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Is Internal Communications dead? 🤔 The role and purpose of internal communications has been long debated, both inside and outside the profession. 🗣 But in recent years there have been growing concerns over its future, with persistent question marks over its impact, relevance, and adaptability. So, is internal communications dead? 💀 In my latest blog for Workvivo - by Zoom (link below and in the comments), I looked at seven reasons why traditional internal communications could be on the way out, and what practitioners can do to build and shape the industry so it’s ready for its next exciting era. What do you think? --- 📈 I help companies with Communications strategy and delivery to stand out from the crowd, cut through the noise, and get results. LinkedIn Top Voice x 2 - Internal Communications, Corporate Communications. 🔔 Follow Simon Rutter for useful, thought-provoking content on Corporate Communications, EVP/Employer Brand, and Employee Experience, and ring the bell icon at the top of my profile so you don't miss any of my posts.   📭 DM me if you're looking for support with your Communications Strategy, Delivery, Coaching/Mentoring, or need a speaker on any of the above topics. Slots open now. #CorporateCommunications #InternalCommunications #CommunicationsCoaching

Auditing your internal communications? An external eye comes at a cost, and you’re the expert, so do you really need them? A consultant will have a detached and neutral view, and more experience with more organisations. You’ll get unbiased, experienced advice. And it’s likely you’re already busy – can you turn off the BAU for a birdseye view? So, your considerations are: 💰 COST: Some! But quite possibly, not as much as you think. (For an organisation of up to 250 people, our prices start from £2000.) Of course, you need to evaluate the value that offers to you. ⏳ TIME: An expert will specialise in gathering insight at pace. You can expect your plan for improved comms to be ready to action in just a few weeks. How quickly could you work through this? 👨🦰 👨🦱👧 OTHER STAFF TIME: Again, as much or as little as you like. The more views, the more robust the recommendations – but getting people involved can be hard. You will have already a lot of insights and data, an expert will be itching to make full use of that. 🎯 EFFECTIVENESS: With their experience and expertise, your demand should be recommendations that enable you to cut through, inform, engage and enlighten your people, and allow your organisation to run more smoothly and effectively. You should get meaningful measures too; ways to show how your comms affects actions and performance. A consultant isn’t for everyone. And for many the value is in in gaining this feedback for themselves (even when that means being criticised to their face!) What other pros or cons have I missed? ------------------------------------------ Sam Monteath @ Reason Why 🔎Expert research to improve employee communications - employer brand and internal comms 🔔 Want more employer research insights? Follow me. 📅 Fancy a chat? Book a free consultation!

According to Sprout Social, corporate communications are "the strategies businesses and organizations use to communicate with various audiences both internally and externally." Some functions of corporate communication include: (1) internal communications (2) external communications or public relations (3) executive communication (4) brand and marketing communications (5) crisis communications In the case of corporate communications, public relations plays a role in external stakeholder communication and reputation management. Check out Sprout Social's article to learn more. #corporatecommunications #corporatereputation #reputationmanagement #pr #publicrelations

Check out this comprehensive article on building your internal comms strategy by Rebecca Noori and Nectar. Keep an eye out for quotes from yours truly on connecting with younger employees via mobile and the importance of including internal comms in your crisis communications strategy. ✍️ #communications #internalcommunications #PR #insightful

HOT TAKE on positioning, for independent communications consultants. I'm currently reviewing heaps and heaps of global communications consultant resumes, websites and LinkedIn profiles for a special project, and it's been super interesting to see the patterns on a macro level. I'm noticing a LOT of generalized descriptions of expertise and services. Don't get me wrong - there's 100% a benefit to describing yourself as a "Strategic Communications Expert" or a "Senior Corporate Communications Strategist" or whatnot. Keywords matter. Searchability matters. I'm guilty of doing this myself. But when you have the opportunity to talk freely about your signature services, and what makes you different - skip the generic terminology. It certainly doesn't do much to "sell" you. Instead, specialize, specialize, specialize. Example: Don't say that you offer "internal communication strategy." Everyone does that. Get specific. Think about which part of IC you do really, really well. Think about the outcomes you provide. Maybe you "Help hard-to-reach employees understand and carry out their role in the company's global strategy." Or perhaps you "Build bespoke qualitative / quantitative employee communications research programs that deliver actionable insights." Just my two cents. Specificity will set you apart.

I once had an expert in communication tell me that company branding is two-fold. 1.) External: How people see your brand, product or service. 2.) Internal: What do people say behind your back. If your internal and external branding doesn’t align, you’ve missed the mark. Oftentimes it comes down to effective communication. Here are 8 ways you can improve your internal communications.

