What's the secret to creating a brand-consistent corporate communication plan?

The trouble with strategies is that they speak the language of the boardroom – and everybody outside it speaks in the language of story. If you want to craft an amazing corporate comms plan you need to begin with a missing piece of the action. Taking all of your strategies and brand identity work and turning them into the language of story. A story that makes your people and customers its hero – and your brand becomes their mentor. Right now 99.9% of brand are the heroes of their own stories. Do this and you'll enjoy instant differentiation. I call it having a #BrandNewStory

A communication plan should serve the enterprise and align with the strategic goals of the business while mapping all relevant stakeholders. Follow it up with a detailed roadmap that serves as a compass for the communication to follow- define the pillars for your storytelling. The voice of your communication should inform and reflect the vision and values of your org/ brand. Above all, try to stick to your plan to build consistency and social capital that helps the brand tide over even in times of crisis. And there’s no substitute for honest work,everyday.

Yes, understand your brand, its identity, mission, values, and personality. Know your goals, your target audiences and channels to communicate. But also define what differentiates your brand from the competition and convey it to your audiences. Then monitor, measure and share your results with your team to refine your efforts and grow your business even more. And be sure to share the credit with your team!

Stop chasing the latest “it” marketing thing and creating plans catered to a delivery method instead of an audience action or goal. Too many brands jump from one viral craze to the next in an attempt to seem relevant, when in reality none of it seems authentic to their brand or their audience. Knowing who you and who you are not are crucial to your brand identity, how you position yourself and how you connect with and ultimately differentiate yourself. Be comfortable in your own skin!

We do this by making sure that our objectives are two liners (max). If the two liner can be understood by a 5 year old - your job is done. This is not to take away from the complexity of certain goals, but many a times we arent on the same page because of the 'way' we choose to communicate a certain topic or objective. So the explanation can dive into greater detail, however the core objective is two lines only. When it comes to setting the SMART-ness of these goals, an innovative approach could be writing them as the first para of a press release. All info is covered at one go - who, what, when (or by when), where, why and how.

I agree on keeping your objectives simple and results oriented, so you know what success looks like. Be sure your stakeholders agree so you're on the same page heading into the planning. Be open to shifts and changes because they're almost always inevitable.

Objective shapes the contents of the plan. For instance, a launch plan for a specific product is different than a rebrand, new hire announcement, etc.

Objectives provide clarity and direction, guiding your communication efforts towards specific goals. 1. SMART Framework 2. Business Alignment 3. Target Audience 4. Message and Positioning 5. Internal and External Objectives 6. Measuring Success 7. Prioritization 8. Flexibility and Adaptability By clearly defining your objectives, you provide a roadmap for your communication efforts. They serve as a guiding framework, enabling you to measure progress, assess success, and make informed decisions to continuously improve your communication strategies.

From what I have seen in my experience with multinational companies and even startups, realistic objectives are linked mainly to the scenario within the segment and budget possibilities. However, it is the biggest challenge. Imagining that your brand - which is still in its initial stage - will have the same impact as mature and consolidated brands is frustrating not only for the team but for everyone involved who expects big impacts - that are not coherent with the organization's possibilities.

I like to build messaging matrixes for my clients that clearly delineate who we're speaking to, how we'll speak to them, and on which channels. Then you'll have a communications track for each audience.

Keep in mind that in the same way that situations constantly evolve, so do audiences. Do audience research to ensure that you are current with your understanding of your audience segments and that your messages remain effective for each.

I sincerely feel visual comms or infographics work way better than written communication when tailoring your message to an audience. Also, choosing to create specific messaging as per the channel of communication is key, as that can also dictate the way the message is finally received. A simple way to segment audiences is to distinguish them via the motivation behind their interactions and the ultimate call to action you wish to achieve, besides the traditional stakeholder led approach.

Interviewing internal and external stakeholders is critical to the process of content creation. Gaining feedback and accessing sources of confusion, frustration, or misunderstanding helps to inform content efforts. If your brand is based on superior quality, but your stakeholders are experiencing confusion about what you offer or how you manage projects, there’s a disconnect that needs to be resolved. Stakeholder input can help shape messaging efforts to remedy that confusion and reinforce brand image as a high quality provider.

When developing a corporate communication plan, it is essential to identify and understand your target audiences. Here are some key audiences to consider: 1. Customers/Clients 2. Employees 3. Investors/Shareholders 4. Media/Journalists 5. Industry Partners/Suppliers 6. Government/Regulatory Bodies: 7. Local Communities/General Public 8. Industry Peers/Competitors Remember that each audience has unique characteristics, communication preferences, and information needs. Tailor your messages and select appropriate communication channels to effectively reach and engage with each audience segment. Regularly assess and update your audience profiles as the landscape evolves to ensure your communication efforts remain relevant and impactful.

After I identify audiences, I take a sidestep before channels and ask, "Does the objective/audience require an Operating-based approach (to increase results, success) or a Feeling-based approach (to increase affinity, good will)? The former may be more journalistic in nature with the aim to educate, train and act. The latter may be PR in nature to build relationships, perception and brand. Maybe it's a hybrid. Once I know this, then I delve into the right channels (and content/talent) for that aim.

