For example, big, multi-location companies sometimes make important announcements through local plant or office managers, rather than at head office. Another example: advocacy groups that ask their members to individually write or call politicians.

Both examples illustrate what's called a two-step communication strategy - getting extra mileage out of communication by selectively using other people to pass on messages.

It's so common we often don't think of it as a distinct strategy. But, it is, and offers many benefits, including: borrowed legitimacy, extended networks, speedy distribution, and unofficial status. Let's review those benefits in more detail, and as we do so, ask yourself how you could apply them.

Borrowed legitimacy: The example of advocacy group illustrates how you can use third parties (in this case individual voters/members) to give greater credence to a message.

It also explains testimonials you see and hear in advertising. And, book publishers commonly use several forms of two-step communication, including testimonials, prefaces by well-known or well-respected persons, and book reviews.

In your workplace, some people probably have more influence than others. If you send out a message to people with influence and ask them to pass it on to others in organization, message may carry more weight.

If you're a sales person, you know value of referrals. Again, this applies two-step process to borrow legitimacy.

If you are using an analog cordless or cellular telephone, someone is listening to your conversations!

You'll notice I did not say someone might be listening to your telephone conversations, or there is a possibility that your telephone conversations can be overheard.

Simply put, your telephone conversations are being monitored! Radio hobbyists, with their scanners being used as spy equipment, have capability to listen to telephone conversations and we must assume that a small percentage do from time to time.

Beyond these hobbyists, however, is an underground culture of scanner users who make specific efforts to monitor telephone conversations. This underground culture ranges from individuals wanting nothing more than to satisfy their personal curiosity, to news reporters lookng for leads, to private eyes gathering information for a case, to criminals listening for credit cards numbers, SSN's, or other information to be used in furtherance of a crime. Beyond this, various law enforcement and security agencies may monitor telephones for their own purposes.

But wait, you say--it's illegal to monitor telephone conversations. It's even illegal for police to do so without a warrant. True, it's illegal to monitor telephone conversations, but do you really think that noone's listening? A law is nothing more than words and, in and of itself, does nothing to prevent that which it proscribes. The chance of getting caught doing phone monitoring are almost nil, and when have you heard of anyone being prosecuted for monitoring a cordless phone?