Communication Strategy That Works

I wanted to conclude September’s focus on Crisis Comms by focusing on In the world of Public Relations and Comms, and how overwhelming the fast-paced, high-pressure environment can often feel. From managing client expectations and navigating media relations to dealing with crisis communications, the challenges can be relentless.  This conversation was raised in my recent ‘deep dive’ with crisis expert Amanda Coleman.  

For communication and PR professionals, the pressure to be constantly “on,” to think quickly, and to maintain a positive image for both themselves and their clients can take a toll on mental well-being. As someone who works remotely all the time, the resilience to deal with things sometimes gets thin.

In this episode, I will unpick my conversation with Amanda in more detail and explore why mental well-being is vital in PR, the unique challenges that arise from dealing with difficult situations, and how to develop strategies for maintaining balance.  

So, let’s dive in!

I wanted to unpack in more detail a topic that I am also very passionate about in my everyday work—issues management. Having worked extensively in communications, I’ve seen firsthand how vital it is to identify and manage potential problems before they escalate into full-blown crises. It’s an area I’ve dedicated much of my focus to, helping organisations develop proactive strategies to address emerging issues and protect their reputations.

In a recent conversation with Amanda Coleman, we discussed some shared experiences in crisis communication, but this is a topic I’m deeply invested in myself. I wanted to share my perspective on why effective issues management is essential for any organisation and what I’ve learned throughout my career.

So, let’s dive in!

Welcome to today's episode, where we're diving into the world of crisis communication with an expert who's been on the front lines. Amanda Coleman shares her incredible journey, starting as a journalist and transitioning into key roles in the public sector, including her time at the Environment Agency and Merseyside Police. Amanda brings valuable insights from her extensive experience, including the pivotal role she played during the 2017 Manchester Arena terrorist attack.

In this conversation, Amanda emphasises how crucial crisis communication is in shaping operational responses and why organisations need clear communication plans that focus on empathy and authenticity. She also breaks down the impact of social media on crisis management and why it's essential to be ready for rapid response in today’s fast-paced world.

Whether you're in communications, crisis management, or simply curious about what it takes to navigate through tough situations, this episode is packed with takeaways you won't want to miss!

So, let's dive in! 

As someone who started life in Corporate Communications for a famous American credit card brand, I lived through the pain of Internal Communications as posters and internal launches through to a strategic function. Comms under Corporate Comms, but got moved to HR and back again, even 25 years ago.

Reflecting on these complexities and inspired by Jenny Field’s insightful "Chaos to Calm" model, and the podcast where we spoke about this, I delve into the strategic role of internal communication and its optimal positioning within a business.

So, let's dive in! 

Liked Listening today?  What to do next:

Get my FREE roadmap to get more strategic with communication activity in your business.

Listen to more episodes, take some training, or download a resource: Find out more here.

Hire my expertise

Whether that’s support with a one-off comms project or an entire strategy for your business, drop me a line if you want to explore this further.  You can also work with me 1:1 as a trainer and mentor – [email protected]

Work with me closely

If you’d like to work with me to develop and implement your communication strategy through 1:1 work, podcasts, workbooks, sharing ideas, and lots of accountability and up-skilling, then email me at [email protected] to register your interest for you or your entire team.

Leave me a voicemail on my Speakpipe page I would love to hear your feedback on this episode and thoughts on any topics I could include in future ones too.

In the ever-evolving landscape of public relations and corporate communication, data analytics has emerged as a game-changer.

In this podcast, I share five ways data can transform your communication strategies, making them more effective and impactful.

So let's dive in! 

Liked Listening today?  What to do next:

Get my FREE roadmap to get more strategic with communication activity in your business.

Listen to more episodes, take some training, or download a resource: Find out more here.

Hire my expertise

Whether that’s support with a one-off comms project or an entire strategy for your business, drop me a line if you want to explore this further.  You can also work with me 1:1 as a trainer and mentor – [email protected]

Work with me closely

If you’d like to work with me to develop and implement your communication strategy through 1:1 work, podcasts, workbooks, sharing ideas, and lots of accountability and up-skilling, then email me at [email protected] to register your interest for you or your entire team.

Leave me a voicemail on my Speakpipe page I would love to hear your feedback on this episode and thoughts on any topics I could include in future ones too.

This week we reflect on a recent ‘Deep Dive with Adam Driver to unpick a bit more around what SEO is, highlight its numerous benefits for comms folk and businesses, and emphasise how it should be integrated into a broader marketing strategy for optimal results.

Why? Well in today's digital age, having a strong online presence is crucial for any business looking to succeed. SEO is one of the most effective tools available to achieve this. However, it is often misunderstood and misused, leading to confusion and missed opportunities.

So let's dive in! 

Liked Listening today?  What to do next:

Get my FREE roadmap to get more strategic with communication activity in your business.

Listen to more episodes, take some training, or download a resource: Find out more here.

Hire my expertise

Whether that’s support with a one-off comms project or an entire strategy for your business, drop me a line if you want to explore this further.  You can also work with me 1:1 as a trainer and mentor – [email protected]

Work with me closely

If you’d like to work with me to develop and implement your communication strategy through 1:1 work, podcasts, workbooks, sharing ideas, and lots of accountability and up-skilling, then email me at [email protected] to register your interest for you or your entire team.

