Can AI Replace a Strategic Communicator?

Everyone is talking about AI now. And many are wondering if AI will eliminate the need for strategic communications.  

A recent BBC article quoted Martin Ford, author of Rule of the Robots: How Artificial Intelligence Will Transform Everything, who identified three areas that he believes are insulated from an AI takeover, at least for now.

• Jobs that require genuine creativity, meaning the work is not formulaic or just rearranging things. Roles that require coming up with new ideas or building something new cannot be replaced with AI.

• Jobs that require strong interpersonal relationships, such as nurses, business consultants, or investigative journalists. AI cannot replace the value of human interaction that builds genuine and trusted relationships.

• Jobs that require mobility, dexterity, and problem-solving skills in unpredictable environments. In other words, jobs that require humans to be nimble to pivot to changing circumstances.

These skills are the hallmark of strategic communicators. 

Strategic communicators are always employing creative problem-solving to address complex situations. AI cannot develop integrated communications plans to address business issues. 

Strategic communicators build relationships and develop mutually beneficial programs with stakeholders. AI cannot do that. 

Strategic communicators are crisis counselors and communicators, with the ability to assess and pivot in changing environments. AI can’t do that. 

That’s not to say that all communication jobs are safe. There are repetitive and labor-intensive tasks that communications teams do regularly that AI will impact. AI will ultimately change how we work as we adopt it into our workflows. But the need for high-level strategic thinking and creative problem-solving will not go away.

The Power of a Strategic Communicator

Your business is growing. Revenue has increased in the last couple of years. You have probably brought on more people too – employees, partners, or vendors. Things have changed, and you need to communicate differently than you did a year ago. 

In today's fast-paced and highly competitive business landscape, effective communication helps propel companies to the next level of performance. While various factors contribute to organizational growth, a strategic communicator can be the catalyst that bridges the gap between where you are today and where you need to go.

What is a strategic communicator? A strategic communicator specializes in developing integrated communication strategies that support and advance an organization's goals, objectives, and overall strategic direction. They help shape and manage how an organization communicates with internal and external stakeholders. They work across the entire organization to ensure that all communication efforts are integrated and aligned with strategic objectives.

How do they do that? A strategic communicator is a partner and counselor to the C-suite who understands the intricacies of the business and applies communication expertise to uplevel the organization’s capabilities, support growth and help transform the business.

Here are some strategies that showcase their expertise:

Build a Compelling Narrative: An organization needs a compelling narrative that communicates a clear and inspiring vision and story that instills a sense of purpose and resonates with stakeholders, including employees, customers, investors, and partners. It is not a mission and values statement. It is a complete story that brings all key aspects of the organization together to serve as a foundation for growth, fostering trust, loyalty, and engagement among stakeholders.

Develop a Strategic Communication Plan: Organizations are multi-faceted, and their growth and reputation are linked to many factors – sales, manufacturing, human resources, financial performance, and governance, among others. Strategic communicators understand how all of these elements work together as part of the narrative, and they develop a comprehensive plan to help the company communicate its story to all stakeholders. They assess the market environment, analyze the target audience, identify key messages, and choose appropriate channels to engage stakeholders effectively. By leveraging a mix of internal and external communication strategies, they amplify the company's brand, reputation, and market presence.

Cultivate Relationships and Collaborations: Public relations is a strategic communication process that builds mutually beneficial relationships between organizations and their public. By establishing strong connections with key influencers, industry experts, and strategic partners, communicators unlock opportunities for growth through partnerships, alliances, and joint ventures. This enhances the company's credibility, expands its network, and facilitates access to new markets, technologies, and resources.

Manage Organizational Change and Crisis: In times of crisis or organizational change, a strategic communicator proves indispensable. They navigate complex situations, anticipate reputational risks, and provide transparent and timely communication to stakeholders. They protect the company's image and minimize disruption. Furthermore, strategic communicators help employees understand and embrace change, ensuring a smooth transition and fostering a resilient corporate culture.

Measure and Analyze Impact: Strategic communicators embrace data and analytics. They use a variety of data, from all communications activities, to gain valuable insights that help them refine strategies, optimize communication channels, and drive continuous improvement.
The value of having a strategic communicator on the team cannot be underestimated in helping drive the success of an organization. By leveraging their expertise, organizations can effectively communicate their vision, build strong stakeholder relationships, navigate challenges, and drive growth. It is an investment in the future success and sustainability of the organization.

What does it mean to think out of the box?

I recently read a great blog by Aaron Dinin questioning whether it is time for entrepreneurs to stop “thinking outside the box.” He gave a wonderful summary of the origin of that saying, but I was most struck by his opening where he described the most common answers he receives when he asks students in his entrepreneurship to describe an entrepreneur. The answers are predictable – someone who is creative, something who thinks differently, someone who thinks outside the box.
 
Dr. Dinin goes on to describe common traits in entrepreneurs. As I read the article, I agreed with much of what he said, but I sum it up this way.
Entrepreneurs are problem-solvers: Most entrepreneurs started their businesses to solve a problem, fill a gap or do something differently. That’s how I look at my business. I see what clients need and I try to fill that gap for them.

