Communication Strategy That Works

Now that we're all back to work and most likely revved up with new goals and resolutions, I'm sharing this podcast again, as I can't emphasise enough the importance of goal-setting.

We talk a lot about 'goals', especially at this time of the year, but we are often unclear on why we have chosen them or how we will arrive at the outcome we want. So here are a few reasons why it's essential.

Setting a clear, actionable goal is the first step towards achieving success. It signals to yourself and others what you want to achieve and mobilises your resources towards making it happen. Without a goal, you might be working towards something that isn't quite what you want, or you might not be working at all. As a result, you might think you're making progress when in reality, you're nowhere near your goal.

When you set a goal, you commit to working towards a result. This can be as simple as 'I will complete this project by the deadline. So I am sharing with you why I think it's important to set strategic goals regardless of what time of year it is and how you can go about it simply. Let's dive in!

Episodes mentioned in this podcast; Ep. 04 How to measure your comms impact

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.

To continue the festive spirit, I've focused on 12 comms tips for you over the 12 days of Christmas, from 25th December to 2nd January. Here are the final 6.

These are short and snappy episodes to keep you going over the festive period to help you improve your comms.

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.

Full Transcript (unedited)

To continue the festive spirit, I've focused on 12 comms tips for you over the 12 days of Christmas, from 25th December to 2nd January. Here are the final 6.

These are short and snappy episodes to keep you going over the festive period to help you improve your comms.

Let's dive in!

1. Manage the issues, not the crisis

If the global pandemic of 2020 is anything to go by, we know now that we cannot plan for acts of God. But, still, many bubbling issues within organisations were there when the pandemic hit, and what happened is it unveiled lots of these under-the-radar issues that have been hidden just beneath the surface. Like IT, ways of working, and operational and HR failures. And what lots of businesses realised at this point was that they had to supercharge their operations to deal with some of these issues that could have been dealt with previously.

1. PR isn't just about column inches – no, really, it isn't!

An important part of strategy creation should always include ensuring the strategy is aligned with the organisation's culture. Not just in a strategic sense, though. We cannot change the culture through a PR strategy, just the perception of it, arguably, but it would be tricky to have a plan that contains newsjacking if the organisation is risk-averse.

We have to, therefore, find multiple ways to engage the audience in 2023 without conflicting with the culture of where we work or clients' businesses.

1. Make your comms more accessible

We assume everyone can read. So Number one, reduce the need for alternative format versions. So writing clear English. Sounds obvious, but we all make this mistake, no doubt. And there's lots of slang now, especially around social media posts and marketing.

Be as concise as possible, like short sentences that get to the point quickly. And design it to be as legible as possible. For example, using 14 typeface rather than 12 or 11, which quite a lot of us default to.

Think about using audio-first to engage with your audiences, as some disabilities are hidden from view.

By doing these three simple things, the information will be more accessible to a greater number of people straight away and may reduce demand for alternative versions.

1. Use photos in your press releases

From a consumer product media and trade media point of view, a good image is non-negotiable. If you send a pitch without one, it simply will not get looked at in the same way or tool. Journalists get thousands of emails every day. And a photo can be part of the filtering system. National media also use images as page holders and page turners, as they know that they add this to the story, and it's their job to make it the best possible story it can be for the publication they're working for and for their readers. It's worth researching the publication you want to be in, as they will likely have a particular style. So as part of your strategic approach, you need to think about where we want to be pitched and what images they'll be looking for. Also, see number 9 regarding accessibility.

1. Use technology and AI to help you be more efficient

From project management software to content planning calendars, many tools can help you with your comms planning and content generation. So choose wisely and make it a priority to include some new technology as part of your comms mix in 2023. AI is here to help, not hinder, and using it will help you to be more efficient.

I use a few; Canva, Calendly, Hyperwrite.ai, Buffer, and Trello. These are all powered by AI, and they all help me be more efficient.

1. Spend some time understanding your purpose

I talk about the "why" quite a lot on the podcast regarding how businesses talk to their customers and explain what they do in a way that resonates with people. The "why" is about understanding what your purpose is, I think. This purpose can translate well into external marketing and comms plans. In terms of what you are ultimately trying to achieve? If you're a council, what's your purpose, and how does that inform your communication goals? This takes some thought to make sure that your messages and activity align.

