Rebranding | Flickr

In 2013, when I took over the students association as chairperson, I had a big challenge in front of me. Students were complaining of the segregation by the then umbrella body-Communication and Public Relations Student’s Association (COPRESA). Upon taking reigns, I was determined to (re)brand the association so it would be inclusive of both public relations, journalist and graphics students (all of us in the department).

Months later, Communication Students Association of Moi University (COSAMU) was born. I worked with my entire team, and scheduled its launch during our annual communication conference. It was a success. Almost 3 years later, I am reading an article published by VIM Group and there are things that I wish I knew then. Perhaps it could have been an even huge success.

That is why, for those participating in (re)branding efforts;here are 10 guidelines for you in implementing that (re)brand successfully. At least you will better off than I was 3 years ago and still a student. Right?

Although, as I let you in on the secrets from the masters in the game, we must start with appreciating that (re)branding is not easy. Do not mistake this with getting a new name, and or logo. It involves creating and launching a brand to compete with other brands. Masters have agreed that this is one of those tasks that can make or break a company. For my case, despite relying on my intuition and teamwork, we could have made a stronger association or crumbled it altogether. I believe we made it better.

To avoid the latter, here are the tips:

1.Know how you will track your costs: (re)branding takes money. And a lot of it. If you do not have measures in place to monitor and track spending (costs), you might end up disappointing your stakeholders for misuse of company resources in an exercise that would have otherwise been the company’s competitive edge. Before you engage in the (re)branding exercise conduct an analysis to determine the impact it will have on the company-financially.

2.Fine-tune your project planning skills: (re)branding, is a project. Failure to understand the fundamentals of project planning create room for costly errors. Project planning will give you and the team involved the insights to know when and how to concentrate efforts and set targets to align with the efforts. Realistic targets, backed by practical and technical knowledge, need to be set in order to push the brand implementation through. {Sic}

3.Gather as much information as possible for an effective implementation plan: when handling huge projects, information is indeed priceless. You need as much of it as possible to help in building a solid implementation program that will see the brand come to life. Once tied with the project planning & management phase, it can help protect your investment and provide an ongoing point of reference for existing and future stakeholders. 

4.Design stage: do you know why when we mention (re)branding people jump to this stage? Because it is the most fun. People enjoy seeing designers come up with great designs to represent their business. However, little do they know that in the complete (re)branding exercise, this stage is least expensive but most glamorous.

In our experience, the ratio between the expenditures for branding consultants and design compared to the cost for implementation could be 1:20, depending on the size and complexity of the organization. Momentum is easily lost when the sheer scale of work required becomes apparent; therefore, it is vital that senior management remain involved right up until the last sign is installed. Otherwise, the program will lose focus. {Sic}

5.Protect the integrity of the design: As much as you are (re)branding it needs to be noted that constancy is key. You need to protect the integrity of your designs by implementing consistent images and manageable images. Do not veer off into the world of impractical designs. Making it harder and more expensive to implement. It is advisable for the design stage to be guided by practical advice. Remember to present a thorough design brief to your designer (in house/consultant). It should include aesthetic, communicative, technical, and legal requirements. 

6.Translate the basic designs: in design, we are always advised to find means to present whatever we are working on (mock ups). If it is a logo, try it out on a ‘pretend’ website, letterhead, t-shirts, business card, signage, billboards, and whatever else that you are comfortable with. The purpose for this is to see how it will look once implemented. Sometimes, what we have on paper may not resonate with what we had in mind if it was on a billboard. Do not be in a hurry. Test it.

7.Implementation management program: At this point, we are confident that we have what we want and we like it. Depending on how big the company is, whether international, regional, or countrywide it is time to have key stakeholders come on board to aid in implementing the (re)brand. Creating harmony between your suppliers and your company will create consistency and help in curbing costs. If need be get an implementation agency to collaborate with if you are a global brand. Otherwise, stick to suppliers within your zones.

