ELEMENT 3: STRATEGIC ACTION

A chain is only as strong, as its weakest link. I have found this wisdom quite helpful in enforcing teamwork and the need to have everything laid out well, prior to taking massive amounts of action.

The same holds true when developing an airtight communications strategy. It is imperative that we know and understand what each element entails, before plunging into a mission that most certainly projects the future of the organization. So far, we have looked at strategic analysis and strategic intent. In this post, let us move a step further and look at strategic action.

Taking Strategic Action

‘Strategic action is concerned with the translation of the strategic intent’ says Cornelissen, ‘or chosen strategic option into action.’ Yes, we have done the analysis-fact finding mission; we have generated suitable options tailored to deliver certain key objectives. It is time we put the ideas into action.

Specify the Communication Objectives and the Role Communication Will Play

Before the suggested communication programs are implemented, it needs to be clear from the outset; the role communication is going to play in this instance. Is it a support or lead role? Having this in mind makes it clear on the direction to go and programmes to implement.

A first fundamental issue that needs to be decided upon before working out the content of the communications strategy, the communications programme, is the role that communications is to play in the overall corporate and market strategies for the organization. {Sic.}

Knowing the role communication will play makes it possible to determine the communication objectives as well as the communication tactics that are feasible to use. These objectives need to satisfy the SMART criteria, as do all other objectives. They need to be Specific, Measurable, Actionable, Realistic, and Targeted.

 Planning Communication Tactics

You have your objectives in place. The role communication is going to play is in check. What next? After defining the communication objectives and its contribution to corporate and/or market strategies made specific, the next step is to determine the elements of the communications programme: the stakeholder audiences to address and the message and channel tactics to use.

The stakeholder analysis we engaged in in the first elements helped us identify the key audiences we needed to target first, for us to achieve the desired effect. These showed us who the target audience would be of our communications programmes.

For our programmes to deliver the desired effects, we need to define the target audience. This is about media usage, usage of the company’s products, geo-demographic characteristics, membership of interest groups etc. Once we have a clear understanding of our target audience, anything, and everything about them: guided by our communication objectives, then we can determine the message to use in the communication programmes.

This will involve determining the main themes of the communications message (from which the specific copy can be developed), and the tone and type of response (awareness, attitude/reputation, behaviours) that the message will seek to evoke. The important factor is thus to decide what the message should say in relation to the organization’s identity, as it needs to reflect and be in tune with the values of the organization, as well as the stakeholder audience in hand. {Sic.}

Once we have our message, it follows that we need to settle on effective media channels to use. Knowing the most efficient and effective channel that will get our message across to the target audiences is as important as determining the message to deliver.

‘Discussion around media selection has recently centred or the notion of ‘zero-based’ selection, where the most appropriate medium in the light of the criteria selected is chosen, rather than a pre-fixed and standard choice for a medium that may have worked in the past.’ {Sic.}

Organizational Arrangements

‘Once the communications programme has been filled in – that is, when the objectives, message, media and audience are all specified – the next step is to consider the organizational arrangements that need to be made to carry out the programme and as such effectuate the communications strategy.’ Says Cornelissen.

These questions need answers:

• What budget is required for the envisaged plan?
• Who is to be responsible for carrying it out?
• What changes in organizational structure and design are needed to support and carry out the plan?
• What will different departments be held responsible for?
• What are the key tasks to be carried out?
• Are the practitioners involved up to the task, or is retraining necessary?

Answering these question brings to light the capability of the organization to actualize the communication strategy developed.

In developing a communication strategy, often professionals from different departments will need to collaborate. Thus, the need for an organization to have in place mechanisms and structures that support such interactions and collaboration.

Lastly, Cornelissen advices, ‘to take into account whether the proposed communications strategy adapts or builds on existing strategies – an incremental approach – or whether, because of the inadequacy of existing strategies or because management sees the need to change fundamentally the direction of the organization, a completely new communications strategy is suggested.

Are we ready to determine the message, media channels, and ability of the organization to implement the communications strategy? Let us find out. Shall we.