Entrepreneurs are optimizers: While entrepreneurs may be doing things differently, they aren’t always changing norms. They are optimizing things that may already be working. As Dr. Dinin says in his piece, “The best entrepreneurs try to figure out what’s working well for other people and then replicate those successes for themselves.” That is what led me to my entrepreneurial journey. I wasn’t looking to replicate the traditional agency model. That works well for certain organizations. I was looking to optimize the value of what they do for smaller companies that don’t have the budgets or in-house expertise to manage agencies.

Entrepreneurs are risk mitigators: Yes, entrepreneurs operate in risky environments, but that does not make them risk-takers. They look at every opportunity as a balance between risk and reward to ensure every action, investment and decision have the potential to drive success. Since they know more is at stake, they are more purposeful with each decision. For every recommendation or action I take for a client, I think about the potential downside of the action. I also think about maximizing it with greater amplification and activity, so that every investment of time and money has an ROI.
 
Working with entrepreneurs is a very different mindset from working with others. It’s not a matter of thinking inside or outside the box. It’s about understanding that it is a different box altogether. When you can think like an entrepreneur to understand the opportunities and limitations of the business, you can offer solutions that solve problems, optimize opportunities and mitigate risk.

photo credits: istock

Should you buy a Corolla, a Camry, or a Cadillac?

They are all good cars, but they offer different benefits and come with different price tags. Sometimes you need a no-frills, reliable car that simply gets you from point A to point B. A Corolla may suit you.

Sometimes you need a car that caters to your every need and envelops you with support and luxury. You may want a Cadillac.

But often, you need something in the middle for your business. That’s where the Camry may work.

I’m not trying to sell you a car. But the analogy does help explain the types of advisors and partners that you may encounter for your business.

It’s often easy to find a freelancer who can complete specific tasks – update your website, create infographics, write a press release – under your direction. That’s great, but sometimes you need guidance on what to do, not just how to do it.

There are also many advisory firms out there that can conduct lengthy evaluations and provide smart, detailed plans of what you should do. They will charge handsomely for it, but then charge you more to implement the plan. They are the Cadillac of services.

Most companies need something in between. They need help with expertise to guide the strategy and the know-how to make it happen.  They need a Camry – reliable and well-built but not too fancy.

I work with founders and leaders who are financial experts or subject matter experts for their products.  They know how to build the technology and how to finance the business, but they don’t know how to build an audience for themselves. And when they look for help, they need more than people who can follow their directions and implement them. Big firms bring big ideas and expertise, but that’s often more than the company needs.

Companies need practical strategists who can build the foundation and set the company up for success. That means starting with the basics and helping the company build what it needs, not what it aspires to be in a few years. It means getting in the trenches to understand the barriers and finding creative practical ways to overcome them on a budget.

Great partners meet you where you are and guide you to where you want to be. So make sure you like the car you choose - as you will probably spend a lot of time in it!

Asking Questions is a Super Power

Recently I spent a few days in Washington, DC, attending meetings for a board where I serve. It was our first in-person meeting in over two years. As I reflected on the range of topics we covered, I realized something. No matter the topic, I always ask a question.  Almost unanimously, the answers to my questions began with “good question.” 

I don’t share that as a way to give myself a pat on the back. Instead, I wonder why that happened. Did I ask difficult questions? Did I ask obvious questions? I don’t think either of those was the case. 

People often don’t ask enough questions. We have all been in meetings where people listen politely but do not contribute. That’s a missed opportunity. As leaders, asking questions is an important investigatory tool to help us uncover what we don’t know. 

Call it intellectual curiosity, but I learn by asking questions and listening. The more I ask, the more I listen. The more I listen, the more I learn. The more I learn, the better I can help a client. The formula is that simple. Questions unlock insight, and insight unlocks innovation.

As a consultant, asking questions is critical. Consulting is more than providing advice, and understanding the true purpose of the engagement comes from dialogue. I’m not present for every discussion. So asking questions helps me understand what is being said and uncovers what is not being said. Here are a few reasons why I ask questions: 

• To gain a deeper understanding – I recently listened to an expert in the area of internet governance talk about her research. I asked a question that allowed me to dig deeper into her research and findings that helped me understand the benefit of some work I had been doing. That new understanding made me a better professional.

• To uncover the challenges – Sometimes what is left unsaid is just as important as what is said. When I ask questions, it often helps uncover co-dependencies or barriers that can impact the project. 

• To eliminate confusion – Let’s face it. We don’t always communicate as clearly as we think we do. And many people don’t probe the thought process of the presenter. They make assumptions. Asking clarifying questions eliminates assumptions and prevents dysfunction. For example, I recently moderated several focus groups for a client. Part of my strategy is to summarize what I have heard from participants and ask them if I have understood them correctly. It’s my way of making sure I have captured the point accurately. 

