“Without
strategy, execution is aimless. Without execution, strategy is useless.” ~
Morris Chang
The new
decade is in full swing for most people. Many companies already have their
communication strategies in place and are implementing them, while others are
wrapping up their annual initiatives and preparing for the new financial year.
Do you have a communication strategy?
“Communication,
reputation, and brand management can be likened to the game of darts,” says
Nalene de Klerk, reputation manager at Reputation Matters. “Every message is a
dart. it is so important that an organisation's communication is not merely a
series of social media posts, newsletters, or press releases for the sake of
it. How would you be assured of hitting your target? Your communication
strategy outlines that target for you.”
The most
effective communication is specifically aligned to the organisation’s overall
business goals and customised for each stakeholder group. As you plan for the
next 12 months, Reputation Matters shares a few guidelines:
1.
Evaluate where you are now. How are you currently being perceived? If you had to give your
organisation a reputation score based on how people perceive your business,
what would that score be out of ten? Here are some key points for you to
consider to get that score closer to ten:
- Identify your key stakeholders. There are a host of stakeholders to consider:
media, unions, government, shareholders, the community, service providers and
other strategic alliances, and so on. Prioritising key stakeholders are crucial
to ensure that you give them the attention they deserve. At minimum, clients
and employees should be on the priority list. To narrow down your other
stakeholders, consider the influence that each group has on your growth
trajectory and the risks they may pose if the relationship deteriorates.
- Understand the strength of your stakeholder relationships. The sum of your relationships with those who are important to you ultimately determine your reputation. “People want to do business with companies that they trust and resonate with,” adds de Klerk.
- Know what stakeholders’ communication preferences are in terms of channels and timing. You won’t necessarily talk to your employees the same way as to the media, and not everyone uses social media as extensively as you might think.
- Brainstorm potential issues for each stakeholder group. Be proactive in your approach to communication, especially with regards to potential crisis situations. “Knowing your stakeholders well is what gives wings to your key messages, similar to the flight on a dart,” says de Klerk. With this knowledge in place, you can start planning for the year ahead.
2. Be
strategic about your communication outputs.
- Build
your communication vision and goals around the organisation's strategic intent.
Your targets should be aligned to the company’s overall business targets.
- Decide
how you will measure the success of your communication initiatives. Have
measurable objectives in place. These will vary based on your communication
channels, be that newsletters, social media, or media announcements; the
important thing is that you have very clear objectives in place on how best to
engage your audience. What is it that you want to achieve with each piece of
communication that you send out?
- Keep
an eye on what is happening in the world and in your organisation’s
environment. “This is the part where you evaluate potential crosswinds that
might affect your aim,” says de Klerk. It will help you identify new trends and
opportunities.
- Don’t
forget that your communication should be two-way! Being open to feedback, both
positive and negative, is critical to building good stakeholder relationships.
It’s important to track whether the messages are being received and understood.
“Your
strategy will guide your communication initiatives in the months to come and
will help you to proactively build your organisation’s reputation,” shares de
Klerk. “Hit your target consistently, and you will be taking your
organisation’s reputation to a whole new level.”
Not sure
where to start? Reputation Matters’ Repudometer® research provides
organisations with quantified reputation scores that show exactly what is
building and breaking down organisations’ reputations. The Reputation Matters
mentorship programme also gives organisations access to a team of reputation
specialists to help you become the business that people want to do business
with.
For more information on Reputation Matters and to measure
your reputation, contact research@reputationmatters.co.za
or visit www.reputationmatters.co.za.
Follow Reputation Matters on Facebook (@yourreputationmatters) or Twitter
(@ReputationIsKey).
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