MEDIA SCENE
Components Of A Communication Strategy – Part 2
By Susan Atieno
A communication strategy , as mentioned in our previous article is a very key component for any organization . So many definitions have been given to describe what a communication Strategy is . For example according to https :// www . marketing91 . com / it is defined as ’ a guide that helps a company to transform it ’ s product or service into a brand by meeting communication objectives to accomplish business objectives . Similarly , according to https :// www . indeed . com /, it is defined as a business and marketing tool that helps organizations align their communication and produce meaningful , cohesive messages .
To simplify these definitions , I have always defined a communications strategy as a ‘ roadmap ’ or a means to an end told through storytelling ( a compelling story ).
All of us love stories , when we were young , our grandparents told us very intriguing stories that we remember to-date . These stories had some sort of setting or set up ( problem / challenge ), characters , build up , climax , solution and finally a conclusion .
This is not any different from writing a good communication strategy , think of it as a story . A story is not linear , as much as it has the main plot , it also has side plots that collectively work to sum up the entire story . Most of us at times do not like building / considering contexts in one ’ s story .
For example , the Kenya Airways pilots recently went on strike , paralyzing the aviation industry since KQ is at the center of air travel in Africa . I was not quite fortunate , because I happened to be travelling on the Sunday ( 2nd day of strike ) and from first experience it was not only a nightmare , but a huge mess !
However , back to our point on appreciating contexts , I am sure that a small trigger caused the decision of the pilots to proceed with the strike . Note I used the word ‘ Trigger ’ to allude to the fact that there was a bigger problem or series of complains and issues that had occurred that we as passengers could not see on the day of travel . All we did was complain , oblivious of the unseen context . Wondering why the pilots were so selfish to do that , yet , all the unseen stories , complaints or issues culminated to this decision .
In strategy writing , as well the problem to be solved , that warrants a strategic document , started from somewhere . The magic in writing a powerful one is to go back to the beginning , the very beginning ! Get the whole story , build the context , establish why there is a problem then craft a roadmap to a solution . Most of the time , the strategic direction adapted is usually right on our faces . However , we cannot get it if we do not put the problem into context . This is where the real work is !
Having said this , let me outline the components of a good strategy that will lead to the envisioned roadmap !
Define your objectives
These are communication strategies usually in line with the Brand objectives . In my previous article , we delved on purpose - please read it on the link : https :// joom . ag / zNzd , and we highlighted that purposeful brands live on long beyond the founders , from generation to generation . In the product life cycle , they could plateau , but they will not die or disappear because they keep re-inventing in line with their reason for existence , their ‘ Why ’.
So , once you have your brand / business objectives , these need to be translated to communication objectives . These include what you are trying to solve and in what time frame ? What are the resources needed to do this and the key indicators that will show that you are achieving the objectives . In short , the objectives need to be SMART ( Specific , Measurable , Achievable , Realistic and Timebound ). For effectiveness , have 2-4 objectives in one communication strategy .
Situation Analysis
This is where we start to build context as mentioned above . During the situation analysis , we look at 3 components namely the brand , market and target audience explained here-under .
The Brand : Here talk about everything regarding your brand . Normally you would do a SWOT analysis . Define its Strengths , weaknesses , opportunities , and Threats of the brand . Once defined , analyze to see what gaps exist and how you can take advantage of them .
Market : Here talk about the key trends and competitor landscape in the industry . Key drivers , developments , and challenges . If you are in the real estate sector for example and you are writing a strategy regarding ‘ Growing audience share of homeowners ’, you need to research regarding the current situation in the market . What is the government offering or what are the challenges facing the sector . You need to seek opportunities that are there , is it funding , affluence of the consumer or any others that will warrant the sector to grow .
Another way to analyze the market is to go
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