What Jo Ann Endo Teaches Us About Tailoring Messages to Audiences
Jo Ann Endo, MSW, is the founder of Improvement Catalyst Coaching and a communication coach with deep experience in healthcare, nonprofits, and foundations. Authority Magazine interviewed her about techniques for effective communication across high-stakes settings.
The conversation stood out for its concrete stories. She described generosity and vulnerability inside a national hospital mentor network, a keynote that missed its audience, and a small hospital-room misunderstanding that revealed how jargon slips in. Each story points to a simple operational truth for content teams: audience needs come first.
Endo framed effective communication as listening-heavy, respect-led, and clear even when certainty is limited. She discussed building rapport through questions, welcoming questions even when answers are incomplete, and using story prompts to access what matters. She also named humility, curiosity, and perseverance as traits that keep communication grounded when conditions are hard.
When asked for her five essential communication techniques, her first principle was direct: “Listen to understand before trying to persuade.” Throughout, she linked listening to practical behaviors such as routine check-ins and reflecting back what you heard. For video teams, that is a scripting and format decision as much as a mindset.
Tailor Messages to the Audience, Not the Other Way Around
Endo’s second essential technique is to tailor messages to the audience’s needs, concerns, and motivations. She recalled seeing a famous entertainer deliver a keynote that felt like it could have been given to almost any crowd. There was little connection to the work being done by the people in the room, and attention quickly drifted.
These stories are production notes. Corporate video scripts should match the language of the audience and their context. Before writing, document who the piece is for, what they value, and what shared references prove you understand their day-to-day. Remove insider acronyms or explain them on screen.
Listen before you persuade, then script accordingly
Endo’s first technique is, “Listen to understand before trying to persuade.” She described summarizing what you heard in your own words, then checking it. That simple step lowers tension and shows respect.
In video, the listening happens in pre-production. Run short pre-interviews with customers, team members, or frontline staff who match your target audience. Well-planned corporate interview questions can help surface the words they naturally use for pains, constraints, and goals. Then reflect those back in the piece. Lines like, “You might be asking…” or interview prompts that start with, “It sounds like…” show viewers you heard the issue before you present a solution or point of view.
Communicate clearly when certainty is limited
According to the interview, Endo sees hesitation from leaders who wait to speak until every fact is nailed down. She argued that silence invites speculation. Her advice is to state what you know, name what you do not, explain why answers are pending, and say when you expect to have more. She also calls for real time for questions.
This translates cleanly to executive video. When circumstances are changing, structure a segment that lists knowns, unknowns, and next milestones in clear language. Add a brief Q&A segment where you answer pre-submitted questions on camera, or pair the video with a written FAQ that publishes the questions you could not answer yet with timing for updates. The goal is disciplined clarity, not overconfidence.
Use real stories and prompts to humanize information
Endo emphasized credibility through honest process, describing how mentor hospitals shared both successes and challenges during improvement work. She also uses two prompts that unlock specific, emotional detail: What surprised you the most? and What was your proudest moment?
A video case study or testimonial can benefit from the same choices. Ask those two questions on set. Invite interviewees to describe early missteps and the adjustment that followed. Keep the focus on actions taken and outcomes achieved, not polished slogans. Viewers then see decisions, tradeoffs, and progress, which makes abstract claims understandable.
Engage the Person Who Disagrees
Endo advises leaders not to avoid the person who seems most opposed to a change or idea. Instead, she recommends approaching the disagreement with openness, listening carefully, and reflecting back what you heard. The goal is not necessarily to convince the other person, but to understand the context behind their concerns and build a more respectful connection.
For video teams, that can mean involving skeptical stakeholders before the script or edit is locked. Ask what concerns them and listen for information the production team may have missed. Their perspective may not change the central message, but it can expose weak assumptions before they become approval problems.
Be Willing to Say You Were Wrong
Endo’s fifth technique is to share when you have made a mistake or changed your mind. She noted that audiences can tune out success stories that feel too polished, while honest examples of reconsidering a decision can make a communicator more relatable and credible.
For interviews and leadership videos, not every story needs to present a flawless path. Asking what changed someone’s thinking, what did not work initially, or what they would approach differently now can produce a more human answer than another polished success statement.
Practical application: using Endo’s lessons in video marketing
Start every project with a short audience brief that lists who the viewer is, their current situation, and the words they use to describe it. Share it with writers, producers, and on-camera talent. During scripting, do a jargon pass. If a technical term is required, add a quick definition in VO or a lower-third the first time it appears.
Build a listening step into pre-production. Pre-interview two or three people who match the target audience and ask Endo’s prompts about surprise and pride, plus one question about current obstacles. Use their language to shape openers, transitions, and lower-thirds. Where you expect pushback, write a moment that acknowledges it before presenting your answer.
For executive updates or sensitive topics, choose formats that support clarity. Record a segment that enumerates knowns and unknowns, then set a date for the next update in the script. If interaction is appropriate, collect questions before filming and answer a representative set on camera. Publish remaining questions with status notes so the communication feels complete and consistent across channels.
Team Beverly Boy’s Takeaway
We heard a thread we use on set every week: respect shows up in the details. Listening first changes the script, the questions, and the edit. It also changes performance, because talent can speak to what the audience actually cares about, not a one-size-fits-all message.
We also agree with Endo’s push for clarity over certainty. When leaders say what they know and what they do not, videos get cleaner and more useful. Add one prompt about surprise or pride to your interview, and you often get the moment that makes the cut worth watching.
Conclusion
Endo’s interview is practical because it connects big communication values to small, repeatable moves. Audience-first language, reflective listening, clear uncertainty, and real stories are production choices.
Teams that make those choices on purpose produce videos that land.
This article is based on an interview originally published by Authority Magazine. Read the full interview here.
