Strategies for Corporate CommunicationsRoderick E Wilkes, DipM, Hon FCIM, FIOD, FCMI, FRSA, FCAM, Chartered MarketerChief Executive
Strategies for Corporate Communications
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
Strategies for Corporate Communications
Managing relationships
Internal stakeholders External stakeholders
Company
Employees
Manager
Owners
Suppliers
Customers
Society
Government
Creditors
Shareholders
Strategies for Corporate Communications
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
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
Strategies for Corporate Communications
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
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
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.
Strategies for Corporate Communications
CorporateCorporate
CommunicationsCommunications
MarketingMarketing
In this ‘new’ model, communications starts with the company, and marketing becomes part of the ‘delivery mechanism’ for the communications strategy.
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
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
Strategies for Corporate Communications
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
Strategies for Corporate Communications
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
Strategies for Corporate Communications
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!!
Strategies for Corporate Communications
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
Strategies for Corporate Communications
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
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 youRod Wilkes, Chief Executive