Why Strategic Communications Is a Must for Every Business Recently, many corporations have found themselves in the headlines, but not in the way they wanted. These situations underscore the essential role a seasoned communications leader plays in shaping a company’s public perception. Whether in-house or outsourced, having someone oversee the communications function is crucial. A strategic communicator supports your business plan, navigates challenging situations, and amplifies your story with priority stakeholders. Whether you're an early-stage startup, a well-established private business, or a publicly traded giant, each stage in your company’s journey requires a unique communications approach. Here's why prioritizing communications is a must for every business: 1. Strategic Counsel and Advocacy 🤝 Communications leaders are trusted advisors, providing insights on public perception and aligning strategies with company values and goals. They evaluate how actions impact stakeholders, crafting messages for each audience. Integrating communication strategies into your core business plan prepares you to adapt to changing dynamics. 2. Crisis and Reputation Management 🔥 Every business faces potential crises, threatening reputation and stability. A seasoned communications advisor is crucial for proactive crisis planning, working with leadership to swiftly address issues. They help preserve brand integrity by delivering transparent, honest, and timely information. As recent news cycles show, maintaining trust during a crisis demands experience and situational awareness. 3. Brand Awareness and Storytelling 📣 Communications professionals build credibility with the news media to tell compelling brand stories through earned coverage or a combo of paid + earned. Marketing and comms teams must work in lockstep, ensuring a consistent, authentic, and cohesive brand message across all channels. 4. Internal and External Message Alignment ✳️ Consistency in messaging across all organizational levels is vital. A great external strategy starts with an internal focus. Ensure employees understand business goals and their roles in supporting them. Aligning internal and external messaging maintains a cohesive culture and delivers a consistent brand narrative. 5. Business Growth 📈 Strategic communication fuels business growth and transformation by crafting compelling content and narratives that highlight products, services, and initiatives. A communications advisor ensures an ongoing dialogue with priority stakeholders. Their awareness of current trends and media strategies enables you to seize opportunities and tell your story. Investing in a skilled communications leader or advisor is investing in the long-term success and resilience of your business. It's not just a nice-to-have but a critical component of a successful business strategy. #StrategicCommunications #BrandReputation #CrisisManagement #CorporateCommunications
Why Strategic Communications Is a Must for Every Business
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Imagine navigating a ship through fog without a compass.⛵ That's the C-Suite without a stellar Communications Team. 💼🚀 Companies are navigating treacherous waters in today’s fast-paced world. The Communications Team is the hidden gem, often underplayed, yet critical in guiding the ship through turbulent waves of market changes and volatile public sentiment. 🌊🔭 This team is not merely dispatching messages into the void. They're architects, constructing bridges. 🌉 They create connections from the boardroom to the wider world, from strategy to storytelling. 📚 They are the translators of complex visions, crafting compelling narratives that resonate with stakeholders on all levels. 🎤✨ Why? Because we are in an era where reputation is as fragile as a house of cards - one misaligned tweet can bring it all toppling down. 🏚️ The Communications Team ensures every message is fortified with the company’s values and vision. They turn potential PR nightmares into stepping stones, strengthening brand loyalty and trust. 💣➡️🌹 But here’s the pivotal twist: Damage control is only one side of the coin. The other? Opportunity. With the right narrative, the Communications Team can push a company into the spotlight for all the right reasons. 🌟💡 Every announcement, every crisis, every CSR initiative becomes a testament to the company's vision and leadership. 📋🏅 The C-Suite needs the Communications Team. They are the eyes in the crow's nest, the strategists in the war room, ensuring the business not only survives but thrives in the public eye. 👀🎯 Let's get some dialogue going: Has your Communications Team turned challenges into opportunities?
