What is a communications strategy?
A communications strategy helps an organization develop and manage its internal and external communications so that they are effective and align with corporate objectives.
A well-thought-out strategy will:
Engage your company’s audiences on levels, and about topics, to which they can relate
Be timely and appropriate
Ensure clear and direct messaging
Confirm that the intended message was understood
Manage perceptions and behaviours
Why are effective communications important to your business?
Effective communications are critical to any business to:
Foster healthy working relationships and boost morale
Make your audience feel respected and involved
Increase productivity and bolster commitment
Reduce confusion by keeping people apprised and “in the loop”
Ensure everyone is working collectively to support company objectives
Manage perspectives and control the narrative
How do you
develop effective communications?
Conveying pertinent information requires continual time and effort to ensure effective communication.
To be effective, all communications must be crafted, giving careful consideration to:
Sensitivity and priority
Is there time, topic or audience sensitivity that must be respected?
How vital or impactful is the message?
Content
What level of detail is required?
How can the information be better presented to garner keen attention?
How could the message be more clear and concise?
Tone
How could potential misinterpretations be avoided (e.g., by using simpler terms, shorter statements or more common language)?
What type of approach should be taken to ensure the true message is understood (e.g., good news might inadvertently be construed negatively if a significant change is involved)
Delivery
By what method should the communication be delivered
(e.g., phone, personalized email, blast email, in person, etc.)?When should the message be delivered to stop rumours in their tracks but not pre-empt an “official” timeline?