Strategies for Corporate Communications

Strategies for Corporate CommunicationsRoderick E Wilkes, DipM, Hon FCIM, FIOD, FCMI, FRSA, FCAM, Chartered MarketerChief Executive

Strategies for Corporate Communications


To communicate or not to communicate

1. Understanding markets.

2. Identifying where you can add value.

3. Communicating with those within the organisation.

4. Communicating with those outside the organisation.

5. Measuring the effectiveness of the value you deliver.

Competitive forces

Economic forces

Politicalforces

Socio-culturalforces

Technicalforces

Legal andregulatory

forces

Product

Price

Promotion

DistributionCustomer

Competitive forces

Economic forces

Politicalforces

Socio-culturalforces

Technicalforces

Legal andregulatory

forces

Product

Price

Promotion

DistributionCustomer


Managing relationships

Internal stakeholders External stakeholders

Company

Employees

Manager

Owners

Suppliers

Customers

Society

Government

Creditors

Shareholders


Evolution of Competitive Advantage

Industrial Age

Intellectual Capital

Skilled Labour

Productivity

Efficiency

Quality

Economies of Scale

Mass Marketing

Growth

Information Age

Structural Capital

Knowledge

Learning

Systems

Processes

Innovation

Customer Satisfaction

Change

Consciousness Age

Cultural Capital

Relationships

Shared Values

Shared Vision

Social Responsibility

Creativity

Customer Collaboration

Transformation/Evolution


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



Organisation-centred or Customer-centred?

Organisation-centred

The different ways of reaching the consumer exist in isolation

Customer-centred

The channel is unimportant. Relevance, timeliness,

convenience and consistency


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.’


CorporateCorporate

MarketingMarketing

CommunicationsCommunications

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.


CorporateCorporate

CommunicationsCommunications

MarketingMarketing

In this ‘new’ model, communications starts with the company, and marketing becomes part of the ‘delivery mechanism’ for the communications strategy.


- 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….


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.


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?


Direct mailDirect mail Customer Service

Customer Service Product designProduct design

Customers view of marketers

brandPricingPricingIn store displaysIn store displays

AdvertisingAdvertising DistributionDistributionSales promotionSales promotion

How customers form a view of your brand


Key audiences: G4 Securicor

Investors Media Employees

Current shareholders

City Analysts

Stock Exchanges (UK/DK)

Potential Investors

Sharesave holders

City & Financial

Business

Security Trade Press

Boards x 2

Execs x 2

Senior Management

Unions & Works Councils

Middle Management

Supervisors

Communications Community

360,000 front line staff

Gov’t & Related Customers Others

UK Takeover Panel

EU Competition

Local Competition

UK Home Office

Others

Current

Potential

Suppliers

JV Partners

Competitors

Trademark agencies


Key messages: G4 Securicor

Investors Media Employees

Merger benefits

Business case

Benefits of investing in newco:- Share price- Increased opportunities for

growth & profit generation- Dividends- Future world leader

Merger benefits

Business case

Benefits of investing in newco

Creating awareness- Key people- Facts about G4S- Positive for all stakeholders- Next steps

Merger benefits

Positive for employees

Key Roles

Key timescales / milestones

Impact on jobs

Impact on individuals

80% of business unaffected

20% of business integrating

Gov’t & Related Customers Others

Merger benefits

Good for market (s)

Improve quality for customers

Market share data

Good for staff

Merger benefits

Good for market

Impact on customers, service levels and contracts

What would be different

Merger benefits

Nothing to be afraid of!

Good for competition

Benefits to them


Key tools: G4 Securicor

General Management Meetings (Top 30)

Senior Management Conferences (Top 300)

Video

Web / Intranet

Letters / Newsletters

Notice Boards / Briefing Notes

Meetings

Call cascades

Local presentations

Media coverage

Their role in communicating

Exchange views

Agree key roles

Develop vision

Develop values

Role of corporate centre

November 2004

April 2006

- Communicate- Motivate- Reward

Surveys Integrating Businesses Q&A

Investor perception study

Employee/management survey

Brand survey (international – internal/external)

Own integration team

Tailored project plan

Tailored communications plan

Co-ordinated by the corporate centre

On everything!!


Key learning points: G4 Securicor

– 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


Developing Brand CommunicationsObjectives

- 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


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


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


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 youRod Wilkes, Chief Executive

Documents

Strategies for Corporate Communications