Corporate Communications
For decades, the day-to-day practice of corporate communications stayed relatively the same. In an age of real-time communication, with a rapidly growing volume of news and
the emergence of blogs and other new media, traditional approaches to corporate communications are becoming outmoded.
Traditional media channels are no longer the only means by which large audiences can be reached. CEO´s post videos directly to YouTube. Executives communicate directly to customers and other stakeholders though blogs. These days it seems that every company or individual – be it a billion-dollar multinational, a local pressure group, or a person with a passion – is navigating the new communications landscape and experimenting with blogs, video, and custom publishing. In this regard, we are all content producers.
In a world so full of messaging consumers have grown weary of traditional marketing. Many people want to find something more real and brand loyalty becomes an increasingly fleeting, and expensive, goal.
So how do you achieve that kind of credibility with customers – and keep it? For one thing, engage them in a conversation. Authenticity comes not from a monologue, but through engagement in dialogue. And listen to your critics, without fear. Fostering communities of customers and critics, engaging them in conversations, and addressing issues head on is the best way to achieve authenticity.
A key requirement for corporate communications in the new age is a centralized system for managing all activities, contacts, news, collateral, analyses, reports and communications. This provides essential information to shape and continuously improve results, and frees communication professionals to focus on more strategic activities that will have a greater impact on the organization.
Powerful new technology exists that transforms the field of corporate communications. In fact, new applications of technology in the corporate communications realm streamline every aspect of a professionals’ job, from list building to news distribution and monitoring to measuring results. As once-manual tasks are automated, those who embrace these new innovations discover nothing less than dramatic time savings, more communication among internal teams and with their outside agencies, enhanced media relations, and a higher quality and quantity of coverage.
The following are some of the key capabilities professionals need to move in the future of corporate communications.
Media lists - Traditionally, communication professionals built media lists manually. With specialized software, organisations create highly-targeted, up-to-date lists in minutes. Extensive, continuously updated information about reporters and media outlets around the globe is included. Maintenance is just as simple.
Relationship management - In corporate communications, many professionals still use basic email applications or Excel files to manage their many contacts and activities. More than ever, communication professionals need a centralised record of all activities and contacts. When a call comes in from a journalist, such a system allows them to look up that individual and immediately see the last communication, what materials were received, pull up everything that person has written, and set reminders, ensuring opportunities never slip by.
Interactive news distribution - Many teams rely on wire services because they allow them to distribute news quickly. With wire services however, it is impossible to know which journalists received the news, making it tough to follow up appropriately. Specialised software today gives organizations considerably better options when it comes to news distribution.
Integrated electronic news management - News management has long been a cumbersome manual task. Now, PR pros have access to powerful electronic clippings services that are integrated within a centralised system. They automatically receive news from thousands of worldwide sources based on criteria they can set and change at anytime. They can collect, store and retrieve clips on any relevant search term. Integrated news management, clip books and up-to-date reporting are a matter of a few clicks.
Immediate metrics on results - Technology today allows professionals to manage all PR efforts in one place, from pitches and releases to coverage. They can analyse coverage on an ongoing basis, allowing them to adjust their efforts and improve results – mid-campaign.
Traditional media channels are no longer the only means by which large audiences can be reached. CEO´s post videos directly to YouTube. Executives communicate directly to customers and other stakeholders though blogs. These days it seems that every company or individual – be it a billion-dollar multinational, a local pressure group, or a person with a passion – is navigating the new communications landscape and experimenting with blogs, video, and custom publishing. In this regard, we are all content producers.
In a world so full of messaging consumers have grown weary of traditional marketing. Many people want to find something more real and brand loyalty becomes an increasingly fleeting, and expensive, goal.
So how do you achieve that kind of credibility with customers – and keep it? For one thing, engage them in a conversation. Authenticity comes not from a monologue, but through engagement in dialogue. And listen to your critics, without fear. Fostering communities of customers and critics, engaging them in conversations, and addressing issues head on is the best way to achieve authenticity.
A key requirement for corporate communications in the new age is a centralized system for managing all activities, contacts, news, collateral, analyses, reports and communications. This provides essential information to shape and continuously improve results, and frees communication professionals to focus on more strategic activities that will have a greater impact on the organization.
Powerful new technology exists that transforms the field of corporate communications. In fact, new applications of technology in the corporate communications realm streamline every aspect of a professionals’ job, from list building to news distribution and monitoring to measuring results. As once-manual tasks are automated, those who embrace these new innovations discover nothing less than dramatic time savings, more communication among internal teams and with their outside agencies, enhanced media relations, and a higher quality and quantity of coverage.
The following are some of the key capabilities professionals need to move in the future of corporate communications.
Media lists - Traditionally, communication professionals built media lists manually. With specialized software, organisations create highly-targeted, up-to-date lists in minutes. Extensive, continuously updated information about reporters and media outlets around the globe is included. Maintenance is just as simple.
Relationship management - In corporate communications, many professionals still use basic email applications or Excel files to manage their many contacts and activities. More than ever, communication professionals need a centralised record of all activities and contacts. When a call comes in from a journalist, such a system allows them to look up that individual and immediately see the last communication, what materials were received, pull up everything that person has written, and set reminders, ensuring opportunities never slip by.
Interactive news distribution - Many teams rely on wire services because they allow them to distribute news quickly. With wire services however, it is impossible to know which journalists received the news, making it tough to follow up appropriately. Specialised software today gives organizations considerably better options when it comes to news distribution.
Integrated electronic news management - News management has long been a cumbersome manual task. Now, PR pros have access to powerful electronic clippings services that are integrated within a centralised system. They automatically receive news from thousands of worldwide sources based on criteria they can set and change at anytime. They can collect, store and retrieve clips on any relevant search term. Integrated news management, clip books and up-to-date reporting are a matter of a few clicks.
Immediate metrics on results - Technology today allows professionals to manage all PR efforts in one place, from pitches and releases to coverage. They can analyse coverage on an ongoing basis, allowing them to adjust their efforts and improve results – mid-campaign.
