Now is the time when many companies – and therefore communications teams – are working on their strategies and plans for the coming year. What at first glance looks like a routine task or a bureaucratic waste of time can be a very helpful exercise. Especially if you understand for whom a communication strategy is actually most important…
A strategy combines a vision with a plan. A vision describes why the company or organisation exists and what its most important goal is. A clear vision is future-orientated within a clear time frame and has components that can be measured. Example: We want to be the market leader in YYYY by XXXX. Of course, you can expand on this, but you should remember: Dirt that we tread isn’t hardened but spread!
The strategy explains how to achieve this goal. A strategy is like a guardrail that prevents you from straying from the path. A communication strategy describes the most important target groups and explains how to address these target groups and with which topics. Behaviour can also be part of the strategy: how do I deal with my customers, both internally and externally?
And the plan: structured and coordinated. The plan sets the rhythm and helps to avoid getting bogged down. Who does what with whom and when? By the way: good plans are not created in Excel, but on a blank piece of paper or on a flipchart! And don’t forget: ”Everybody has a plan until he gets punched in the mouth.” (Mike Tyson). In other words: good plans are flexible and can be adapted.
Back to the communication strategy. In my view, the most important target group is the company itself, especially the executive board, board of directors and managers. Therefore, a strategy must be short, simple and concise – so that even people with limited absorption capacity can understand it. Less is always more. And no slang, please. Here is a suggestion for a communication strategy:
- We communicate as openly and transparently as possible
- We only communicate content that is relevant to our target groups
- Our most important target groups are: A, B, C (max. 3!). We prefer to address these target groups via these channels: 1,2,3
- We communicate from the inside out: first our employees, members etc., then the ”outside world”
- We are the best possible contact for all our customers
If you wish, you can add another point:
- We position our company, association etc. through the following measures and topics (e.g. social activities, sponsoring etc.)
If you manage to anchor such a communication strategy in your company or organisation, you have very clear guidelines. You can say no to things that are not anchored in the strategy, e.g. a pointless press release…
Incidentally, a communication strategy also helps if there is no overarching vision in the company. And when asked by smart controllers and/or management consultants what the vision for communication is, I have always said: We want to become the best communication department in our industry. Because that should always be the aspiration for our own work!
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I work as a freelance communications consultant in Leksand in Dalarna, Sweden. With thirty years of experience as a communications manager in Sweden, Germany, England and Luxembourg, I know how important it is to work pragmatically. Communication is a craft – and only sometimes an art. Crises have no opening hours and don’t just work Monday to Friday from 8am to 5pm. If you need help: 0046 70 735 1911 or kommunikation@tillasgarden.se. I promise fair billing and don’t need long-term contracts. I’m there when you need me!