Understanding how to apply strategy in a communications framework is different from deciding what will go into the structure and process. Strategy involves allocation of resources to achieve more than a competitor can.
In a previous article, we defined what strategic communications is, and how it ranges far beyond a single field. It is about creation, coordination and supporting the organisation as it promotes or defends the brand to customers; and measured against outcomes. The article shared how to view communications through a different lens, to determine outcomes using data, while being flexible enough to keep it updated.
Another misunderstood concept when it comes to creating a strategic communications master plan, is that of assuming that the sum of activities should aim to just be better than the competition.
We argue that being better – whether incrementally or by leaps – is not strategic; being different from the competition is.
There is no requirement for strategy if our activations and campaigns only seek to be better than the previous iteration or against our competition. To be better in this manner, a brand would just need to hire a more efficient project manager, a more productive executor or a more effective data presenter.
There is no issue with using previous campaigns as a baseline to improve future campaigns against. That is very much aligned with how data can help brands improve their efficiency or efficacy. Being better though is not strategic, it is about improving operational delivery.
However, once your brand has optimised delivery and your competitors have caught up, the customer discussion will revert to price.
Instead, if a brand seeks to use strategic thinking to dominate a field or niche area, or to outperform the competition, they should look towards doing things differently. The goal, objective, outcomes, that is, the ‘what’ in most plans are aspirations and a target board for the brand. They should not be confused with the direction and approach of achieving these aspirations, that is, the ‘how’.
Strategic thinking in communications is based on figuring out how to use campaigns, activations, tools and measurements differently from the competitor in order to provide a better service or value to the customer. It also involves meeting or overcoming the competitor’s response to your brand’s activity.
There are two ways of creating differentiation for your brand. The first is to do different activities from your competitor and the second is to do similar activities in a different way. Both ways ultimately have to lead to your brand delivering far better or more value to a customer than the competitor.
For communications, a customer can mean the user of a product or service your company is selling; but also, other stakeholders such as analysts, bloggers, influencers, key opinion leaders, media or subject matter experts.
From the perspective of creating a strategic communications strategy, it can be useful to consider the following points:
· What insights do you have about your area, nice, industry, customer that is unique?
· How is the external and internal environment helping or challenging the delivery of your product or service at the moment?
· Can you create competitive advantage through a distinctive offering or superior value?
· What is the value that your customers want, both from an overall relationship and specifically from the service/product?
· Where can your brand focus capital, time and resources on?
· Is there any innovation in the brand, service or product that is not available in the market?
With perspective, context and understanding of where your brand is best-placed to outperform the competition and provide customer value, communications can be used to effectively share, promote, defend the points of differentiation consistently and frequently across all available marketing and customer channels.
We are Brand Utility is a business consultancy. We work with brands in the corporate, professional services, retail, travel and technology spaces.
We offer strategy and tactics to support growth outcomes - revenue, scale, regional expansion and market entry – for our clients.
Areas of support include:
· Strategic communications: Approach to market, brand concept and map, positioning, messaging, story and narrative, thought leadership
· Marketing: Campaign/programme planning, story-based marketing execution, digital marketing, community amplification, content planning and production, go-to-market execution
· Lead generation: Digital advertising, social media advertising, social commerce, e-commerce
· Integration of marketing with business operations: We plan and execute as a seconded marketing and/or PR lead for your brand
Discover more about our services at our website or book an exploratory consultation through this link. Our principal founder is a registered management consultant, certified and recognised by the Institute of Management Consultants Singapore.
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