• To create “aha” moments  – Guiding questions can open new perspectives. They can unlock innovation and new approaches. I have been in meetings where a question is thought-provoking and leads to discussion. Entire strategies have been revisited, revised and improved as a result of one probing question. 

Asking good questions to support information gathering and process improvement is just good business sense. It helps get teams on the same page. It encourages trust between people, collaboration and active participation. And in the end, that drives innovation and productivity. And isn’t that what we are all aiming for?

Why the Press Release Still Matters

A press release is a communications tool that's been leveraged for years and continues to be an integral piece of a company’s marketing, PR, and social media strategy. Not only do press releases give companies a channel to share newsworthy stories, but they also strengthen search engine optimization and increase the odds new customers will find your business online.

With each passing year, a growing percentage of Americans receive their news and information online. They look for articles about topics of interest, search for reviews, and read comments. That's why having a digital footprint is critical for any new company trying to build awareness.

Nowadays, securing news coverage is no simple feat, and the way it’s developed has changed significantly over the past several years. It used to be that a press release alone was enough to grab the media's attention. However, given the sheer volume of news angles and compelling pitches generated each day, it’s become increasingly difficult to break through this noise. And as the attention span of consumers continues to dwindle to mere seconds, timing is everything.

All this information begs the question: Is issuing a press release worth it? The short answer is yes. Despite how distracted our society has become, press releases are still an effective tool to help promote a brand, its product offerings, and its overarching messaging. That's because a press release can accomplish a few things that other mediums can't, such as:

• Setting the record straight. Consistent press release distribution gives a company better control over the narrative surrounding their brand. In addition to sharing important company-related information, a press release can address an internal crisis as well as negative media attention. This also helps a company build rapport with journalists and current and new customers. 

• Meeting regulatory requirements. Public companies are subject to the Regulation FD (or Reg FD), set forth by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). This regulation prevents selective disclosure by public companies to market professionals and certain shareholders. By distributing material information through a news release on a wire service, a public company adheres to this requirement.

• Establishing the narrative. A press release allows a company to control the narrative and is designed to highlight critical elements (think the who, what, when, where, why, and how). This becomes central to telling the story a company wants to tell. Once this is established, the information can be repurposed across various channels, including social media, websites, blogs, and newsletters.

• Starting a relationship. The press release won’t generate original coverage, but it can be a valuable tool for creating a dialogue with a reporter. Journalists receive dozens – if not hundreds – of press releases each week. A well-written release relevant to the reporter’s industry, or beat, will be noticed. Even if the journalist doesn’t cover the specific news you’re sharing, they’ll be introduced to your company and will be more likely to report your news in the future as they get to know you and trust is established.

• Improving search engine optimization. A well-written, SEO-enhanced press release distributed via a wire service will create a lasting digital presence that will improve a company's online presence, with search engines finding, indexing, and ranking the release. This will help a company improve its website's overall search rankings and ensure anyone searching for information about it will see the news being shared.

Press releases continue to be one of the most effective ways to get in front of your target audience — that's the bottom line. It’s important to remember that the key to getting picked up by a media outlet is ensuring your release is clearly written and conveys the importance of what you’re promoting to your target audience. In a world filled with noise and constant change, following these tactics will help your company stand out from the crowd.

A Startup’s Success in Storytelling

It is a privilege to work every day with visionary innovators who are reimagining the future of health. But as promising as their products and services are, it can be hard to generate interest in startups. By some estimates, there are more than 2,500 healthcare startups in the U.S. vying for investment, customers and widespread adoption. Standing out when your product is still in development or awaiting approval from regulators is a daily challenge. 

So, imagine my surprise the other day when, as I was reviewing the day’s news coverage while sipping on my coffee, I came across this headline:

”Endiatx’s pill-sized robot sees and swims inside stomach”

It caught my attention because it sounded like something out of a science fiction movie. I looked up the company and learned that it is a startup developing robots for use in the human digestive tract. The article focused on PillBot, a multivitamin-sized intrabody robot that is trying to disrupt the endoscopy industry by providing faster, cheaper stomach imaging. The company is in seed rounds, trying to raise $3 million to run clinical trials. 

The point is that I stopped to read the story. Why? Well, the headline definitely caught my attention. But the content of the article kept me engaged. It provided a snapshot into what Endiatx is doing, insight that would help potential investors understand the promise of the company. And this insight also gave doctors a glimpse into the value PillBot will offer them once it is on the market. 

This type of coverage is a big win for a startup. A news profile like this offers third-party validation that helps stakeholders know and understand a company that doesn’t otherwise have a long-standing track record.

So, what made this article good? 

Storytelling: The information we need to evaluate healthcare products is quite technical and the detail is not always exciting. But as humans, we love a good story. We all know how Apple was created in a garage. And we know Facebook started in a dorm room. Endiatx is telling a story that is combining science, imagery and aspiration in a way we can understand. The robot is the size of a multivitamin. It describes traversing through the body as swimming. They even tell us a tale of flying in a Cessna 310 simulating weightlessness to test the PillBot’s “swimming skills.” We can connect with the story in a way we can relate to. 

