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Business communications must be strategic communications. This is the case whether they are spoken or written, whether they are delivered in formal or informal settings, or whether they are aimed at an audience of one or one-thousand.
The essence of strategic communications lies in three key areas: audience analysis, message development and delivery. Volumes can be written on any one of these issues. This month's column will provide an overview, with subsequent installments focusing on the tactical components in greater detail. Let's first look at what defines strategic communications.
Defining Strategic Communications
In writing this, it occurred to me to check the thesaurus. What words did Microsoft Word™ offer as synonyms for strategic? It was these: calculated, tactical, deliberate, premeditated, considered, intentional.
Exactly.
"Strategic" denotes something that is actively planned, not haphazardly created. This means that it is necessary to always think through the significant communications we deliver in the course of doing business. Such communications include management memoranda and reports, sales presentations, employee and media relations … to name just a few.
When planning strategic communications, it is necessary to give forethought to the effect your message will have on your audience. What do you want the audience to do after receiving your message? Devising strategic communications begins with identifying your communication objective.
Generally speaking, communications are designed to inform, motivate or educate. They are intended to spark a desired action or to influence attitudes and beliefs. Thus, whether you are writing a company communiqué, motivating a team member, or pitching a new account, you must envision what behavioral or psychological change you want the audience to exhibit. As we will see, anticipating the desired action determines how, when and in what way you forge your communication approach.
A helpful means of planning strategic communications is to consider this formula:
Desired action = audience analysis + message development + delivery
Our communication objectives represent the desired action we seek from our audience. Now let's look at the techniques that go into actualizing the sought-after audience response.
Business communications vary in their level of formality and strategic significance. A manager conversing with her direct report might not always be considered a formal communication encounter. Standing up in front of a roomful of senior executives generally would be. The thing to remember is that, in nearly all business situations, communications must be approached strategically. There must be some degree of preparation in order to attain the management or developmental objectives inherent in the situation at hand.
Using the foregoing formula for planning strategic communications will add up to successful dealings with any audience you seek to move to productive action. Return to Growing Concerns for more articles by Mr. Clemente.
MARK N. CLEMENTE consults with companies and professionals in the areas of sales and marketing, organization development, and leadership. A former director of communications for Coopers & Lybrand, he is the author of four books and dozens of journal articles on management development and corporate growth. His clients have included professionals from Big Five and middle-market accounting and management consultancies, as well as Fortune 500 companies. Mark speaks worldwide before professional and academic groups, and holds a master’s degree in strategic communication and leadership. Visit his firm’s website at www.clementeonline.com or contact him at mark@clementeonline.com
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