We are all communicators. Some of us are brilliant and admirable communicators, some are not (Shane Warne’s texting springs to mind). How we communicate (or don’t) can mean the difference between sitting with the cool kids at lunch, and lunching alone on a soggy tomato sandwich. The same goes for business. No one wants to be in the soggy tomato brigade, so how does your business gain admiration and loyalty from customers, position itself as a leader, and ultimately reach its goals? Drumroll…integrate a targeted communications strategy into your business planning.
Make this happen by:
- Involving senior communication specialists in the executive planning process
- Empowering people in your organisation to help implement the strategy
- Ensuring communication specialists manage the process
You will soon have the power to understand your audience, improve service delivery and build a deeper level of credibility, trust and loyalty. Cue “bandstand cheer”. We all know Darth Vader may have kept his reign on the galaxy if he had a proper communication strategy in place complete with engaging communication tactics, and he wasn’t an evil dictator set on destroying those who failed to obey. Good communication is about starting the right conversation and building meaningful relationships which will ultimately assist your business to reach its goals.
Here are a few tips and tricks to achieve this:
- Look closely at your business and identify who you want to communicate with, internal and external
- Prioritise your audience
- Build a strategy that meets your business goals – for example, if building relationships with customers is a key priority, implement tactics that ensure two-way communication
- Relate to your audience, use tactics that will reach them and that they understand
- Ask for and listen to feedback, this enables your business to modify products and services accordingly
- Continue building credibility by providing knowledge and information
- Follow through with your strategy and evaluate – conduct reference groups, surveys and monitor what people are saying about your business
Don’t let soggy tomato sandwiches get the better of your business, join the cool kids and bring communication to the forefront and your business will reap the rewards.
