Do you design your communications or do they just kind of happen? If they just kind of happen, you might want to check out the Seven C's of communication design: Context, Content, Components, Cuts, Composition, Contrast, and Consistency.
2. ContentAnd here's one more - Clarity. Don't complicate simple ideas with meaningless marketingese. People tend to scan websites for content - if a paragraph does't read fast, it will get skipped. Be clear, be sincere, and be real - you'll be better off.
Based on your goal, define a single question that your communication is designed to answer. This is the best possible measure of communication effectiveness. What do you want your audience to walk away with and remember? Once you have defined your prime question, set out to answer it. What information is required? Do you have the answer already, or do you need to search it out?