How often are we told that communication is key? It seems to be a very popular and assertive phrase, but how regularly do we actually take that advice?
Time and time again businesses overlook the importance of having a strategic, structured and managed Communications plan in place. There are usually a number of reasons as to why this is;
1. They don’t quite understand what exactly a Communications strategy involves
2. They don’t see the value of having one
3. They don’t believe in the value of hiring an expert to do it
In this blog, we’re going to take you through what exactly a Comms plan is and why it’s important. Most significantly however, we’re going to show you how it has helped one of our clients a great deal.
What is Communications as a specialism?
Quite simply, it is any communication that your company puts out. This generally includes handling of public relations, information output, press releases, blog posts, media requests, social media and advertising efforts.
Basically, if someone is reading or listening to something that your company is saying, then that is Communications – and it is key that people view, understand and engage with your brand.
Why do we need it?
A Communications specialist is responsible for building and maintaining relationships between the company or brand they represent and the outside world. Depending on the scope of the role, they may also be responsible for managing Communications within the organisation itself, crafting newsletters, creating brand awareness programs and getting feedback from employees.
Many companies might think that this is a discipline that can be absorbed by an internal Marketing or HR exec, or even by the Directors themselves. However, to produce effective, compliant and proactive Communications the key is for it to be developed by someone who is able to understand your brand as an outsider AND be able to communicate this accurately, concisely and with impact. Additionally, misunderstanding the value of such a resource means that it is not given the time or focus that it needs to be successful – something which an expert in a dedicated role is able to do.
How does it work?
Now, here’s the fun part, rather than telling how effective a good Communications Strategy is, we’re going to show you.
Client: BMSI
Industry: Construction
Brief:
To increase the visibility of the company to suppliers, customers, talent and prospects.
BMSI wanted to establish themselves as an industry leader by disseminating clear, concise and engaging Communications that would spark the interest of those they were trying to build meaningful and profitable relationships with.
What we did:
We produced, implemented and managed a Communications strategy that drew its focus from Social Media activity. This strategy combined Social Media with blog creation, media relations, internal comms and recruitment support in order to raise the visibility of the business online and establish BMSI as a professional, successful and innovative operation.
Resources used:
Instagram?
Blog web page
Recruitment Campaign – messaging, creative style and web page
Internal comms initiative
Media relations with industry press
(hyperlink the above to relevant pages)
The results:
Thanks to a consistent and focused Social Media strategy, supported by a wider Communications initiative, BMSI’s online visibility and brand awareness has increased rapidly.
Monthly Twitter impressions:
2017 – 2020: 1,916% +
Monthly LinkedIn impressions:
2017 – 2020: 23,700% +
Monthly website visits:
2017 – 2020: 537% +
This activity has had a positive impact on BMSI as a business, encouraging more interest from partners, suppliers and stakeholders, improving recruitment communications and helping to raise the visibility of the business to a targeted and engaged audience.
We could talk about Communications all day and how it can play a huge part in the growth and success of your brand. However, to discover more about how great comms and how we can help bring your business to life, get in touch with us today. We promise we don’t bite…