8.Sell your (re)branding program to local managers: Local teams must understand the reason behind the (re)branding and how a consistent image will benefit them directly. Acceptance of brand standards is not automatic. Most people see their department's or unit's circumstances as an exception – do not give them any excuses; instead give the support required to get the job done. {Sic} It would however be wise to obtain the support of local managers during the conceptualization process. This will not only make them feel valuable, it may open a window for them to share ideas that may prove worthwhile. Two heads are better than one especially in such big projects.

9.Internal Communication: Nothing is done without communication. Such a huge project with a lot at stake, great emphasis needs to be laid on internal communication. Start by communicating the project goals/objectives in each stage and continuous updates as to the strides made. Accord each department head the respect they deserve and find out the best method of communication each prefers. It could be email, telephone, face-to-face. Find it and use it effectively. By involving all the departments in the company, will create a sense of teamwork, which is what is needed for the success of the rebranding program. Their total support.

10.External communications:  Once the implementation is underway, you need to relay this message to relevant stakeholders like customers, media, and shareholders. A brand implementation is an excellent opportunity to tell the brand story, including the brand positioning and the brand values. {Sic}

I am convinced that with these tips your (re)branding efforts will be stellar. Happy (re)branding.

By George Odenyo Litunya-Corporate Communications and Marketing Consultant

Customer service |Phil Dowsing Creative

In communication, messages are king. For content marketing, content is still king. However, in business, the customer is king. As Kenneth B. Elliott said, ‘A customer is the most important visitor on our premises. … We are not doing him a favour by serving him. He is doing us a favour by giving us an opportunity to do so.’ Therefore, it is important for every business to improve on customer service delivery. 

In today’s customer service delivery landscape, customers can make purchases without stepping foot in your premises. A company can serve its customers without ever seeing them. This has waylaid the use of technical skills and amplified the need for soft skills.

It's no secret, new media is changing how we practice communication. Have you ever, seen a great post on facebook about a product and thought to inquire? Unfortunately, it took forever to get a reply. Yes, it happens. 

In this age of new media, companies want facebook page likes to the millions. Twitter followers to the millions and not forgetting blog subscribers. What fails to register in the minds of these companies is that these are potential customers. Who need as much attention as the actual walk-in customers. Thus the dire need for soft skills.

I recall when customer service was about smiling to the client and being courteous. Running literally after your client. Fixing them coffee, and similar acts of kindness. Even when the client in question was not interested in doing business with you. It was an obligation to be courteous. How do we show this in today’s customer service landscape? Facebook, twitter, Instagram and blogs case in point. How do you make coffee for someone who cannot take it? But through soft skills, you can make them feel valued. With the promise of repeat business. Which is the ultimate goal in customer service. 

Soft skills are running the show now. As shared by Mary Shulzhenko, here are 20 soft skills everyone in customer service should master.

Active listening

Attentiveness

Clear Communication

Persuasive Speaking

Ability to use positive language

Confidence

Good body language

Understanding human psychology

Patience and self-control

Ability to empathize

Time management

Flexibility

Creativity

Accountability

Leadership skills

Positive attitude

Self motivation

Decision making

Teamwork skills

Sense of humour

Work on these and let me know how it goes. Happy customer, happy business.

Source|http://www.providesupport.com/blog/top-20-customer-service-soft-skills-infographic/

Communications takes care of both the internal and external spheres of an organization. However, most companies focus on external communication, neglecting internal communications.

This Internal Communications Measurement Survey Report,  shades light on what has been happening in this neglected section of the communication practice!

Internal Communication Measurement Survey

Click on the highlighted link and download it for free! It is filled with timely insights and key findings:

• Internal communications takes a backseat to external
• Most measure less than half of their programs
• Dissatisfaction with measurement is high
• Lack of tools is the biggest roadblock to measurement
• Key weakness in tools is measuring outputs instead of outcomes
• Engaging employees is top priority-but less so for execs
• Email and intranet are most important channels
• Websites and intranets are most measured

Have a fun read!

By George Odenyo Litunya-Corporate Communication & Digital Marketing Consultant

The information age came with good tidings. However, it brought along a dark cloud called information saturation. There is nothing new in that sphere. This information saturation is an issue we need to take note of with all due gravity. Since, we are in the business whose currency is information-spoken and/or written after all.