Dig deeper than the obvious channels. Speak to product marketing teams, as well as sales and customer success. Anyone close to the customer will have a wealth of insights for communicators!

What I have seen from my experience working with both start-ups and established brands is that they underestimate their audiences and their capabilities to see through the brand strategy. The world is changing with almost everyone having access to knowledge/info on everything hence, brands need to explore all the possible channels of communication and not stick to just the traditional methods but to constantly keep their eyes and ears open, think on their feet, make use of any opportunity out their to be in touch with their audiences (while, of course keeping in mind the sensitivity).

One thing I've found helpful is to talk to your partners/your target audience. Select a few and introduce the conversation on how they would like to be contacted, which channels they find appropriate, etc. Most of the time they are happy to contribute and those are valuable information

When selecting communication channels for your corporate communication plan, it's important to consider the preferences and behaviors of your target audiences. Here are some commonly used channels to consider: 1. Website 2. Social Media 3. Email marketing 4. Press Releases 5. Blogging 6. Events and Conferences 7. Webinars and Online Events 8. Traditional Media 9. Internal Communication Tools 10. Direct Mail Remember, the choice of communication channels should be driven by your target audience's preferences, habits, and the goals of your communication plan. It's important to monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of each channel regularly and adapt your strategy as needed to maximize reach and engagement.

At this stage, it’s tempting to try all the things and see what sticks. It’s far more effective to do research, identify what’s working for competitors and/or who are targeting similar audiences, and create channel-specific strategies. Another thing to consider is how you will source your content and who will be involved. What will the process be? Who will design graphics or provide photography? Who will write copy or create videos? Does all content need approval? Who will steer the messaging and timings? It’s advisable to put together a content calendar and plan as far ahead as you can while also leaving room for responsive content to current events and trends.

Not only creating relevant content to your niche but also knowing how to take advantage of it, by adapting it for other distribution channels. This saves time and optimizes the use of materials that often take time to research and can be easily adapted for other channels.

It’s helpful to develop a brand lexicon (your own little corporate dictionary) to drive messaging consistency. When new employees start or projects change hands, a lexicon is vital to maintaining a consistent brand voice.

As you brainstorm content to create, ask yourself, "What will this tell the audience about us?" If the answer doesn't connect back to your brand story, look for a new content idea or change your approach.

Certainly! Here's an example of content for a corporate communication plan: Subject: Introducing Our New Product Line: Enhancing Your Everyday Life Dear [Customer/Client/Name], We are thrilled to announce the launch of our latest product line designed to elevate your everyday experiences. At [Company Name], we constantly strive to innovate and bring you cutting-edge solutions that make a positive impact on your life. With our new product range, we are excited to take your satisfaction to new heights. What can you expect from our new product line? 1. Unparalleled Performance 2. Sleek Design and Aesthetics 3. Enhanced User Experience 4. Durability and Sustainability

Test your content, look at the analytics and the engagement of your organic content to your organic audience. Most importantly listen to your audience feedback and the stakeholders and find a common ground.

Reporting is decidedly unsexy. But, just like most "eat your vegetables" moments, reporting makes you stronger! And it also gives you the pathway to improvements -- without having to guess.

Don't over-communicate. We all know how important a message is and how early it needs to be gone. Your brand value lies in what your customers/stakeholders think about you. Some brands will fill up your feed with email, push notifications, Social media updates and at one point, the customer will be like, this is just too much!! That's where a negative brand impression is formed, which will kill your strategic communication process. Give it some time and some pace.

Ultimately your brand is for people and thus your communication must clearly bring out what your brand stands for while creating meaning and understanding for the audience that consume the brand. To consistently speak the language of your brand: You must have a brand guide that clearly stipulate how your brand wants to communicate ie your brand communication tone and style. This must align with how the people who consume your brand wants to be communicated to. Don’t make your strategy just about you and your board members. Which is why it is important to understand the people you are serving so that the insight gained will feed into your brand strategy development which will include your Comms approach.

Remember, simplicity often makes the best communication plan. Aim to connect with your audience rather than impress them. Humanize your tone and content for a more authentic connection.

Expanding on monitoring, I feel the final step would be to learn and move forward. While it's important to optimize data during the campaign to adjust as needed, it's also important to review findings after the campaign is complete. What did the data show? What did you learn? It's vital to review both qualitative and quantitative data. This will not only provide an understanding what worked and what didn’t for this particular campaign, but it will also serve as a baseline for future campaign strategy.

Creating a consistent corporate communication plan is an art that demands strategy. Having navigated the complex realm of government communication, here's my streamlined guide “key insight lying in the final point”: Begin with the compelling "Why," shape clear objectives aligned with your brand essence, identify your audience, choose the right channels, and infuse intent into your messages. Lastly, don't reinvent the wheel; make it simple and steadfastly adhere to the masterplan.