By Angharad Tye-Reeve, Grayling South

Confession, I have fallen hard for our local tip.

An intense spring clean at home has introduced me to what is, frankly, a masterclass in a well-run system. Wildly efficient and deeply satisfying. As a mid-thirties adult, I realise I may be late to this particular party, but better late than never.

And yes, this might feel like a stretch. But after several weekends proudly feeling like I’m now in the tip club, I’ve realised this: good communications and a well-run recycling centre have more in common than you’d think.

So if you’ll entertain me, here’s what the tip has taught me about better comms engagement…

Organise ruthlessly and let things go

We’ve hit the end of Q1, a perfect moment to take a bit of stock. What’s working, what’s landing and, crucially, what isn’t?

In tip terms, why are you still holding onto the spiralizer? Are you really going to use those random bits of wood stacked up in the corner, gathering dust? Mark, I hope you’re reading this.

In comms, it can be easy to cling to ideas that used to work – particularly if you’re working with wider internal stakeholders who are still invested in them (but remember, they aren’t necessarily the expert and you’re there to provide your counsel and perspective). This could be campaigns that at the time delivered, or narratives that once cut through.

Relevance has a shelf life and media moves on, audiences evolve and yesterday’s hook can quite quickly become clutter that takes up your time and headspace. Being honest and open about the approaches and stories that feel a little worn out, backed up with good rationale, will mean you can let them go and create space for what’s next.

So, out with the spiralizer and in with the pizza oven (yes, I need to work on how I pitch this to my husband).

Sort your messaging (properly)

The tip works because everything has its place. Try throwing a string of old Christmas lights into the wood skip, or chucking away cardboard slathered in tape, and see how far you get.

Communications should be no different. Yet often we overload a story with multiple mixed messages, numerous spokespeople and squeeze one too many commercial calls to action in there. By saying too much, or trying to tick too many boxes in one piece of communications, you risk falling flat and ultimately say nothing at all.

Clarity of message is one of the strongest drivers to hook your audience, so strip your approach, idea, or tactics back to basics. What is the single most important thing you need to say? Who are you saying it to and why should they care? A good test is sense checking your story or approach by someone who’s not close to the details. If they can answer these questions for you after digesting, then you’re on to a winner.

Basically, no mixed materials please. No mixed messages.

Be nosy and stay curious

I’m not ashamed to admit I’m nosy by nature. I love seeing what other people bring to the tip – get that boot open! How did they manage to squeeze all that into their Ford Fiesta? Do you really think they’re going to throw away that mid-century coffee table?

Curiosity is a non-negotiable in good communications. The best ideas don’t come from staring at a blank page, they come from observing what’s happening around you. Communicators need to feed their imagination and soak up the world around them. What are your competitors doing? What’s gaining traction in the media? What’s made you stop scrolling and why? Paying attention, reflecting and always asking ‘why?’ can make all the difference in storytelling with real depth and relevance.

(Also, never underestimate the insight you can gain from someone else’s ‘discarded’ idea – why didn’t something land? Learn from it and apply that insight to your strategy.)

Know your audience (and meet them where they are)

Everyone at the tip is there for the same reason, to offload something they don’t need anymore. That shared purpose creates community. Why yes, I will help you empty that builder’s bag of leylandii into garden waste. That must have been a nightmare to cut down!

Often, communication strategies are built too much around what we want to say and not enough about where our audiences are at. But relevance is everything (have I mentioned that?).

For example, research has shown that over 80% of consumers prefer human interaction over AI chatbots when online and algorithm fatigue is growing (Mintel, 2025). This means brands really need to consider how they can show up in a more personal, relatable way.

When composing a new strategy or campaign, always start with a re-look at who your audiences are (the massive audience audit you did a year ago is great, but I bet a fair amount has moved on) – what’s holding their attention right now, what’s worrying them and where are the spaces in their lives to connect with them? If you keep addressing these questions with each campaign, you’ll maintain freshness.

Make it a conversation, not a dump

Here comes ones of my mum’s favourite sayings – one person’s trash is another person’s treasure.

Hello re-sell section of the tip. What was headed for the skip becomes exactly what someone else was looking for (chimney pot for a garden planter, yes please). That exchange, value passing between people, is what makes it work.

Communications should function in a similar same way. Too many brands still treat media engagement as a largely broadcast exercise. Push the message out, make sure it appears in a couple of key spots, job done. But comms that achieves greater impact is far more nuanced.

The most effective stories invite response, spark dialogue, play into the unexpected and evolve through interaction – they have a level of circularity. Slazenger is an amazing recent example – a TikTok creator is now leading its rebrand after thoughtfully critiquing the brand’s direction on socials. Bold, maybe a bit risky, but a good lesson in really listening and letting the outside in.

So… what does the tip really teach us about communications?

At face value, maybe not much. One involves waste management, the other, storytelling strategies. But look closer and both are about systems, clarity and understanding people.

Great communications isn’t always about saying more – it’s about saying the right things, in the right way, to the right audience. So, take a tough look at what’s become unhelpful clutter, let the ties go and make space for where you are now.

Next stop, the IKEA returns section. A whole new world of behavioural insight awaits…