Leave me a voicemail on my Speakpipe page I would love to hear your feedback on this episode and thoughts on any topics I could include in future ones too.

I work with lots of Senior leaders directly, often providing guidance and expertise when there is no in-house resource to do so.  This means that I am often rating the brief as well as taking the briefing about it!  This is fine but today I wanted to spend some time outlining more about why effective briefs are so important.

Creating effective briefs is a cornerstone of successful projects and solid client-agency relationships. For non-experts in marketing, such as Managing Directors or Project Managers, mastering the art of writing a detailed, clear brief can lead to more efficient workflows, better creative outputs, and ultimately, more successful campaigns. 

So if you're a project manager or leader listening today and want to create more value from your partners, or you’re a consultant who wants to guide your clients better, this one is for you!

So let’s dive in!

Liked Listening today?  What to do next:

Get my FREE roadmap to get more strategic with communication activity in your business.

Listen to more episodes, take some training, or download a resource: Find out more here.

Hire my expertise

Whether that’s support with a one-off comms project or an entire strategy for your business, drop me a line if you want to explore this further.  You can also work with me 1:1 as a trainer and mentor – [email protected]

Work with me closely

If you’d like to work with me to develop and implement your communication strategy through 1:1 work, podcasts, workbooks, sharing ideas, and lots of accountability and up-skilling, then email me at [email protected] to register your interest for you or your entire team.

Leave me a voicemail on my Speakpipe page I would love to hear your feedback on this episode and thoughts on any topics I could include in future ones too.

Following on from the topic of self-help coaching and mentoring this month, I thought I would talk a bit this week about how embarking on new projects in podcasting and how self-doubt has impacted this, and how coaching helped unblock me. These challenges, dominated by the whispers of imposter syndrome, have been a significant part of my professional journey. And has led me to talk to you here on my own podcast today

So let’s dive in!

Liked Listening today?  What to do next:

Get my FREE roadmap to get more strategic with communication activity in your business.

Listen to more episodes, take some training, or download a resource: Find out more here.

Hire my expertise

Whether that’s support with a one-off comms project or an entire strategy for your business, drop me a line if you want to explore this further.  You can also work with me 1:1 as a trainer and mentor – [email protected]

Work with me closely

If you’d like to work with me to develop and implement your communication strategy through 1:1 work, podcasts, workbooks, sharing ideas, and lots of accountability and up-skilling, then email me at [email protected] to register your interest for you or your entire team.

Leave me a voicemail on my Speakpipe page I would love to hear your feedback on this episode and thoughts on any topics I could include in future ones too.

Today, I am delighted to welcome to the podcast Jo Twiselton, Human Change Specialist, executive coach, facilitator and fellow communication consultant.

Jo has worked with leaders and teams across the tech, transport, healthcare, manufacturing, media and services industries, helping them to emerge better from any change.

We talk about all aspects of self-help, mentoring and coaching.  It’s a great chat and I learned loads! So if you want a free coaching session tune in! Jo is a qualified executive and wellbeing coach who helps empower leaders, managers, and teams who want to introduce positive transformation. 

How to get in touch with Jo:

www.twistconsultants.co.uk

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jotwiselton/

Links:

LinkedIn post on the meaning of 'learning'

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/jotwiselton_learning-coaching-organisationalchange-activity-7185660666706284544-7dig?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop

Executive Coaching services:

https://www.twistconsultants.co.uk/executive-coaching

Liked Listening today?  What to do next:

Get my FREE roadmap to get more strategic with communication activity in your business.

Listen to more episodes, take some training, or download a resource: Find out more here.

Hire my expertise

Whether that’s support with a one-off comms project or an entire strategy for your business, drop me a line if you want to explore this further.  You can also work with me 1:1 as a trainer and mentor – [email protected]

Work with me closely

If you’d like to work with me to develop and implement your communication strategy through 1:1 work, podcasts, workbooks, sharing ideas, and lots of accountability and up-skilling, then email me at [email protected] to register your interest for you or your entire team.

Leave me a voicemail on my Speakpipe page I would love to hear your feedback on this episode and thoughts on any topics I could include in future ones too.

Do you wish more people were telling their friends about your company? When people are looking for recommendations on LinkedIn, you wish your name was being tagged. 

When someone at an industry event is asking for examples of people in your niche, you want your brand to come up in the conversation.

What about when things do not go to plan? A network of trusted people can also help test your response in a crisis and help you out of a reputation hole.

One way to do this is through finding brand advocates, those who rave about how good you are when the going is good and when it’s not so good.

Today I delve into this topic with a focus on crisis management and stakeholders and give tips on what to think about before you start, whatever your programme.

Let’s dive in!

Liked Listening today?  What to do next:

Get my FREE roadmap to get more strategic with communication activity in your business.

Listen to more episodes, take some training, or download a resource: Find out more here.

Hire my expertise

Whether that’s support with a one-off comms project or an entire strategy for your business, drop me a line if you want to explore this further.  You can also work with me 1:1 as a trainer and mentor – [email protected]

Work with me closely

If you’d like to work with me to develop and implement your communication strategy through 1:1 work, podcasts, workbooks, sharing ideas, and lots of accountability and up-skilling, then email me at [email protected] to register your interest for you or your entire team.

Leave me a voicemail on my Speakpipe page I would love to hear your feedback on this episode and thoughts on any topics I could include in future ones too.