Strategic Clarity for Communication Management

Over the past few weeks I've been developing plans for a communication project, a media relations campaign.

That's prompted me to reflect again on the communication management process by which we transform communication ideas into operational activities.

For me, the communication management process has four phases: conception (strategy); development (tactics); operations (execution); and review (evaluation).

Coming out of the conception or strategy phase, I think it's essential to have strategic clarity, which means a clear, focused objective (or objectives) that serves our ends, the ends of our audience, and allows for effective development and operations.

For example when I first started publishing newsletters, I didn't look or ask for strategic clarity from my clients. The result? Newsletters that faltered, sputtered, and eventually lapsed. Clients had wanted newsletters because they thought a newsletter would be a good idea. Communication is good, right? But, communication without a well-considered purpose is largely ineffective.

Other clients, though, did know what they wanted, both for themselves and for their readers. They turned out to be good clients with lots of staying power. And they had staying power because they clearly knew why they were communicating, and had some sense of the results, even if those results couldn't be measured.

To get strategic clarity, we first need to step back and ask some important questions. What do we want for the time, money, and perhaps other resources we're committing? What is the objective? Now, go one step further and articulate that objective in terms of reader response. Write down what they will do if you successfully communicate with them.

Next, write down why they would do what you're asking of them. It's one thing to have objectives, and it's quite another to serve readers' objectives as well as your own. And, what's the connection between your needs and the needs of the audience?

Does this sound like a lot of work? Well, can be. But, ask yourself how much value you get if you rush off and do something without thinking it through.

I've published two newsletters for my own company. The first went ahead quickly, with little strategic planning. Instead, I concerned myself with matters like color, typefaces, and so on. That was a mistake; the newsletter died after perhaps six or eight issues, and accomplished little.

Before I started my second newsletter, I carefully worked through all the strategic issues. In fact, I started on the newsletter project in May and didn't publish the first issue until September. Of course, I didn't work at it full time, but still a lot of hours went into clarifying the strategy.

And, it worked. More than five years later, I'm still publishing it, every week, and the newsletter still does the job it was developed to do.

In summary, your communication project has a greater chance of success if you take time up front to identify and articulate your objectives, as well as the desired reader responses.

Robert F. Abbott writes and publishes Abbott's Communication Letter. Learn how you can use communication to help achieve your goals, by reading articles or subscribing to this ad-supported newsletter. An excellent resource for leaders and managers, at: http://www.communication-newsletter.com

Making Assumptions - A Critical Communication Mistake In Business And In Your Personal Life!

We draw conclusions about people through observation, their behavior, past... Read More

Re-Discovery Procedures for Building Effective Management Systems: Phase V

Now we turn the corner to our final phase: Re-Discovery.Last... Read More

Saying ?No? Gracefully to Customers and Colleagues

Envision the scenario: You've just been asked at the last... Read More

Just The Facts

Attitudes are more important than facts. Dr. Karl Menninger... Read More

A Man and His Razor

It is vain to do with more what can be... Read More

Rules for Running a Meeting

As an experienced manager, I can announce without a doubt... Read More

A Leadership Screw Driver: The 90 Day Improvement Plan

I was talking with first-line supervisors in a utility company... Read More

Knowledge Management - Keys to Successful Communities of Practice (Networks)

How can I make my community of practice truly effective?How... Read More

Managing YOUR Expectations

I sit on the board of an organization and at... Read More

Management Consultants, Creativity, Innovation

Most firms have intelligent, capable, knowledgeable managers who are very... Read More

Problem-Solving Success Tip: Test Your Assumptions About Everything

Test your assumptions about everything.Assumptions have a way of creeping... Read More

Managing Motivation

"Without the chance to meaningfully participate in steering one's own... Read More

How to Deal With Salespeople

If you are an executive, you may sometimes feel like... Read More

Effective Meetings by Phone - Part 2, How to Hold a Teleconference

Even a well-planned teleconference can go poorly. Some people treat... Read More

Your Biggest Problem in Business? Work Ethic

US Work Ethic Issues and Lack of serviceWell many... Read More

Great Hires: Avoid Costly Mistakes

Picking people for a job is like going... Read More

How to Use an HR Consultant

Bringing an HR consultant into your organisation can often be... Read More

Tales From The Corporate Frontlines: Job Security in Todays Workplace

This article, Job Security in Today's Workplace, is part of... Read More

5 Surefire Ways to Bring Your Business Objectives Full Circle with Technology

All small to mid-sized company owners want to know where... Read More

Implementation the Catalyst of Change for Management to Reach that Next Level of Success

From the personal and professional experiences of other colleagues and... Read More

How To Use Outsourcing To Beat Your Competition

Outsourcing is when you hire outside professionals or services to... Read More

Innovation Management and Brainstorming Management ? why people hate to brainstorm!

Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation... Read More

25 Super-Practical Steps to Build Your Business!

For the past several weeks, we have focused on some... Read More

Mantra for Managers

What do organizations look for in a prospective employee with... Read More

Make It Easy to Reply - Voice Mail That Works

If you are like most business people, voice mail has... Read More