INTEGRATED COMMUNICATIONS: THE RIGHT MESSAGE, THE RIGHT AUDIENCE, THE RIGHT TIME

As companies have struggled to survive the economic roller coaster of the last two years, many have fallen into the trap of relying on old tactics to generate new results from their advertising, public relations, and marketing campaigns. While this approach sometimes works, it usually does not. The problem is that most campaigns were conceived well before this current crisis, and as it has unfolded, most companies have simply been trying to hang on and survive. But, as the needs of customers (both internal and external) have changed, so must the strategies we implement and the tactics we use to support them.

I recently had the CEO of a small company ask why he should do business with me. I sat back in my chair and thought for a moment, and just as I was about to start spewing out about all of the awards we had won and our amazing staff, I caught myself. I realized that he didn’t want to hear about my business, he wanted to hear about how my business might help his. It wasn’t about me.

My approach to business development is simple: understand what you are really good at, and look for companies who need the services you can provide. This sounds simple, but it isn’t. Because customers have become inundated with so many pieces of information on a daily basis, they have started to tune us out. We end up like junk mail: our message gets lost in the delivery.

My approach is to make my message about the customer. I ask questions in order to understand the unique business challenges they face, and then work with them to develop custom solutions. By building partnerships, I become so relevant to their business that they can’t help but buy from me. For my organization, this creates brand loyalty. For the customer this creates trust. In today’s world, trust matters big time.

Integrated communications is the idea that all brand contacts with customers and prospects must remain consistent and relevant over time. When discussing an organizations communication strategy, it is important to start with the story: what do they want their customers and prospects to know, and work outwards. My approach to business development is to do the exact same thing. Customers understand that I am on their side, bringing innovative solutions to the table that help solve complex business problems while improve their bottom line. That is my story.