This has made our work as communications professionals, difficult. Don’t you agree? Getting our press releases ‘heard’ is a challenge we need to continuously ponder over, and find ways to reach our audience. Press releases continue to be the most formidable tool in our toolbox. 

Image Credit | Mark Greenwood

On 22^nd February 2015, Charity Maina was raped and killed in Moi University. In a bid to quell, the heated outburst of the community-students-the Vice Chancellor Prof. Richard Mibey issued a press release in the dailies the following day. Now, according to critics, apparently it had many grammatical errors. A clear indication that someone in the administration was in a hurry to correct a great wrong. I heard of it in the social media. Whether it achieved its intended purpose or not, is an issue at large, for us to vet. The question becomes; what could they have done to gain traction?

In order to get our press release ‘heard’ we need to use all media available. The internet being the most important. Statistics indicate that 26.5% of the African Population use the internet. Consider this percentage and the inadequate infrastructures that we have. Factoring in that we are on the path to actual development this number will soar. This is an indication for us (communication professionals) to prepare ourselves to capitalize on this space.

With that in mind, here are 5 tips to make your press release standout online, working on the belief that it will be your first channel to turn to, right? If yes, read on.

Write Clear Headlines

It never gets old. In all writing, headlines are your ticket to a reader’s time. If it stands out, then you have increased your chances of getting your reader’s attention. If not then we have to work on this. On that note, your heading needs to be 22 characters or less.

The Length

A press release is a document that tells a synopsis of your company and or news worthy information in the company. Answering the question of who, what, when, why, where & how of a topic. This 5W’s and 1H make the body of the release as airtight as possible. Keeping the release two pages or less or 600 words or less is a key ingredient. According to Elizabeth Hillmann of Discovery Education says, ‘The length of the press release should be under 600 words or no more than two pages to make it the most effective, and will aid in optimization.’ Solid advice.

Keywords

What are these? According to Corry Janssen, Technopedia, He says, ‘A keyword, in the context of search engine optimization (SEO), is a particular word or phrase that describes the contents of a web page. Keywords are intended to act as shortcuts that sum up an entire page.’ With that in mind, Elizabeth advices that we need to use at least we use two or three keywords throughout your headline, subhead and first paragraph to ensure consistency of messaging and increased chances of search results.

Rich Media

The saying that a picture is worth more than a 1000 words never gets old. However, if we could go back, something worth adding is a great picture is worth so much more than a 1000 words. In writing that press release, using high quality media-pictures, infographics, and video can help your releases rise to the top in search.

Logo

In concluding our strategy of conquering the online space, always make it a habit of incorporating your company logo in all your releases. This makes it easier to find your release if someone searches for your company or brand name; the images will come up. 

Knowing how to make our press releases ‘heard’ is our daily objective. Leveraging the online space is a step towards making this objective a possibility. Try it out and let me hear from you.

According to a Startup Genome Report, a project co-authored by Berkeley & Stanford faculty members with Steve Blank and 10 startup accelerators as contributors: indicate that within 3 years, 92% of startups failed. The report analysed 3,200 high growth web/mobile startups.

Courtesy | Wolf Read

The report further highlights in depth what results to the failures. However, for the purposes of this article, let us ask ourselves what we can do as communication professionals, to salvage the next startup from failing.

As the CEO/Director, how versed are you when it comes to communications? You might argue that during the first stages, communications initiatives are not important. Let us suppose you are mistaken. As events unfold, you realize that what was missing in your survival kit was a communications strategy. What next?

In an effort to save your startup, it is not only wise to have a communications strategy, but implement it as well. Here are some tips you need to know when that time comes; it will surely do so.

Timing

First, it is wrong to roll out all your guns at the beginning. The Genome report attributes 74% of the failures to premature scaling.

Premature scaling means spending money on marketing, hiring etc. either before you find a working business model (you acquire users for less than the revenue they bring) or in general spending too fast while failing to secure further financing. {Sic}

Knowing when to use your communication strategy as well as balancing not to fall in the trap of premature scaling is a landmine. Tread carefully. My advice would be once you are confident with the product and or service, but realize that along the way, something is not clicking and failure is imminent; then roll out the communication strategy.