What would a successful campaign look like to you? You know what you want to achieve, but how will you know when you've done it? Without an overarching purpose, this is hard. Purpose is outcomes driven and can also be a much higher organising thought around climate or diversity. A lot of people are aligning ESG to purpose, for example. It also is a good way of aligning comms within the business so that the role is critical to success or failure, and it's therefore seen as a strategic function, not about words and pictures.

I hope you've enjoyed my 12 Comms Tips of Christmas.

To continue the festive spirit, I've decided to focus on 12 comms tips for you over the 12 days of the Christmas period, from 25th December to 2nd January. So here are the first 6 to get you going!

These are short and snappy episodes to keep you going over the festive period to help you improve your comms.

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.

If you want to make an impact in 2023, you need to measure your impact. Doing this will help you hire an effective team, budget and focus your efforts where you need them most, and start to see better results. But it's not just for work; use this episode to review your personal goals too!

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've compiled a list of my top 10 tools to help you become more efficient in your PR and marketing in 2023. From project management software to content planning calendars, these tools have been carefully curated by me using them firsthand and those my guests have recommended.

Whether you're just starting or have years of experience, these ten tools are must-haves for 2023.

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.

With the technological advances of the 21st century, as communication professionals, we must adapt our skills to stay ahead of the curve. Trends in communication and public relations (PR) are constantly changing, and those who want to stay ahead of the game must be aware of the latest developments.

Today's short episode covers communication and PR trends to look out for in 2023.

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 today's business world, the ability to anticipate and respond to disruptive challenges - both internal and external - is essential. A comprehensive business continuity and resiliency plan can help you anticipate and manage these challenges, ensuring that your business can weather any storm. And when disruptions do occur, a robust public relations program can help you protect and defend your company's reputation.

I have covered a number of topics that relate to business resilience planning in a communication context in this podcast, such as understanding who your competitors are, how to anticipate and manage disruption challenges, and how to communicate your plan and engage stakeholders along the way. Today I'm bringing this together into an episode that gives this all a badge and added some free downloads and resources for you at the end, so look out for those.

You'll learn what business resilience is and how to take some small steps to communication planning, whatever the size of your business.

Let's dive in!

Additional links and downloads:

If you're a creative business or Agency check out Wadds Inc's free Strategic Planning and Crisis Preparedness report: https://static1.squarespace.com/static/6316046fe5302f1a8f8f41c2/t/6340194579013c1db5cdf27a/1665145160000/Wadds-strategic-planning-and-crisis-preparedness-report-2022.pdf

Amanda Coleman has some great advice in this reasonably priced book; Everyday Communication Strategies: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Everyday-Communication-Strategies-Prevent-Protect/dp/1398606979

Check out my reputation management resource page on my website: https://henbe.co.uk/projects/protect-your-brand/

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.

How do you make an impact when you don't have time to create content or run a campaign?

There's a simple action you can take which won't take long at all but will keep you top of mind on – repurposing your resources.

Today I cover how repurposing can save you time, money and effort, and help you win big in the longer term!

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.

It was the 100th episode of the podcast recently. To say that the 100th episode of the podcast is special would be an understatement. I've poured my heart and soul into it, so I'm so proud of what I've accomplished. In honour of this milestone, I've decided to take a look back at the past 100 episodes in this "101" episode. The first episode was released on 3rd December 2020.

I will cover; why I started the podcast, what's been popular with listeners and what topics have stood the test of time and why.

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.

Culture and PR have many links, but communication is arguably the most important one. Culture shapes how people communicate, and effective communication is essential to successful PR. There are many ways to define culture, but I use the definition of shared values, beliefs, and norms that shape how people think, feel and behave.

In this context, PR manages the spread of information between an individual or organisation and the public. PR practitioners use various tools to influence how the public perceives their clients.

Today I explore both and how this is linked to good issues management.

Let's dive in!

Links mentioned in this episode:

https://henbe.co.uk/2021/10/07/ep-43-six-steps-to-help-manage-potential-reputation-issues/

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.