Strategies for Corporate
Communications
Roderick E Wilkes, DipM, Hon FCIM, FIOD, FCMI, FRSA, FCAM, Chartered Marketer
Chief Executive
Strategies for Corporate
Communications
Strategies for Corporate
Communications
To communicate or not to communicate
1. Understanding markets.
Economic
forces
2. Identifying where you can add
value.
Political
forces
Competitive
forces
Product
3. Communicating with those
within the organisation.
4. Communicating with those
outside the organisation.
5. Measuring the effectiveness of
the value you deliver.
Price
Customer
Distribution
Promotion
Sociocultural
forces
Legal and
regulatory
forces
Technical
forces
Strategies for Corporate
Communications
Managing relationships
Internal stakeholders
External stakeholders
Suppliers
Employees
Society
Government
Manager
Company
Creditors
Shareholders
Owners
Customers
Strategies for Corporate
Communications
Evolution of Competitive Advantage
Industrial Age
Information Age
Consciousness Age
Intellectual Capital
Structural Capital
Cultural Capital
Skilled Labour
Knowledge
Relationships
Productivity
Learning
Shared Values
Efficiency
Systems
Shared Vision
Quality
Processes
Social Responsibility
Economies of Scale
Innovation
Creativity
Mass Marketing
Customer Satisfaction
Customer Collaboration
Growth
Change
Transformation/Evolution
Strategies for Corporate
Communications
Why is Marketing Communications Viewed as a
Tactical Rather than a Strategic Function?
- Outsourced to marketing services agencies
- Advertising and promotion risks being short to medium
term
- Traditional rivalries between marketing communications
disciplines (such as media advertising and public
relations), and compartmentalised thinking amongst both
clients and their agencies
Strategies for Corporate
Communications
Advertising
Sales
Promotion
Public
relations
Stakeholders
Direct
Marketing
Exhibitions
Personal
Selling
EMarketing
Strategies for Corporate
Communications
Organisation-centred or Customer-centred?
Organisation-centred
Customer-centred
The different ways of
reaching the consumer
exist in isolation
The channel is unimportant.
Relevance, timeliness,
convenience and consistency
Strategies for Corporate
Communications
Marketing departments have got used to the idea
of the tactical integration of communications
messages across different media. Increasingly in
the future they will have to embrace the idea of
strategic vertical integration – speaking with one
voice from the CEO's office right down to the
point of sale – even though such a realignment
may eclipse their former pre-eminent role.’
Strategies for Corporate
Communications
Corporate
Marketing
Communications
Marketing communications
is traditionally seen as a
subset of marketing
strategy.
Marketing is becoming a
way of delivering a
communications strategy,
rather than the other way
round.
Strategies for Corporate
Communications
In this ‘new’ model,
communications starts with
the company, and marketing
becomes part of the ‘delivery
mechanism’ for the
communications strategy.
Corporate
Communications
Marketing
Strategies for Corporate
Communications
- Communications will stand above other elements of the
marketing mix
- It will define what the company stands for (its vision) and it
is tasked with expressing that on behalf of the corporation
- whether that be directly to stakeholders
- via PR
- through advertising etc. to customers.
- By contrast, marketing in those companies will be charged
with physically delivering the corporate vision, via its
products, to the end user….
Strategies for Corporate
Communications
Tactical versus Strategic Communications
Tactical
communications
support specific
marketing initiatives
Strategic
communications
emanate from the
highest levels of the
corporation to inform all
its activities.
Strategies for Corporate
Communications
Implications
- The importance of integrating internal and external
marketing communications
- The importance of developing distribution channels as
conduits of information as well as of goods and money
- Push or pull?