It should not be too early nor too late.

What are your communications objectives?

In all that we do we would like to make progress. Unless we set some form of measurement mechanism, chances of ever knowing if we are progressing or not are slim. This is true in life and work.

Consequently, defining the communications objective beforehand will keep you focussed as well as indicate whether you are making progress or not. Are you looking to release an annual report to investors to persuade them to open their wallets for your next phase? Alternatively, you might be opening a new branch and you want your customers to know of its location in good time? What is your objective?

Write it down if you must. Memorize it if you must. However, never forget it.

Be real

We live in a world, where we are encouraged to be unreal. In the broader scheme of things it works. In this instance however, shelve that just a bit.

Do not fall victim of wishing once the strategy is implemented you would be called for interviews, and or get the front pages of the business daily. Well, if it happens then what more can you ask for? That team deserves a medal and stocks in the company.

However, you should consider alternative channels for which you can get your message to the clients. Social media is here with us and suffice it to say it is revolutionizing the corporate terrain.

The ultimate goal is to get your story out there and most conveniently to the customers. Your expectations must be realistic knowing that competition never sleeps.

Have room for collaboration

Collaboration is key, particularly in the beginning when you should provide your PR team with as many details as possible. Then, trust them to give you an honest assessment on the best ways to achieve your PR objectives. A press release blast will be appropriate on some occasions, while individual media outreach will make more sense for others. {Sic}

This will likely occur when you have an in-house communications team and went ahead to hire outside professionals. The two teams must be in a position to work together for the benefit of the company.

Collaboration does not touch on the teams alone, but also the media used in pushing the communications objective forward. Working with diversified media outlets can prove rewarding. Local media may be a good place to start as a litmus paper to gauge the perception of the target audience before opting for national exposure.

Evidently, combining both online and social media outlets may yield stronger results than just concentrating on one medium alone.

What is your story?

To quote Seth Godin, “Consumers believe stories. Without this belief there is no marketing.”

Storytelling is the method by which people tell each other who they are, where they come from, what they believe in and how they’re different from one another. A story on the other hand is the medium through which a company expresses it message to the consumers/intended audience.

It begins and end with a story. Fortunately, companies too have them. Bearing in mind that there are millions of journalist out there whose attention is tasked by millions of pitches they get.

It is imperative that your story resonates with the journalist, editors, and the entire media outlet.

Work your angle and make it compelling enough to capture the attention of the ever-busy journalist. Moreover, one last thing, be truthful. Avoid all the hype and lies, they will give you trouble remembering.

Plan ahead

Benjamin Franklin said, ‘By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.’ How right he was. Assuming that you will use the last three weeks to execute the communication campaign and get the results intended is a joke.

Whatever the objective, you need to plan, and consider how and to whom you plan to share your news. Bearing in mind that journalists are overwhelmed with pitches daily, and they are always on a deadline. Give your communications team ample time to work their media contacts, and then give journalists enough time to react.

It is all about the message

Finally, when it comes to the message let it be the intended message. No matter what distractions may come your way, the message you intend to tell, tell it. Be it in social media, broadcast, or any other media outlet tell ‘em. Tell ‘em again. Tell ‘em what you just told ‘em.

A version of this article appeared on Built in Chicago.

A lot has happened over the years. Companies have started, only to close down later. Some have done so well, leading to a major Initial Public Offer (IPO). The not so financially stable companies have filed for mergers in a bid to save whatever they have left or better yet, penetrate new markets-expand.

Flickr | Sebastien Wiertz

Social media on the other hand has loyally fought for its place at the apex of communication. These are some of the changes that have taken place over the years.

Has anything worth noting taken place in the corporate communications world? Indeed. In a research conducted by W2O Group Centre for Social Commerce in collaboration with S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University, there is a clear indication that in 2015, corporate communications has taken a whole new dimension.

In the report titled, Thriving and Coping a Social and Digital Age, there has been tremendous change in the corporate communications model. It is becoming clearer that with the technological advances, the roles of the corporate communications officer, are shifting from the usual tradesman to that of a strategist. This is implicitly because of the changes in how information is exchanged in corporations.