Founder Story: Innovation is not a straightforward process. There are successes and failures. And many founders are wary of sharing failures. But Endiatx turned that on its head. Not only did they openly share their journey, but they also shared a video of the first time they tested the robot in a human. And it wasn’t just any human. It was the CEO, a man who admitted to having been fired from nearly every job he’s held. He made himself the first test case. That’s something we can remember, and it shows potential investors how confident and passionate they are about their product. 

Value and Differentiation: Anyone pursuing a news story will pitch a reporter on the benefits of their products or services. But reporters are savvy. They know the story they are being pitched is skewed to the positive. And it is their responsibility to make sure they provide a balanced and objective perspective. This story talked about other disposable pill cameras on the market. And it described how PillBot was different. This tells me that Endiatx did a good job of differentiating its offering. And they shared with us a clear value story. They intend to make it easier for a doctor to look inside a patient by making diagnoses simpler, faster, less expensive and more available beyond the walls of a medical facility. 

In the end, this news story shared valuable information with the market. We got to see the team’s journey into innovation and we learned about the value of the product. We also learned that the company is growing and in need of capital. I hope Endiatx has been sharing this news piece with every potential investor and partner they engage. I’d like to see it posted on their website and on all their social media channels. Sometimes nothing tells a story as well as a third-party accounting of what we are doing.

Note: I do not work with Endiatx and I do not know the founders or anyone involved with this company. My review of this article reflects only my views about the information I obtained from the article and the company’s website.

When Should You Advertise vs. Engage Public Relations?

Sometimes it is hard to tell how to best build awareness and interest in your company.  Should you invest in advertising or public relations?  Or both? You may need some guidance to figure it out.

Advertising and public relations are two complementary channels that can work together to increase purchase intent, but they offer different benefits. When deciding where to invest for your business, it is helpful to understand what each channel can do – and not do.

The Differences Between PR and Advertising

Advertising is a paid medium that helps to raise exposure of a product or service. The advertiser pays for the placement and its appearance in the publication is guaranteed. The advertiser decides the size of the ad, and when and where it will run. The advertiser also has control of the content in the ad (as long as it complies with federal guidelines). In general, this is a more expensive approach, in part due to production costs and in part to the wide audience it has the potential to reach. Consider this – a 2022 Super Bowl ad cost $6.5 million for a 30-second spot – and this didn’t include the cost of creating the ad.

Public relations (PR) is different. PR is a strategic communication process that builds mutually beneficial relationships between organizations and their key audiences – such as customers, partners, employees and investors, as examples. Simply put, public relations is an ongoing process of building and strengthening relationships. One commonly used public relations strategy is media outreach, which includes approaching reporters on a topic of interest with the goal of securing a news story that features your company or leaders, whereas seeking media coverage is an earned placement (success is not guaranteed). 

PR professionals must pitch an idea and convince a reporter to write or produce a news story. And even if the PR professional successfully convinces the reporter to cover the story idea, the PR professional can’t control the outcome of that article. The reporter chooses what appears in the final article that we see in the news – and when it appears. All the PR professional can do is try to influence it.

The Value of Public Relations vs. Advertising

So why do these differences matter? They play different roles. Advertising raises awareness with an intent to communicate a message of “Buy This” or “Do That.” The message of an ad tends to focus on product features that will motivate the audience to purchase the offering. 

Public relations impacts the purchase decision as well, but in a different way. The PR message tends to focus a spotlight on the value of the product or service. It says, “This is important because it impacts you in a positive way” rather than focus on specific features. Let me give you an example. 

In the spring of 2021, Apple launched its iOS 14.5 update with an advertisement that read, “Privacy. That’s iPhone.” It was a simple and clear campaign. And anyone who saw it knew it was about privacy. The ad raised awareness of the new privacy features of the iOS system. 

But it wasn’t until I read the blogs and articles about the update that I understood why that was important. The update changed privacy controls to allow users to opt out of being tracked by apps. It allowed the phone user to restrict data collection that could be resold and used by advertisers to redirect ads to the user. This new privacy control had significant ramifications for advertisers, like Facebook, who collect data on users and for advertising. It gave consumers the ability to opt out of a practice that was a significant source of revenue for advertisers. 

In this case, the ad alerted iPhone users to app tracking and how to stop it with an iPhone, but the news articles explained why this was important.    

How Communications and Public Relations Can Help Grow Your Business

When you think of brand awareness – do you think of collateral, paid social media, and Google Ads? Sometimes the best way to build brand awareness does not come from the costly marketing budget but from communication and public relations strategies.

Building brand awareness doesn’t need to cost millions. We have seen companies, like Tesla, build brand awareness with no advertising investment. Your organization can increase awareness by carefully crafting a position that builds trust with a well-defined target audience. It isn’t about reaching wide. It’s about being laser-focused on your audience and goals.