Strategies for Corporate
Communications
How customers form a view of your brand
Direct mail
Customer
Service
Product design
In store displays
Customers view
of marketers
brand
Pricing
Sales promotion
Advertising
Distribution
Strategies for Corporate
Communications
Key audiences: G4 Securicor
Investors
Current shareholders
City Analysts
Stock Exchanges (UK/DK)
Potential Investors
Sharesave holders
Media
City & Financial
Business
Security Trade Press
Gov’t & Related
UK Takeover Panel
EU Competition
Local Competition
UK Home Office
Others
Customers
Current
Potential
Employees
Boards x 2
Execs x 2
Senior Management
Unions & Works Councils
Middle Management
Supervisors
Communications Community
360,000 front line staff
Others
Suppliers
JV Partners
Competitors
Trademark agencies
Strategies for Corporate
Communications
Key messages: G4 Securicor
Investors
Merger benefits
Business case
Benefits of investing in newco:
- Share price
- Increased opportunities for
growth & profit generation
- Dividends
- Future world leader
Gov’t & Related
Merger benefits
Good for market (s)
Improve quality for customers
Market share data
Good for staff
Media
Merger benefits
Business case
Benefits of investing in newco
Creating awareness
- Key people
- Facts about G4S
- Positive for all stakeholders
- Next steps
Customers
Merger benefits
Good for market
Impact on customers, service
levels and contracts
What would be different
Employees
Merger benefits
Positive for employees
Key Roles
Key timescales / milestones
Impact on jobs
Impact on individuals
80% of business unaffected
20% of business integrating
Others
Merger benefits
Nothing to be afraid of!
Good for competition
Benefits to them
Strategies for Corporate
Communications
Key tools: G4 Securicor
General
Video
Web / Intranet
Letters / Newsletters
Notice Boards / Briefing Notes
Meetings
Call cascades
Local presentations
Media coverage
Surveys
Investor perception study
Employee/management survey
Brand survey (international –
internal/external)
Management Meetings
(Top 30)
Their role in communicating
Exchange views
Agree key roles
Develop vision
Develop values
Role of corporate centre
Integrating Businesses
Own integration team
Tailored project plan
Tailored communications plan
Co-ordinated by the corporate
centre
Senior Management
Conferences (Top 300)
November 2004
April 2006
-
Communicate
Motivate
Reward
Q&A
On everything!!
Strategies for Corporate
Communications
Key learning points: G4 Securicor
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Break down communication into manageable “chunks”
Agree priorities early on (but be flexible)
Agree responsibilities quickly (internal & external)
Manage locally – co-ordinate centrally
Guide & support as much as possible
Compromise is not necessarily the answer
Recognise that you’ll never please everyone
Win over the key people – the others will come
Make sure management are “on message” and “walk the talk”
Robust crisis management & communications plans
Day to day business continues throughout
Strategies for Corporate
Communications
Developing Brand Communications
Objectives
- Position around the central proposition to be the
leading specialist recruitment company in the world
- Build the following associations into the brand through
all marcomms
- aspirational, achievement-based, centre of
attention, confident, strong relationships, honest,
in control, professional, smart, specialist, trusting
- Motivate each business unit to share in overall Hays
brand associations
- Reinforce via in-house marketing team & management
level brand advocates
Strategies for Corporate
Communications
Creating the guidelines that govern the
brand communications
– Logo usage – size, international, exclusion zone, misuse, sign-offs
– Colours – corporate, secondary, tints, print & web specifications
– Typography – standard fonts, weights, alignment, spacing,
measures
– Stationery – letterhead, business cards, compliments slips, fax,
memo
– Brochures – layout templates, covers / inners, sizes, grids
– Photography – direction, colours, cropping, movement, focus
– Advertising – design grid, mandatory elements, colour/mono, sizes,
flexibility
– Website – HTML templates, colour matching, font, tone of voice
– Signage – grid, sign-off, colours, materials, change management
Strategies for Corporate
Communications
Launching the new Hays Brand
- Communications plan was created for key audiences
- Internally – directors, consultants & business support staff
- Externally – clients, candidates, city & competitors
- Integrated marcomms plan featuring offline & online
marketing implemented throughout May, June & July 2004
- Also involved programme of internal engagement at
business unit management level with brand project
presentation given on 30+ occasions
Strategies for Corporate
Communications
Great communication should demonstrate the following:
-
It’s clear who we are talking to
We’re showing we know the audience; it’s based on clear insight
We’re exploiting the media to the best of its ability
Where necessary, this integrates cohesively with other activity
We’re demonstrating a point of view
It’s a fresh idea, executed
There aren’t too many clichés
It’s like having your face splashed in cold water
Thank you
Rod Wilkes, Chief Executive