Technology has helped to elevate the communicator’s role from that of a tradesman to that of a strategist by providing communicators with valuable information about the pulse of the organization, and the ability to respond appropriately. Too often, companies are communicating to a workforce that doesn't exist. As employees get lost in a world more connected and noisy than ever, technology has enabled communicators to become the nerve centers of their organizations by better communicating with employees. {ibid}

With that in mind, corporations are re-evaluating their corporate communications structures to incorporate these changes. Since communication will play a significant role in strategic planning.

The following are the six key changes that have taken place in the corporate communications model as highlighted in the report.

Forget Coverage. Focus On Influence

Days when corporations would fight for the front pages of newspapers, magazines, or even the prime time during news hours-are going, going…gone. Instead, corporations are aligning their objectives to provide influence in the market. Communicating the right message, to the right people at the right time is the new bottom line for corporate communications officers (CCO). Companies want to the thought leaders in their respective industries.

Analytics, Analytics... Analytics
Measuring the returns of all the strategies deployed is necessary. As one of the excerpts puts it: “The existence of digital and social analytics has changed how we as an organization approach strategy.” The CCO needs to be confident enough to test what his/her strategies and if they are meeting the objectives set.

These measurements lead to insights, which then enable the CCO to further improve on the working strategies and change those that are lagging behind.

Organizational Charts? Networked Systems

In my career, my first task was to design an organizational chart. After weeks of collaboration with the General Manager, I had something solid to present. I waited, and waited…and waited. To date, no one has ever brought up that topic. It died a natural death.

A clear indication that corporations are tearing down the completely organizational charts-a system that emphasizes a top-down model of communication. Instead, due to the massive interactions in corporations, a networking system is taking centre stage. Emphasis is now on the need for employees to connect with everyone in the organizations.

“The org chart is no more. We have to integrate and collaborate cross-functionally to achieve success.” {ibid}

CCO are tasked with ensuring that we have a flat, transparent structure encouraging open dialogue and a free flow of communication.

Community Is the ‘New’ Audience

With strategy comes targeting. The more information the information sphere keeps getting, the more saturated it gets. Thus the need to narrow our focus. CCO are looking to reach a group of individuals who share the same interests rather than disseminating information with the hope that it gets to some people. Like throwing many darts in the dark.

“The concept that key stakeholders are audiences is no more. Audiences are static. Audiences demand one-way stimulation. Today, stakeholders are communities. Interested, engaged, networked, motivated, with shared concerns. Communications must be calibrated to address these dynamic entities.” {ibid}

In the presence of social media, face-to-face communication is still important

Corporations want to engage with their communities. The digital age has led to the mushrooming of members of these communities in all corners of the world. In homes, offices, trains, schools they are able to ‘speak’ and share their takes on the happenings. The moment we take out the relationship building aspect of it, the whole use of social becomes pointless.

As one executive told researchers, social without real-life connections “will actually hinder engagement.” You can’t just get people to click “like” — you actually have to convince them to leave their well-worn recliners.

Storytelling Has Changed

At the core of any corporation, we have a great lore. An inspiring story that acts as a constant reminder to the employees and all and sundry of what the corporation is trying to achieve. A source of motivation, if I may.

But today, it’s not all about crafting a narrative. The use of multimedia in telling this story is fundamental. Using images, audio, infographics among other is a sure way of improving the story.

60 percent of people today identify as visual learners. Tactics like infographics are more popular than ever and social media has forced companies to re-evaluate how they tell their corporate story. {ibid}

Changes will always be at our doorsteps. In addition, as change is hard to implement it is advisable that we always train, fail, and learn from our mistakes and most of all upgrade at the slightest of opportunities.

Courtesy: PRNewser

The world is a global village. This premise holds true, more so in this time and age. And this is pegged on the ever rising technological breakthroughs and/or communication.

Why communication? Well, a village symbolizes ease of reach in regard to relaying and or receiving information.

Flickr-Sean MacEntee|Productivity

Technology has permeated in our corporations, to an extent which has impacted communication tremendously. From the time we get in the office, to the moment we leave, heads down and fingers tapping away at our keyboards. Be it emails, social media and drafting that proposal; employees are on the communication super highway.