Here are three ways you can start increasing brand awareness with communications and public relations:

Start with a Game Plan

Focus on developing the right story to meet your audience where they are and accomplish your business goals. This means clearly defining your goals for your business first. Whether your ultimate goal is to build your customer base, draw investment or attract talent, your goals will drive your brand awareness needs. Think through your audience very judiciously to understand who you need to reach and make sure your positioning addresses the needs of your key audiences. This process seems intuitive but figuring out how you stand out to your target market is one of the most important steps needed to successfully build awareness.  

Share Your Wins—Big and Small

Building awareness through public relations and communications is about consistently sharing relevant information. You are achieving milestones as you build your business. Don’t be shy about sharing them. They are not all major milestones, but they do show the progress you are making. Made a critical new hire? Share the announcement with your current and prospective investors. Completed an upgrade to your product? Announce it to customers. Presenting data at a conference? Amplify that message. Take the opportunity to re-tell your story with each milestone. This will make you more relevant and offers the ability to resonate with your community.

Invest the Time

Unfortunately, building credibility and trust with your brand does not happen overnight, but with time and strategy—anything is possible! By creating a story that resonates with your target audience, you will have the building blocks to form a community around your brand. Often, this is overlooked due to the lack of time and resources. But one of the best investments you can make in your business is to create ongoing communications and public relations for your organization. It is not a one-time effort but an ongoing effort.

Make Your Q&A Work For You

I recently read an interesting article by an experienced entrepreneur about how he became a better fundraiser when he stopped preventing venture capitalists from asking stupid questions.

This may seem counterintuitive, but his insight is the realization of a mindset change in communication.

Communicators, salespeople and founders are often trained to stay a step ahead of their target as a way to provide value. By staying ahead of your audience, you are showing you know what you are talking about. While this strategy may work, sometimes it backfires. But I think it’s an opportunity to think about meetings differently with prospective customers and investors.

Anticipating questions is critical when developing a pitch. After all, we want to be prepared for any questions coming our way. But I think being strategic on how we handle the pitch – and set up potential questions – can be just as effective as getting to the bottom of the right answers.

In my experience, pitches are won in the Q&A, not in the presentation. Presentations are designed to be slick. While they are great for presenting an overview of the company, the audience (potential customers or investors) can’t always tell from the presentation the quality of the people behind the brand.

That’s where the Q&A comes in. Investors will always ask questions. That’s how they dig deeper and assess the talent on the team. Sometimes they are looking for a specific answer. Sometimes they want to assess how you think and handle a challenge. Either way, questions, by design, open the door to dig deeper.

There is an old strategy that was used to help train spokespeople for challenging interviews with reporters. In a traditional model, a reporter asks a question, and the interviewee answers it. Then, the reporter asks another question, and so on. In this model, the reporter is steering the dialogue. What if we turn this model around? What if the interviewee answered a question in a way that steered the reporter to ask for a follow-up? If the interviewee could offer just enough to engage the reporter in a dialogue, then the interviewee would steer the direction of the interview. This can apply to a pitch.

A pitch presentation should give a broad overview. It shouldn’t include all the details. It should leave just enough out to prompt the question you want. And the questions you want should be the ones that allow you to drill down on the strengths of your company. For example:

• Want to showcase product development? Prompt a question about how you conducted R&D.

• Want to highlight the customer base you have or have identified? Prompt a question about customer acquisition.

• Want to demonstrate the uniqueness of your offering? Prompt a question about competitors.

Creating the need for a question is not a blind spot. It is an opportunity to steer the conversation. Imagine you talk about your offering in terms of how different it is from anything else on the market, but you don’t describe the competition. This will likely invite a question about competitors in the market. This opens the door for you to speak more in-depth about your assessment of existing offerings and how you designed your offer to address the shortcomings you see in the market. This kind of depth might be too difficult to include in the prepared overview of your company, but in the Q&A, it allows you to position the value proposition in a way that shows the potential investor the depth of your thinking and strategy.

Investors invest in companies with promise, but a big part of that promise is faith in the founders. A presentation is a static way of showing what you have to offer. Investors can learn more about your passion, your way of thinking and your strategy by engaging in Q&A. Give them a reason to ask the question you want.

Leverage Your Strengths to Stand Out

When building a brand, you may rely on what you see as your strengths. But that leaves

you blind or vulnerable to weaknesses that can have negative impacts on your brand.

Conversely, identifying and addressing shortcomings create opportunities to build a more

resilient brand.

“Try to look at your weakness and convert it into your strength. That’s success.” – Zig Ziglar

In 2013, a successful DVD distribution service, Netflix, launched a platform to compete

against the Blockbuster model. Unfortunately, the other major media companies like

Comcast, Sky, and Amazon were able to leverage their size and strength to crush the

physical DVD market by introducing streaming options. They could avoid the cost of

shipping and the logistics associated with the process that Netflix was based on. Thankfully

Netflix was still a young company with the ability to shift quickly to the market needs of the

consumer. Due to being nimble and willing to try new outlets, they were able to develop

streaming services and original content, which led to Netflix becoming the powerhouse of

the industry.

