As a Corporate Communications team support staff, at the Sunshine Media Network, we shine a fresh light on messaging that isn’t landing with the public, and we add fresh perspectives to long-time teams looking for new ideas for their Communications plans.
A Corporate Communications team has a lot of responsibilities and also a lot of possibilities. Good communication is essential for any successful business. It helps to build relationships with customers and employees, and it can even help to increase profits. In addition, corporate Communications teams can speak on behalf of employees, investors, volunteers, and vendors, so their success impacts all parts of a company. We can also include nonprofits in this conversation, and small business owners can use this advice in a scaled-down version. But many companies need help to get it right regarding corporate communication. In this blog post, we’ll explore ways corporate communication can be improved and how Sunshine Media Network has helped Corporate Communications teams get positive results. That’s why we’re proud to offer Corporate Media Training and communications consulting services.
Understand Your Audience
The first step to improving corporate communication is to understand your audience. Many of the projects we do at Sunshine Media Network supporting Corporate Communications Teams are used for internal messaging – their employees. The other audience we support corporate communications teams with is public. The public is a much broader audience and can include customers, the media, shareholders, protestors, potential investors, or even competitors. In one case, we helped a company improve their external messaging so their company value increased and they could attract a larger company to purchase them.
A vital first step our Communications Consultants begin with is asking Who are you trying to reach? What do they care about? What kind of language do they use? Answering these questions can help you tailor your messages to your target audience and ensure they get the information they need.
When you finish this step, you should have an actual client avatar to visualize. We will do up to three client avatars ranked in order of importance, and each is a visual representation of who the messaging campaign is targeting.
Make Use of Technology
Technology can be an excellent tool for improving corporate communication. There are a variety of tools available that can help you reach a wider audience, such as email, social media, and video conferencing. These tools can send important messages, share documents, and even host virtual meetings.
Sunshine Media Network has worked with many small businesses, corporations, nonprofits, and educational organizations to incorporate video into their messaging to reach a much larger audience. In one case, we did a cyber security video to help Duke Energy communicate quickly, directly, and effectively with their employees. A video allowed their leadership to increase their reach exponentially and more efficiently manage their time. Our favorite part of videos is how it forces messages to be concise. Often, a message is lost because too much content overshadows straightforward Communication goals. In fact 77% of marketers consider content marketing to be a top priority.
Encourage Open Communication
Encouraging open communication is key to improving corporate communication. Make sure that employees feel comfortable speaking up and sharing their ideas. This can be done by creating a safe and supportive environment where everyone is encouraged to contribute.
Sometimes a good way to create an open space for dialogue is by bringing in a Communications consultant as an external auditor and interviewer for your team. Sure, your staff will know the contractor will report back what they hear, but there are ways you can communicate with them that this process is designed specifically to gather open communication. Hiring a consultant your team would feel comfortable opening up to candidly is also essential. Often, we’ve found employees want to know someone cares about their experiences, feedback, and ideas. The effort to interview them can go a long way in improving internal communications.
Be Clear and Concise
When it comes to corporate communication, it’s essential to be clear and concise. Make sure that your messages are easy to understand and don’t contain too much jargon. This will help to ensure that your messages are being received and understood.
These are just a few ways corporate communication can be improved. By understanding your audience, using technology, encouraging open communication, and being clear and concise, you can ensure that your messages reach the right people and have the desired effect. Contact us today to learn more!