Consequently, most corporations have been lenient with these emerging culture. Suggesting that the whole concept of actual internal communication will soon lose grip.

Internal communication (IC) otherwise referred to as employee communication is the transmission of messages from one employee to another. Better yet, the transfer of messages within the confines of the corporate structures. In my understanding.

IC takes various forms: meetings, memos, internal emails, notices, brainstorming sessions and so on. Through these forms, we then expect to see productivity.

And from the looks of it, before a business immerses itself in meeting the needs of the customers, considerable time and efforts should be channelled in ensuring that employees are ‘comfortable.’ I use the word loosely, but in essence I mean to imply that once the corporation meets its employees’ requirements then a ripple effect will be felt all the way to the customer’s heart. To paraphrase; happy wife, happy life. Happy employee, happy customer. Undoubtedly.

With that in mind the corporation should rise head and shoulders, to ensure the engagement of their employees. Since IC and employee engagement work in tandem. The more engaged employees are, the higher the returns/productivity. This is the reason behind communication and or public relations, being a core management function. To contribute towards productivity.

Frost & Sullivan attest that, “Companies with engaged and empowered employees are increasing their customer satisfaction by over 40 percent; improving profitability by nearly 30 percent; and boosting overall performance by 36 percent.” What corporation wouldn’t dream of such stellar performance?

As corporations, how do we engage employees? According to Melcrum; ‘Employee Engagement – traditionally speaking – involves employees striving to go the extra mile at work, speaking positively of their employer and planning to stay.’ Depending on the existing culture, this can be easy or prove a daunting task but winnable.

The following guidelines will help corporations do better in employee engagement, which starts from a strong internal communications system

•  Connecting the employee to what success looks like for your business,
•   Building a powerful employer brand.
•  Creating a supportive culture

Connecting the Employee to What Success Looks Like For Your Business

Sam Walton is the greatest entrepreneur who ever lived. After venturing into retail business-opening discount stores-after coming back from the army, Sam Walton built the greatest retail business in the world-Wal-Mart.

In his book, Built in America, Sam held meetings every Saturday morning throughout the company’s lore. During the meetings, he would energize his employees, find solutions to problems and decide on the cause of action then. He would invite special guests with some wisdom to share with the team. He had his employees, be part of the business by giving them the choice of buying stock in the company and sharing in on the profits.

Sam’s story, sends home this message that if you want to build a remarkable company, engage your employees. Stoop to their level, listen to them and show them the bigger picture with the promise that they too have a stake in it.

Building a Powerful Employer Brand

Hiring is no mean task. Ask human resources. In most cases companies will get away with employing people who are not so much suited to the job at hand. But if the company promises to spend time on this particular employee, training them, then no harm no foul.

By focusing on employees who will work together as a team-helps the company build a powerful employer brand. Potential employees will yearn to be part of that amazing group. This desire leads to an interest in the whole business. From the moment they sign that contract, this employee will be motivated in doing their best to propel the company forward.

Creating a Supportive Culture

How many employees have had a great idea only for them to be given a 1000 excuses why it cannot work? A lot!

In reference to Sam’s story, he valued what his employees had in mind. One of his operating mantras was ‘thinking small’. He posits that the best solutions to every day challenges in business are out in the open.

In his meetings, he would literally ask, his employees how they could improve the sale of product A, B or which small town was ready for them. This made the employees feel valued. Not only in terms of their labour but intellectually too.

A supportive culture breeds a team high in self-esteem. And a confident employee will be ready to do the right thing, solve problems, meet deadlines, speak out and above all achieve goals.

All these guidelines are pegged on how alive a company’s internal communications are. Traditionally, communication used to be one way. Top-Down, kind of communication. Especially in government. Where a whole ministries decisions are waited upon on the Okay-ing of the cabinet secretary.

This bred incompetence in the public sector. Since all the government employees are and have never been engaged. But for there to be change in the way employees work-both public and private sector- employee engagement is key. Which evidently is a result of a two way communication model. An employee needs to be heard just as the employer demands to. Internal communication is the only sure way to connect, build and create a support culture in an organization.