One popular business planning and strategy method is to use a SWOT analysis. By using

this method, you identify strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats that pertain to

your business. This is often a very lengthy and tedious process, although to be effective, you

can start on a smaller scale to jumpstart the process. Here are a few quick questions and

tasks to see if you can turn your weaknesses into strengths in order to stand out.

How to Recognize and Improve Upon Weaknesses |

• Write a list. Knowing your weaknesses within your organization helps to write a list

of goals you did not reach and the why behind the shortcomings. How can you improve

on the items that you might have fallen short on?

• Ask for feedback. Your best resources are your past and current clients. The feedback

that you will receive can be invaluable in your journey to make positive changes with a

huge impact. If it’s more helpful, you can even create an online survey for those to

complete on their time.

• Analyze your data. Now that you have gathered all your data and feedback, you can

easily identify your weaknesses and the reason behind them. You can learn a lot about

your competitors and the market. Be sure to research what is occurring in the market

that could positively or negatively affect your company’s future. Don’t forget to reflect

to see if there is something that your competitors are doing better and see how you

can improve on that.

Now that you have an idea of your weaknesses within the organization, you will be able to

use this knowledge and data as a springboard toward making them your strengths!

How to Define Your Strengths |

• What you do best. What are the items on your brag board for your organization? This

is usually made up of everything that you enjoy and do best!

• Comparison. Sometimes comparison is the thief of joy, but in this case, it is helpful to

see what others are offering in your industry.

• Offerings. What do you offer that others do not? Write those down and use them in

your toolkit.

How to Use Your Strengths to Stand Out |

• Marketing. Never miss a moment to highlight your strengths in your marketing

campaigns. It is simple and easy to include internally and externally in your

organization’s communication strategy.

• Public Relations (PR). Let the world know that you know your strengths and that you

can stand behind them with data and knowledge. Deploying a press release is a quick

way to deliver your messaging and truly highlight your unique offerings.

• Website copy. More than ever, the copy that you use on all digital platforms, including

social media and your website, is vital to standing out in the market. Don’t forget to

use keywords that make what you do best.

Businesses and organizations change almost as rapidly as each market and industry. You

should participate in this type of exercise yearly, so you are staying on top of your goals

and leveraging your strengths to stand out!

How can you help the leads you can’t serve?

If you’re a public relations professional, you already know business development is challenging. Make that very challenging. What’s more, you often find yourself fielding calls from startups with budgets that are too small to consider, or you choose to not work with a startup because there is no one in the startup team that can be a client. I’m sure you have seen this situation. A start-up company wants help with communications and public relations, but they don’t have resources in-house to manage it. The startup knows they need communications, but there is no one there who can work with the agency.

That’s where PSC Consulting comes in. We are set up to work as a fractional CCO for startup companies. We bring deep experience both on the client side and agency side, providing the bridge that can be the key to your success. Consider these examples:

• PSC Consulting worked with a clinical-stage medical device company for more than a year on communications strategy. It became clear they needed to invest in medical education. They were able to articulate the challenge they needed to overcome, but didn’t know how to do it. PSC Consulting identified appropriate medical education agencies, managed a pitch process, and helped the client select a medical education partner. But the work didn’t stop there. PSC Consulting worked hand-in-hand with the agency to develop the tactics, serving as the day-to-day client for the agency. And PSC Consulting worked with the client as part of the team to ensure that the knowledge, requirements and reviews needed from the client were clear and information provided to the agency quickly. In the end, the client was able to work with the agency efficiently, minimizing waste and maximizing value.

• In another case, a client had a website that was old and built on outdated technology. It was not being actively managed and the content reflected old messaging. As the company prepared to grow, it needed a new website that better reflected the new direction. PSC Consulting identified and worked with a marketing agency to help streamline messaging and manage the development of a new website for the agency. Patty served as a bridge between the client and the agency to ensure the agency had the resources they needed while minimizing the time and effort the small leadership team needed to personally invest in the process.

Sometimes, clients need an internal resource before they can hire external resources like agencies. And PSC Consulting can help with that.

Would you take on a startup as a client if you didn’t have to do it alone? Are you curious to find out what a fractional CCO can do for you?

Matching the Communications Tool to the Business Need

Strategic communications encompasses more than just a press release, blog article, or social media post. It’s based on an intentional, thought-out communication strategy aligning with your overall organizational goals.

Often, I hear start-up founders say, “We need a press release to create buzz, but we don’t know how to go about it.” That’s when I say, “Let’s take a step back.”

As a start-up, it can be easy to focus on the specific tactic of a news release. But understanding the business need is critical. I always ask founders why they want to create buzz. Is it to help build confidence with investors? Is it to build awareness with potential customers? With a clear understanding of the business goal, we can align the communication tactic to the need and better serve the business.

