Internal Comms and reputation

© Mike Wooles, July 2009

Reputation and internal communications

Mike Wooles

© Mike Wooles, July 2009

I WANT MORE SALES!

• Most CEO’s and senior business owners would agree, sales are a key part of business

• “Park” your morals, assume you’re a profit making organisation for one moment

• But what influences a sale or business transaction?...

© Mike Wooles, July 2009

Sales and communications

Sales

Brand

Product Quality

Price

Communications

20%

80%

© Mike Wooles, July 2009

Traditional communication functions

PublicRelationsMarketing

© Mike Wooles, July 2009

Traditional communication functions

• PR – speaks to journalists, this message is amplified by the channel and transmitted on to other audiences

• Marketing – sends ‘finished and formatted’communications to target audiences, segmented by their perceived needs

• No surprises so far…

© Mike Wooles, July 2009

Traditional communication functions

PublicRelationsMarketing

© Mike Wooles, July 2009

Traditional communication functions

• Messages are sent out from the organisation using known channels

• With measurement and feedback, we can gauge their success

• With planning, we can take a campaign approach and achieve more ‘Integrated’communications

© Mike Wooles, July 2009

Traditional communication functions

PublicRelationsMarketing

Integration

© Mike Wooles, July 2009

Traditional communication functions

• This is worth doing as: – PR and Marketing are an overhead, working

together generates maximum ROI– The more an audience receives the same

consistent message, the more impact it has– Minimise customer confusion

…nobody wants that!

© Mike Wooles, July 2009

So…what are otherdepartments doing?

? ? ? ? ? ?

? ? PublicRelations

? ? ? ?Marketing

© Mike Wooles, July 2009

Meanwhile…on the other side of town…

SALESProjectMgrs

DIRECTORSAND

BOARD

EVENTS

IT HR ReceptionStaff

© Mike Wooles, July 2009

SALESProjectMgrs

DIRECTORSAND

BOARD

EVENTS

IT HR ReceptionStaff

? ?

???

? ? ? ???

? ??

??

?

??

?

?

© Mike Wooles, July 2009

SALESProjectMgrs

DIRECTORSAND

BOARD

EVENTS

IT HR ReceptionStaff

Suppliers and service providers

Site Visitors Customers, All staff

Custom

ers, Suppliers, Friends in the pub…

Professional Colleagues

Stakeholders, other CEOs, and Journalists

Recruiters and Solicitors

© Mike Wooles, July 2009

SALESProjectMgrs

DIRECTORSAND

BOARD

EVENTSPublicRelations

IT HR ReceptionStaff

Marketing

What’s the combined effect of these channels?

© Mike Wooles, July 2009

SALESProjectMgrs

DIRECTORSAND

BOARD

EVENTSPublic Relations

IT HR ReceptionStaff

Marketing

© Mike Wooles, July 2009

SALESProjectMgrs

DIRECTORSAND

BOARD

EVENTSPublic Relations

IT HR ReceptionStaff

Marketing

And don’t forget internal ‘chatter’

© Mike Wooles, July 2009

SALESProjectMgrs

DIRECTORSAND

BOARD

EVENTSPublic Relations

IT HR ReceptionStaff

Marketing

And don’t forget internal ‘chatter’

© Mike Wooles, July 2009

SALESProjectMgrs

DIRECTORSAND

BOARD

EVENTSPublic Relations

IT HR ReceptionStaff

Marketing

This could get messy…

© Mike Wooles, July 2009

What does it mean?

• Marketing and PR is only half of the channels operating a part of your reputation

• Your organisation is a ‘porous’ entity• Scary idea: much of what is being broadcast is

not controlled by PR or Marketing

• …You need to influence this network

© Mike Wooles, July 2009

SALESProjectMgrs

DIRECTORSAND

BOARD

EVENTSPublic Relations

IT HR ReceptionStaff

Marketing

How can we control this?

© Mike Wooles, July 2009

You can’t…

• Employees are a channel, just like PR• As per journalists, they don’t respond well to

being told what to do/think• Think relationships – try trust, rapport, listening,

examples, guidance, fun…drinks…dinner• Hearts and minds, not command and control

© Mike Wooles, July 2009

Why are these channels important?

• Reputation is…”…the result of what you do, what you say and what others say about you.”(The CIPR)

• Much of this is being managed on a daily basis by employees (in their jobs AND via everyone in their network).

• Strangely, consumers (especially when online) trust an anonymous recommendation over a corporate brochure (…Amazon reviews)

© Mike Wooles, July 2009

How to influence…

• PR practitioners have some suggestions…– Values and Key messages are agreed for the

business– Guidelines are created for this channel– These are understood/shared and agreed

with those who will communicate– Training or coaching is given to spokespeople– Experts are used for guidance– Editorial review takes place before

transmission

© Mike Wooles, July 2009

Comms guidelines:

PR- Corporate Values

- Key Issue messages

- Training, spokespeople

- Content review

- A planned timetable of execution

© Mike Wooles, July 2009

Comms guidelines:

RESULTS- On ‘Message’

- Good quality coverage

- Controlled transmissions

- Fit for purpose content

- Fewer surprises

- A STRONGER PROFILE

- BETTER POSITIONING

- ISSUE / THOUGHT

LEADERSHIP

PR- Corporate Values

- Key Issue messages

- Training, spokespeople

- Content review

- A planned timetable of execution

© Mike Wooles, July 2009

Internal comms needs to help manage reputation

INTERNAL COMMS- Values (From HR, Corp Comms…or write your own)

- Communication guidelines (Marketing/PR)

- Training – tone, positioning, editorial skills, listening

- Planning (to avoid ‘air’ collisions/conflict)

- Measurement (Surveys, Feedback channels)

- Design in a communications review step (the Internal comms expert! )

© Mike Wooles, July 2009

Comms guidelines:

RESULTS- On ‘Message’

- Good quality output

- Engaging broadcasts

- Fit for purpose

BETTER POSITIONING

RECCOMENDATION

Disclaimer: Just like PR, you expect 100% control, Bad things happen, negative messages still be transmitted.

What you will be judged on (by employees) is your response

INTERNAL COMMS- Values

- Comms guidelines

- Training

- Planning

- Measurement

- a review step

© Mike Wooles, July 2009

Aim before firing…

• As per the PR world, execs focus on great headlines, but need to look at positioning:– Develop informed ‘on message’ employees– Agree and document values/messages– Interaction with staff, improve understanding– Get their feedback to identify problems– Use surveys to ‘check’ engagement– The 5 ‘P’s of planning apply here

© Mike Wooles, July 2009

Sales and communications

Sales

Brand

Product Quality

Price

Internal Comms

Marketing / PRManaged Comms

© Mike Wooles, July 2009

The real shape of reputation management

Marketing Public Relations

Internal Communications

© Mike Wooles, July 2009

For more information

Mike@compelling-comms.co.uk

www.compelling-comms.co.uk