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Communications - tactical or strategic? This has come up in a few conversations I’ve had recently. Communications teams are often seen as service departments that exist to execute requests and deliver collateral. I’m sure “can you pretty this up” will sound familiar (and massively frustrating) to #commshero friends! However, this overlooks the ability to bring about real change within a business and play a key role in delivering companywide results. Here are 5 reasons why strategic communications are absolutely essential to any business and why comms professionals are critical business advisors. 🚀 💡 Alignment with business goals Strategic comms ensure that every message supports the company’s overarching objectives. It’s not just about what we say, but why we say it and how it moves us towards achieving our goals. 🔁 Consistency is Key When communications are strategic, they are consistent across all channels. This builds trust and reinforces your brand, internally and externally. 🤜 Engagement and buy-in Whether it’s employees or customers, strategic communications help engage your audience and secure their buy-in. It’s about creating a narrative that resonates and drives action. 🛡️ Crisis management A well thought out communication strategy equips you to handle crises more effectively. It provides a framework for responding quickly and transparently, maintaining trust even in tough times. 📏 Measurable impact Strategic communications aren’t just about feeling good – they’re about delivering results. By aligning with business strategy, you can measure the impact of your communications and continually refine your approach. So, while tactical communications might get you short-term wins, it’s strategic comms that drive long-term success. 💬✨ What do you think?👇 #Communications #Marketing #BusinessStrategy #PeopleAndCulture #Leadership
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I’ve had a few new followers recently, so I thought it was about time I reintroduced myself! Hello 👋 I’m Liz, an in-house communications director turned communications consultant who loves to get under the skin of your business and fix your communications challenges. Now in year four of being a solo business owner, my clients frequently ask me to help them: 🛠 Understand how to effectively engage with their people and teams before supporting them to put in place the tools, resource and channels they need to do this. 🧾 Better position themselves in their core market with a clear narrative and messaging that will resonate with key audiences. 📈 Devise PR and stakeholder engagement strategies to drive brand awareness and reputation. 💡 Solve a wide range of communications conundrums, using my 20+ years of experience to provide strategic counsel, roll up my sleeves, and get stuck in. 👩🏫 Deliver communications, presentation and media training for senior leaders and comms teams. From one-off projects to ongoing retained support and training days, I tailor the way I work to suit my clients. I love the breadth of work that I get to do as well as the flexibility of being my own boss! It helps me to grow and develop as a comms professional and spend time with my two little ones – Imogen and Josh. 💚 If you’d like to know more about what I do and how I can help your business, get in touch and we can arrange a catch-up. 😊 -------- Hello, I’m Liz, a seasoned communications consultant with extensive experience in both external and internal communications. 🔔 Follow Liz Oakley for communications advice and insight. ❔ Looking for some strategic communications support? A clear narrative and messaging? Or some bespoke communications and media training? Get in touch via DM 📩 and we can have a chat 😊 #communicationgsstrategy #communicationsplanning #communicationsadvice #communicationsconsultant #communicationstraining
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🚀 Elevating Communications: Why It's Essential at the Executive Table 🚀 Here are four compelling insights from industry leaders: 1. Data-Driven Market Insights "A CMO's role at the executive table is pivotal, armed with extensive data on customer perceptions and market trends. This is increasingly relevant as customer success integrates with marketing in mid-market firms, facilitating a transition from sales-driven approaches to comprehensive growth marketing, essential for breaking through performance ceilings." - Insight from Kurt Uhlir The integration of customer success with marketing underscores the necessity for communications leaders to be involved in strategic discussions, ensuring decisions are informed by current market data and customer insights. 2. Ensuring Brand Vision Translation "Too often communications take a backseat to high-profile marketing efforts, but it remains one of the most effective means of brand communication there is. Giving communications a seat at the executive table helps to ensure that the vision of the brand translates to outside communications, which can bring back massive returns." Positioning communications at the heart of executive strategy ensures the brand's vision is consistently and effectively conveyed across all channels, maximizing impact and return on investment. 