Steps in developing effective communications

Sulemana asserts that successful corporate communication plans are those created after a thorough appraisal of a corporation’s former and current strategies of communicating with its customers and employees. He cites a study conducted at Columbia University’s Centre of Continuing Education that found that an excellent communication plan is one that identifies ways that a given company can move from the status quo to its desired point in the future.
Salisbury points out that change management is thus successful when it takes into consideration the views of the target group. Furthermore, this helps to cement choices of the kinds of communication styles one wishes to use, the budget, audiences to use, and the ways of conducting an appraisal of the communications program. A plan also helps company executives to guard against last-minute interruptions or unnecessary changes. They are also able to control effectively the program with great peace of mind. Therefore, to implement successfully a useful corporate communications plan, the following steps are necessary:
1. There should be a definition of goals and expected outcomes. This pertains to the company’s key purpose in terms of corporate communications in addition to the relationship it plays regarding the company’s business plan.
2. The second step involves carrying out an appraisal. This helps to establish the kind of materials for communication that is already in existence. One should examine the tools of communication that are in use in each department as well as how effective they are.
3. The third step entails defining, in general, the company’s communications goals. These range from underpinning the employees’ motivation, teamwork as well as recruitment. Matters pertaining to client satisfaction as well as client loyalty are also important. Other goals to consider may be ways to increase product sales, relations with the media, and maintaining a positive brand and company image.
4. The fourth step involves establishing the target audience. This audience may include media houses, key financiers such as Wall Street, the government, or even current and future clients.
5. The next step is to choose the kinds of tools to use and their affordability to accomplish your desired communication goals. These tools may include training manuals, company reports, company brands, marketing materials, website data, or even blogs.
6. The sixth step is to conduct an estimation of the cost of every tool and then to draw up a budget.
7. The next step entails drawing the training timetable
8. The last step is to establish appraisal systems that one can use to constantly evaluate performance as well as end-year company results (Salisbury, para6-13).
A proper evaluation of an existing corporate communications plan helps to detect the plans fortes in order to integrate them into a better plan as well as ensuring that its shortcomings are not replicated in the new strategy. This evaluation occurs through the use of an audience survey. There should thus be a careful consideration of the respondents; ways of giving out questionnaires as well as receiving these completed ones (Sulemana, para3).
Conclusion
A proper communications strategy is a vital aspect of any company’s success. It determines a company’s perception by the outside world, which in turn determines the company’s reputation as well as profitability. It also enhances teamwork and understanding among the employees helping them to remain highly motivated. As a result, their productivity increases which serves to benefit the company. All companies should consider investing in a communications plan as it certainly has the potential to boost growth.