Here’s an example. A few years ago, I spoke to a company that was planning to hire 100 people over the course of one year. The hiring market was competitive, and they were concerned about attracting top talent. In their case, the buzz they needed to create was not with a press release about their pipeline. Instead, we talked about creating an employer brand story that showcased the professional growth opportunities for employees. The story focused on why great talent should consider working for them over other, more established companies. The pipeline was part of the story, but we shifted the focus to meet the needs of the audience they needed to reach.

In another case, a healthcare non-profit I worked with needed to reach a specific customer segment. After some analysis and research, we found this particular consumer segment valued insight from social media influencers. Instead of a press release, we initiated a campaign focused on educating bloggers who were able to share insight with their followers. This approach created more buzz than any press release could.

It is easy to default to a press release when you want to communicate to an audience, but a press release is not always the most suitable tactic. Strategic communicators understand the business need, identify the audience to reach, and use the appropriate channels to reach that audience.

So, the next time you are considering writing a press release, think about the bigger picture first. Don’t just write a press release for the sake of getting “buzz.” Make sure your news – no matter how big or small – supports the value of your brand story.

A Results-Driven Communications Strategy: The Right Message to the Right Audience

Frustrated by the clutter of “business speak?” There’s a better way, through clear, understandable medical and business narratives that drive success for new and emerging healthcare brands like yours.If you are like most start-ups, you probably don’t have the in-house communication expertise to determine the best course of action for your organization to tell its story to key stakeholders. What do you need to say? Which communication tactics should you be deploying? Which communication channels are the right ones for you? What differentiates your brand from another?Without knowledge of communications or the understanding of its business impact, it can be difficult to reach your audience and build a market. Yes, that’s right – communications have a business and financial impact on your organization.Today, more than 627,000 new small businesses are formed each year --– and 90% of them will fail. According to the Small Business Association (SBA), some of the main reasons for failure are:

• Failing to attract investors

• Not understanding your market

• Bad partners or vendors

• Poor marketing

The reasons above have a common thread that, at least partially, is attributed to the company story and its communication. After all, if potential investors don’t see a compelling opportunity, they won’t invest. If your target customer doesn’t see the value of your product, they won’t buy it. And if the best partners and vendors on the market don’t understand what you are doing or don’t think you are a viable partner, they won’t work with you. Your story is important currency as you build your business, therefore you need to invest in it as part of your growth strategy.Developing a story for a complex technology can be daunting. Complex doesn’t have to be complicated, but it will take some effort. It starts with an intentional thought-out narrative. Without a clear story of who you are and what you do, potential clients, investors and partners will not be able to understand the benefits of your service or product.I have spent years helping organizations of all sizes build their story, complete with a roadmap to a successful, intentional communications strategy that includes:

• Who you are – in one sentence

• Core Story- why you exist and why the world needs you now

• Goals – Effective communications should always support business priorities

• Audience -- Who do you need to reach and why

• Channels – Define the channels that work best for your audiences

• Message – What you need to say and what your audience needs to hear

A well-defined narrative provides a clear direction for any and all communication you may need. The roadmap makes clear what you need to do to build confidence, trust and intent with your target audiences.

Communicate with Purpose

At a recent panel at Hamilton College, David Solomon, the CEO of Goldman Sachs, said the one skillset that's becoming harder to find is the ability to write.(1) Earlier in the discussion, he also spoke about the value of a liberal arts education, especially when it comes to critical thinking and problem-solving and its value in business.

As communications professionals, writing is core to our daily work. But Mr. Solomon is correct — finding good writers can be hard. Many communicators have mastered the mechanics of writing, but not as many have perfected the art of written communication. And in business writing, the ability to apply critical thinking and problem-solving can often be the linchpin that turns standard communication into pieces that resonate. All too often I see writers who don’t understand what they are writing.

Early in my career, a mentor told me that clear writing is a reflection of clear thinking. He said that writers had to truly understand the message and its purpose before they could write effectively. This advice has always stuck with me. Over the years, I have thought back to that advice many times as I have labored over a written communication piece. I have challenged the premise of every piece I have written, edited or reviewed to make sure it accomplishes its explicit and implicit purpose. As I grew in my career and handed over writing responsibilities to others, I have encountered many communicators and writers who don't fully understand the potential power and purpose of the message they are trying to deliver.

Every written message has a purpose, and it often goes beyond the words on the paper. Strong, resonant writing embraces the nuance of the message and takes the reader beyond the words on the paper to a deeper meaning. In literature, that can be transcendent and turn a book to a classic. In business, it means connecting a business message to a greater vision, purpose or value. It connects the potentially mundane to the meaningful.

And make no mistake — there is always a vision, purpose or value that perpetuates the need for the communication in the first place. Even the most seemingly innocuous announcements have links to business imperatives and priorities. The announcement of a new product that the company is launching aligns to a business strategy. While the introduction of the new product must communicate the product features and value to customers, it also provides an opportunity to reinforce the company’s vision and strategy and how the new product launch contributes to advancing that strategy.

Similarly, a company message marking an awareness day is often seen as a feel-good message for employees. But it reinforces a company’s values and mission. By answering the question of why the company is marking the awareness, the company communicates a greater purpose that aims to engage employees in the work. It advances the company’s purpose with employees and helps better define the company’s mission to external stakeholders.