3. Bridging Perception and Reality "In the grand symphony of corporate strategy, communications is the maestro orchestrating the harmony between perception and reality. Without communications at the executive table, the melody risks becoming a cacophony of misunderstandings, leaving stakeholders to dance to a tune composed of speculation rather than strategic intent." - Insight from Pini Yakuel Communications play a crucial role in aligning public perception with the company's strategic reality, preventing misinterpretations and fostering a coherent brand narrative. 4. Communications as the Voice of Non-Employees "The echo chamber always needs a window. Comms is the voice of every non-employee, and executive leadership must remain aware that perception is something that can be influenced but never controlled. Communications' role is to convert profitable executive business decisions into public trust." - Insight from Chris Haller Recognizing communications as the bridge between the company and the outside world highlights its role in building and maintaining public trust through transparent and strategic messaging. 🔗 The insights shared in this Forbes article illuminate the multifaceted benefits of including communications in executive-level discussions. 🎯 For companies aiming to thrive in an ever-evolving business landscape, embracing the strategic value of communications at the executive table is not just beneficial—it's essential. https://lttr.ai/AWfwf #ExecutiveLeadership #BrandCommunication #StrategicCommunications #CorporateStrategy #Forbes #CMOInsights #executivetalent #executivesearch
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How do you define the communications practice/profession? I have been in communications for over 13 years. I’m what many call a generalist, although more strategic over the years. My job titles have included Press Officer, Strategic Communications Manager, Head of Internal Communications, Digital and Print, Communications Service Manager, and Head of Strategic Communications, so I’ve delivered or managed media handling, stakeholder engagement, public affairs, crisis communications, internal communications, print and branding, social media, events, and strategic communications and planning. Yet when I recently needed to supply a definition of the communications practice/profession I was stumped. Obviously I googled. No quick solution. I asked ChatGPT and got this: “Communications practice or profession involves the strategic management and dissemination of information between individuals, groups, or organisations. It encompasses various methods such as writing, speaking, design, and digital media to convey messages effectively. Professionals in this field aim to build and maintain positive relationships, enhance reputation, and achieve specific goals through clear, targeted communication strategies.” Meh. So I drafted this definition: “A communications practice is vital for organisations. It defines, explains, and amplifies objectives, values, policies and deliverables - aligning staff to an organisation’s strategy and delivering effective storytelling to external audiences. It provides clarity in crises and supports organisational growth and change. Its core purpose is to nurture positive relationships internally and externally, enhancing reputation and awareness through audience understanding, channel selection, and consistent look, tone and message. Deliverables span written, spoken, and visual content, while specialisms include marketing, internal communications, press and PR, digital and social media, stakeholder engagement and strategic communications.” What would you change? How would you define the communications practice/profession? #communications 🙋🏻♀️ I’m Georgia, I’m a strategic comms specialist with over 13 years' experience 👩🏻💻 I post about comms - from neuroinclusive comms to leadership in comms - and the importance of flexible working as a tool to tackle the motherhood penalty 👩🏻💼 All opinions are my own, not my employer’s Image description: White quote on a beige background which says “How do you define the communications practice/profession?”
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Communications leaders face a daunting task. Coupled with the daily challenge of flawlessly executing their brand’s communications strategy, they must demonstrate that what they’re putting out there is actually delivering results and not a drain on the bottom line. They are facing tough questions from CEOs: “Are those 20 likes on that social media post worth all this effort? Is our publishing actually getting us new customers?” Navigating this complex environment requires not only creativity and precision, but also a strategic plan to define their audience and anticipate their needs. For that, we developed an ABC guide for how to build a strategic communications operation that can help brands deliver and demonstrate value—and possibly bring in revenue. It can help transform your comms operation from a cost center to a 💰revenue generator💰 Of course, putting a price tag on your communications products overnight is never going to be effective. First, you must follow these ABCs to ensure you’ve built something that’s worth paying for. Read more here: 🔗 https://lnkd.in/eqJnpN3V P.S. We have an opportunity to share our ideas with the SXSW audience! If you've enjoyed our insights, please consider up-voting our workshop on this topic. It's called "Can your insights make you money? A three-step guide." It will be a workshop with our very own Uzra Khan—she'll dive into the details of what it takes for brands to monetize their communications operations: 🔗 https://lnkd.in/ey_FxDUh Thank you! And let us know in the comments if you’re planning to be in Austin next year!
