The Channel Is The Message

In 1964, Marshall McCluhan published Understanding Media: The Extensions of Man, suggesting that the way information is delivered (the medium) has a profound impact on how we perceive and understand the content itself. He argued that the characteristics and attributes of a medium communicate and influence us more than the content of the message it carries. 

Understanding Media was written 60+ years ago, but boy-oh-boy does it ring true today! Even though a single medium–digital media–dominates in 2025, we can still apply McCluhan’s argument to the multitude of digital channels we use every day to improve the communications and outcomes of our small businesses.

The channel is the message. Texts are personal. Voice calls are urgent. Emails are… ignored.😅  Not really, but if it’s actually important, they’d call or text, right? You get the drift. Where you say it–your choice of channel–says just as much as what you say.

Often, texting is adopted in a small business for communications because a group text is the path of least resistance. Phone calls are made because why wouldn’t you just call someone? This can lead to all sorts of frustrations for you and your team–like receiving work texts when you’re not at work. Or the constant interruptions to your workday as fellow team members use a group text thread for conversations between only themselves.🤦‍♂️

This is where communications guidelines come in. 

They can be used to set expectations for when to use a certain channel, when not to use that channel, expected response times when engaging through that channel, and other policies managing the use of that channel. These guidelines can be applied equally to your team and your clients (although they should be communicated in a different format to your clients–like a Welcome Guide).

Convenience often wins out over foresight in the hurried early days of most small businesses, but it’s easier to separate your business from your life down the road when the two don’t share a main communication channel–like your personal cell phone number. And it’s also easier to manage your business and team when internal communication channels are clearly defined.

So, consider establishing communications guidelines to keep everyone on the same page. And if you need help setting them up, we have a template that we are always happy to share and work through with you during a Drop-In Coaching session.