The bottom line is writing with purpose advance business goals. Some people approach writing corporate communication as a task intended to provide the readers with logistical information they need to know. But understanding how corporate communication supports a bigger vision or objective makes the content richer and more effective. It engages the reader to see beyond the “what” of the message to why it matters. When a writer understands why the message is important, he or she can make it contribute to business goals and strategic imperatives. It can advance a company’s vision.

So I guess, I disagree with Mr. Solomon. It’s not that good writers are hard to find. It’s good communicators who understand how to elevate message, strategy and purpose that are the challenge.

(1) https://finance.yahoo.com/news/goldman-sachs-ceo-on-hiring-recruiting-skill-151104203.html

From Paycheck to Purpose: Engaging Employees is More Important Than Ever

Imagine a world where your alarm clock rings each morning and you jump out of bed excited to tackle the day. You can’t wait to get to work because you know you are doing something meaningful and you willingly put in extra time. Your professional purpose puts a skip in your step.   

For most Americans, that scenario is not reality. Research shows that only one-third of American workers are actively engaged in their work. Despite a strong labor market, companies are struggling to retain good talent and keep them engaged to do their best work. Engaged employees are more productive, innovative, collaborative and drive better profitability. Without an engaged workforce, an organization cannot grow and reach its goals. And it is expensive. Disengaged employees cost companies an estimated $450 million to $550 million in productivity. But employees value meaning and purpose. Recent research says 9 out of 10 people are willing to earn less money to do more meaningful work. The desire is there, but the motivation seems to be lacking.

Conventional wisdom would suggest that internal communications could close the engagement gap, and many organizations increase communications when engagement is low. But it isn’t a matter of volume. It’s a matter of purpose. While many companies communicate often with employees, these communications aren’t having the intended impact because many employees have lost faith in their employers. Research shows that less than one quarter of employees believe their leadership has a clear direction for the organization, and even less believe their leadership communicates effectively with them. If employees feel this way, it’s not surprising they are not engaged in their work. They have a crisis of confidence.

So where are organizations falling short? Most leaders have great passion for their organizations, but it is clearly not coming through to employees. Specific reasons for why will vary, but the common thread is that organizations have not always lived up to the values they espouse, and employees question the authenticity of their message. We have all been in situations where actions do not match words. We have experienced companies that encourage employees to explore new ideas and technologies that help the business grow but then refuse the funding or time away to attend meetings or conferences with potential partners. We have seen CEOs who have spoken about investing in people and the importance of the workforce for a company’s growth only to implement widespread layoffs or salary freezes weeks later. Incongruous communications and actions disengage employees. They aren’t intentional, but they pick away at employees’ trust and passion for their employer.

Communicating – and Living -- Purpose

Employees have a vested interest in the success of their employer organization. After all, their paycheck depends on it. But true engagement goes beyond a paycheck. Engaged employees at all levels can innovate and drive growth for an organization. And communications can play a big role in helping to advance that. Engaging employees with authentic, meaningful communication requires connecting them to a higher purpose, so each employee, no matter his or her role, can understand how s/he contributes to company success. It requires three essential elements:

• Understanding the strategy– All employees need to understand – and believe – the organization’s mission, vision and strategy. They need to know how leadership embodies it. The days of putting profit before people are over. To build trust, employees – and all stakeholders – need to believe their leadership is driven by the desire to live the mission and that they have a clearly articulated plan for how to get there.

• Emotional Connection– Communications are often rooted in rational messages, but rational messages alone to do not incite passion. Employees need emotional connections to the workplace and to the leaders they entrust with their livelihood. Emotional connections come in many forms, and it is critical as it dictates the discretionary effort employees make. If they believe where leaders are taking them, they work harder. If they don’t, they moderate their effort. At the end of the day, an emotional connection is rooted in the sense of security an employee feels with the organization they work for. 

• Day-to-day connection– While mission and vision statements are important, the day-to-day connection makes it real. From the language used to the way people treat each other to the continuous reminder of what is important to clients, reinforcing the organization’s purpose in small, tangible ways keep employees focused and provides credibility. The day-to-day interactions are what makes the mission a reality. If a health care company aims to help people live healthy lives, it should provide healthy options in the company cafeteria and at company-catered functions. If a financial services company aims to provide customers a path to sustainable financial security, it should ensure that its employees are earning a living wage and have access to financial security. If a sales team values teamwork and collaboration, it shouldn’t reward the solo performer who gets the sale by alienating team members. 

A company’s actions speak more than words, and its communications function helps amplify those actions for all to see and understand. Communications showcases how the business lives its mission. Communicators set the tone, and act as storytellers and ambassadors of the message. As such, they have a responsibility to be authentic and inspire passion. They can choose to maintain the status quo and communicate in rational dispassionate tones, but they will never engage employees with that approach. They have find ways to move people from being motivated by a paycheck to being motivated by a true purpose.