Maybe you’ve seen it.
A strategic communication initiative with stunning creative. All the right channels. A substantial budget. And strong reach.
But the reputation needle wasn’t moved.
Why?
Not because it wasn’t delivered expertly, but because the audience didn’t believe what they were being told.
It was incongruous with their experience with the company—and with the opinions others shared about the company.
It’s true with internal communications—as well as external: Today’s customers will make brand judgments primarily on information gathered from sources outside the official ones.
They’ll be having (and sharing) their own experiences—and reading the experiences of others.
It’s never been more complicated to manage a brand story—when unofficial communication channels eclipse the official ones.
And that’s why it’s time to rethink our roles as communication leaders.
At a time when truth is a flagging asset for most companies and the spin reigns, professional communicators can assume a wider, more influential role—and go deeper in their communications work to produce transformative communications that mirror the company’s behaviors.
Here’s how.
Broaden the definition of what communication is.
Communication initiatives are increasingly failing because of a narrow definition of communications.
It’s time to stop thinking about communication as just words and images and recognize that so much of what an organization communicates originates in actions, not words.
A business reveals what they think about customers when they lie to them—or fail to deliver on promises.
They reveal what they think about people when they make decisions about pay, working conditions, and equity that show disregard for their employees.
It reveals what they think about vendors when they don’t treat them with the same kindness and respect reserved for customers.
No amount of polish, spin, or message manipulation can silence the resounding impact of consistent behaviors that don’t align with what a company is saying in its official communications.
As communication leaders, we can take a greater role in influencing what the organization does—which sets the foundation for what the organization says.
Be the one who is tirelessly on the hunt for the truth about your brand.
It’s easy to get so caught up in our own communication vision and planning that we aren’t attuned to what’s really happening. I’ve been there—so focused on the future that I miss important cues in the moment.
But as communication leaders, we need to be the ones who have laser-focus understanding of the truths about our brands.
That means being a good listener. Paying attention. Seeing the world through the lens of the people we serve. And thinking about the optics of decisions and strategic moves.
With this kind of clarity, we’re poised to offer meaningful solutions that help our teams achieve congruity between words and actions.
Start inside.
All brand messages are delivered more often by our employees than any other method. If they’re not living the message, then the message isn’t going to grow the business—no matter how well it’s delivered.
So our work as communicators has to start with our people. Every behavior arises from a thought, impulse, or belief. Communication can shape these by directing the focus of employees and reminding them of the vision, values, and purpose behind the work.
We can’t skip this step because it’s not possible to impact behavior without impacting thinking patterns.
As communicators, keeping the driving ideas in front of our internal team will help them provide the brand experience we want.
This is a chance to increase our impact and shape our organization’s brand by not only applying the skills of our craft, but also by using them to inspire the daily actions of every employee who is delivering the brand experience.
Expand your impact.
The intentional, official message might be brilliant. But if it isn't congruent with customer experience, the communication plan will fail. As communication leaders, let's seize the opportunity to rethink how we can have greater impact—by redefining communication to include behaviors, being clear on the truth about our brand, and starting inside.