How do you define the communications practice/profession? I have been in communications for over 13 years. I’m what many call a generalist, although more strategic over the years. My job titles have included Press Officer, Strategic Communications Manager, Head of Internal Communications, Digital and Print, Communications Service Manager, and Head of Strategic Communications, so I’ve delivered or managed media handling, stakeholder engagement, public affairs, crisis communications, internal communications, print and branding, social media, events, and strategic communications and planning. Yet when I recently needed to supply a definition of the communications practice/profession I was stumped. Obviously I googled. No quick solution. I asked ChatGPT and got this: “Communications practice or profession involves the strategic management and dissemination of information between individuals, groups, or organisations. It encompasses various methods such as writing, speaking, design, and digital media to convey messages effectively. Professionals in this field aim to build and maintain positive relationships, enhance reputation, and achieve specific goals through clear, targeted communication strategies.” Meh. So I drafted this definition: “A communications practice is vital for organisations. It defines, explains, and amplifies objectives, values, policies and deliverables - aligning staff to an organisation’s strategy and delivering effective storytelling to external audiences. It provides clarity in crises and supports organisational growth and change. Its core purpose is to nurture positive relationships internally and externally, enhancing reputation and awareness through audience understanding, channel selection, and consistent look, tone and message. Deliverables span written, spoken, and visual content, while specialisms include marketing, internal communications, press and PR, digital and social media, stakeholder engagement and strategic communications.” What would you change? How would you define the communications practice/profession? #communications 🙋🏻♀️ I’m Georgia, I’m a strategic comms specialist with over 13 years' experience 👩🏻💻 I post about comms - from neuroinclusive comms to leadership in comms - and the importance of flexible working as a tool to tackle the motherhood penalty 👩🏻💼 All opinions are my own, not my employer’s Image description: White quote on a beige background which says “How do you define the communications practice/profession?”

Hello Connections, Here are some of my key learnings about Corporate Communications from the opportunity to closely observe in my shadow module for my fellow scholars. Corporate communications is about sharing company information with people inside and outside the company. The goal is to create a good image of the company and keep that image consistent. This includes everyone who works for the company, as well as customers, suppliers, the press, government, lawyers, and other affected parties. When a company spokesperson speaks to employees, journalists, politicians, or anyone else, it's all part of corporate communications. The corporate communications department has specific objectives that may vary by company but typically revolve around key goals. The team aims to increase awareness of the company's products and perspectives by setting specific, measurable, and often profit-oriented goals. Importance of Corporate communication Every company needs to communicate effectively. Corporate communications, delivered consistently and timely across all platforms, are crucial for business success. The Components of Corporate Communications: 1.Corporate Identity: Defining unique attributes that describe the company. 2.Corporate Branding: Creating a positive impression of the company and its products. 3.Corporate Reputation: Influencing stakeholders' perceptions of the company through online content. 4.Customer Communications: Contributing to customer-oriented materials like marketing flyers, newsletters, and social media posts. 5.Internal Communications: Keeping employees informed about company updates and important information. 6.Media Relations: Managing press conferences, press releases, and monitoring news mentions. 7.Investor Relations: Building positive relationships with financial stakeholders. 8.Crisis Communications: Drafting strategies to address unforeseen events that could damage the company's reputation. Corporate communications, public relations, and marketing communications often overlap in function. They all involve communication and aim to create a positive company image. Corporate Communications vs. Public Relations Corporate communications involves all internal and external company communications, while public relations focuses on external communications to the press, consumer forums, and other stakeholders. The PR team uses press releases, corporate statements, and public activities to create public interest and a positive company image. PR works closely with corporate communications to tailor communications for stakeholders and identify new audiences. I hope that my learnings can help you navigate through your career goals. #corporatecommunication #communication #marketing #storytelling #branding #mediarelations #communicationconsultants #masscomm #publicrelations #mediaspecialists #business #csr #socialmedia #storytellingexperts #vedicascholars #Shadowmodule

The Strategic Corporate Communications Challenge: Stop—and think about how you will lead Corporate Communications in a world where the rules no longer apply? Where your training and experiences may no longer be relevant to the leadership expected of you?   The theory and practice of Corporate Communications is changing in real time and very little of what you’ve learned to-date will prepare you for the transformation. All of us are engaged in a journey, not unlike Columbus, who sailed the ocean to the end of the map. And when there was no map, he sailed beyond what was known…to what was unknown. Innovations in technology and telecomm are transforming how news is gathered, delivered—and even the definition of news.  How will we develop media relations strategy in a world where all the rules have changed—or, essentially, where there are no rules?  -Consolidation: Nearly 90% of both print and broadcast news in the U.S. is owned by six media companies.  More than 293 newspapers and over 1,100 magazines have disappeared. While the Internet has created a diverse universe of new media, citizen journalism, makes it possible for practically anybody to be a media creator, owner and actor. Technology is increasing the Quantity, Quality and Speed of communication; the impact of Audio and Visual media in shaping opinion; and AI adds to distorting reality altogether. Information Preparedness and Prescriptive Intelligence are two concepts for future strategy. Information Preparedness is thinking broadly about the, if P then Q scenarios, that your company may face and strategizing how you will use technology to reach a state of readiness. If you don’t have the tools in place beforehand, you’ll never have the time to execute successfully. A Strategic Leader of Communications today has to think like a political campaign. You have an intangible asset to sell (i.e., corporate reputation), you have a finite time to achieve your objective and you must ensure your messages are communicated clearly, consistently and constantly (3Cs). The second concept, Prescriptive Intelligence, is also related to shaping outcomes. In a senior management meeting during a crisis, the best question you can ask is “how do we know what we know?”   Prescriptive Intelligence recognizes that the window of opportunity to influence outcomes and marketplace perceptions is very narrow. You need to know how your actions will be viewed, before you act.  In a crisis, Quantitative and Qualitative research must reality check the company’s messaging.  This means embracing polling and focus groups to continually pre-test and post-test messaging—and provide the critical baseline for evaluating strategy. Keep in mind outside interest groups have the access to the same arsenal of technology and telecommunications tools. Our value to the CEO/C-suite will depend on whether we can help navigate the unchartered and unpredictable business environment that lies ahead of us.