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Though no two communications roles are exactly alike, there is no doubt that the scope and influence of comms has expanded significantly in recent years—and with good reason. Done well, communication builds trust, connection, alignment, and engagement within an organization and outside of it. It is also the most in-demand skill for 2024 according to Sonya Bessalel for LinkedIn (though I'd argue that is a timeless truth). For a deeper understanding of the power and impact of communication, “How The Chief Communications Officer Is Reinventing Public Relations” by Lou Casale (Forbes, 2018) is as relevant a read as ever. Some of my favorite takeaways: 💫“…this position has never been more critical to the health and success of a business.” 💫The CCO helps the organization connect the dots of vision, purpose, values, beliefs and strategy to express the company’s character in a story that will resonate with its customers.” 💫“By collaborating with human resources and other functions, the CCO can help educate and inspire employees, giving them the tools they need to show their pride in the corporate culture they represent.” 💫“A CCO leads the charge to develop and deploy thought leadership content that influences perception and behaviors.” 💫“The CEO, and other leaders across the organization, could all benefit from the CCO’s perspective and guidance on how to manage their own personal brands, and when and how to engage with various stakeholders.” Wherever you can start building more intentional communication into your organization, it's important to start somewhere. Read more: Links in comments
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Setting a clear direction unlocks organisational impact. Here's why aspirations shape strategic communications. As leaders and communicators, we all know that a strong, clear vision is crucial for driving success. But have you ever considered how your organisational aspirations - those long-term goals and ideals - shape the way you communicate both internally and externally? When an organisation clearly defines its aspirations, it becomes the North Star for everything from messaging to decision-making. Here’s why defining aspirations matters for strategic communications: 1️⃣ **Clarity & Focus**: When aspirations are well-defined, your messaging has purpose. Every communication—whether it's an internal memo, a press release, or a social media post—aligns with the overarching vision, creating a consistent narrative. 2️⃣ **Stakeholder Alignment**: Clear aspirations ensure that leadership, employees, customers, and partners are all pulling in the same direction. It’s easier to rally support when everyone understands the ‘why’ behind the work. 3️⃣ **Inspiring Action**: People are motivated by a compelling vision. When you articulate what the organisation is striving toward, it inspires not just internal teams, but also customers, investors, and the broader community to engage and take action. But here’s the question: 🔑 **How do you ensure that your organisation’s aspirations are communicated clearly and effectively across all levels?** 👉 Is it through leadership storytelling? 👉 Regular updates and check-ins? 👉 A robust internal communications strategy? I’d love to hear how you’ve seen the power of aspirations impact your communication strategy—whether positively or with challenges you’ve faced along the way. 🔄 **Share your thoughts or experiences in the comments below!**
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9/10 times the colleague in front of you asking for a communications strategy doesn't need one and likely doesn't understand what one is. The vast majority of the time what they actually want is reassurance - that their work matters to you, that you understand it and that you will take some actions to support it. In my experience that looks more like a few bullet points, key actions and a timeline. But occasionally, someone will rock up with a sprawling project that absolutely needs a fully thought out Communications and Engagement Strategy. I've seen seasoned comms pros wince at the realisation. I've sat with CEOs and watched their eyes glaze at the granular stakeholder mapping required. And I've talked myself in circles trying to explain the importance of shared objectives. It is not easy to do this stuff well. So I wanted to share something practical to help. Here is the Ultimate Guide to Crafting a Communications and Engagement Strategy. What you'll get: ✔ A strategy guide backed up with evidence ✔ Key questions to help you communicate clearly and improve understanding ✔ A free template to kick start your strategy work You might have all this in your head, but this document brings it to life. It's ideal for sharing with your colleagues, especially the non-comms literate. Keep your eyes on your inboxes for more tools and support from Clearview. Good luck, Kirk 🔗 Download today. But get it quick; it's only free for a month. subscribepage.io/HnpWod
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