Tips for talking to other teams

It's really hard for teams to broadcast what they're doing to other teams. As a result, it's hard for people to know who to ask about certain problems - most of the time, they end up using the personal contacts they've already built up. "Do you know someone who can talk to be about X?" 

Make your team's offer clear

What's the shortest, clearest thing you can write about what your team does? (Imagine you have to fit it in a tweet.)

As a team, try to come up with a single sentence that describes what you do, and how you can help colleagues.

Convey information in layers 

Once you've got your 1-sentence, try for a 1-pager.

Remember to write like you speak. Keep it simple. Remember that all your colleagues and stakeholders are busy people, and they don't have the time to work hard at understanding your offer. It should be crystal clear from the moment they first read it.

After the 1-pager, have some detail ready for people who want to read it. 

Your layers of content are: 

TOP LAYER: your 1-liner 

to attract people's attention & explain your offer

MIDDLE LAYER: your 1-pager

to help them understand you, and whether or not they should find out more

BOTTOM LAYER: the detail

to help the people who do what to know more; this is where you give them as much as you have 

Constantly repeat a simple, consistent message

Use the 1-liner everywhere, all the time. Put it in your email sig. Add it to the beginning of every presentation you write. Put it in your documents every time you mention your team. Treat it a bit like a brand. Consistency is important here.

Consider using it in public, on your social media profile for example. "I'm part of the XYZ team, we do something something something at Homes England." Keep within the Civil Service Code, of course. 

If your team uses Sharepoint, use the 1-pager as your Sharepoint home page content.