems we've never been less effective at connecting with other people and passing on to them the right message. Sometimes we aren't even able to capture other people's attention.

Seth Godin wrote in his book, "What matters now", what he considers 3 timeless principles for efficient communication and they are as follows:
1. Heart - This is something often shown in public speaking - When you're able to engage people around you with passion and make them invest emotionally in a cause, that is the moment when you really get to them. This is the fastest way to connect even to a stranger (always good not only at a personal level but also business wise).
We all know the saying "It's not personal, it's business." but the truth is that when you are involved in any kind of work with a sense of strong personal meaning results will not fail to appear faster than before.
The most important idea here is that facts will be forgotten, but feelings will always pass the test of time. You might forget how many people were with you in the room at the last conference you participated, but you will remember the way you felt during the fire-walking session that took place then.

2. Simplicity - Albert Einstein once said "Everything should be made as simple as possible, but no simpler." This makes very much sense because there is no need to complicate a message just to feel more important or knowledgeable to others. The reason we speak is to get our message through to other people. It is in our own best interest to be well understood. There is also the "KISS method" which stands for "keep it short and simple".

3. Story - We love to hear stories since childhood. This is because we love to be entertained and to live an entire life or a simple adventure in a few minutes at least in our heads. This is also why some movies are so successful: they give us the story we want to hear.
A story has a plot and most importantly an intrigue. Communication has a lot to do with keeping the attention of other people and there is nothing better at doing that than intrigue.
Communication is sometimes difficult, but we don't have to make it harder than it is. Realizing that it's not an obligation or a chore, but a fun thing to do with all the people we interact with can change the way we see it for the future.
I hope these ideas will help you communicate better with your family, friends and business partners. Please share any thought you might have on this subject.