Business Communication Strategy

A business communication strategy is a framework used by organizations to plan communication with employees, customers, suppliers, and investors. Effective communication strategies in business can help employers improve the overall productivity of their workforce, create a positive presence for the company in the market, and instill a sense of trust among employees.

These factors all play a vital role in the overall success of a business and its ability to reach its targets and goals. Having a solid and well-planned communication strategy should be a major priority for any company seeking to thrive.

What is the purpose of a business communication strategy?

• To explain a company’s goals and objectives
• To clarify the relationships between audiences, messages, channels, activities, and materials
• To refine the roles of staff members, stakeholders, and others
• To develop creativity and camaraderie among teams
• To help staff members and stakeholders get on the “same page”
• To include stakeholder input in the communications process
• To ensure stakeholders and customers are being reached effectively

Four Business Communication Strategy Examples

1. Investing in Social Media

Many organizations are aware of the importance and value social media has in the workplace, yet still do not take sufficient time to consider how exactly the platforms can be tailored to work best for them. Taking time to plan and put together a thorough social media strategy will have benefits for both a company’s internal and external communications.

When it comes to communicating on social media, it is beneficial to view it as a real-life networking event; this means listening, responding, providing interesting conversation, monitoring what people like, and providing content users are interested in.

Employers should ask the following questions:

• What objectives do they want to achieve?
• What is the purpose of using social media?
• Which platform suits their business and target audience the most?
• What kind of content will they share?
• How will they engage with their followers?
• How will they measure success?
• Who will manage their social media accounts?

2. Creating a Blog

Blogs are an excellent platform to include in a communication strategy as they are an effective way to communicate directly with customers, share insights into the business, and create relationships.

When creating a blog, it is important to produce quality and interesting content in order to engage readers. Companies can achieve this by carrying out research on their target audience to determine what type of blog posts will most appeal to them. Some blog ideas include writing a series of ‘how-to’ pieces, commenting on industry news and trends, and sharing success stories.

3. Networking

Attending networking events is a smart strategy that should not be overlooked. It’s a great tool for communicating with new clients, making connections in the industry, and promoting the company. In addition, networking is a great marketing tool for businesses on a tight budget, as it provides direct access to a room full of influential people. Representatives should be prepared when attending networking events and should not be afraid to start conversations, instead of waiting to be approached.

4. Speaking at Events

Speaking at conferences and other related events is a great opportunity to attract new customers, clients, or brand advocates. It is important to take the time to decide who should present at these events; public speaking can be an intimidating pursuit so it is vital the task is allocated to someone who is capable of delivering the company’s message confidently.

Develop a transparent internal communication strategy

Use technology to facilitate communication

Whether employees are working from the office or from home, conducting a strategy that incorporates the most appropriate technology will make communicating with workers much easier. Having the correct internal communications platforms creates an environment where employees are following up with each other proactively, sharing ideas, and consistently staying on top of tasks and projects.

Provide formal and informal opportunities for feedback

One of the main contributors to employees feeling valued and motivated in the workplace is if they believe their employers are open to listening to their opinions and feedback. There exist many employee engagement apps that offer a way for companies to facilitate the feedback process and to hear directly from their employees.

If employers wish for a more informal method of obtaining feedback from workers, they can always opt for a casual “how do you feel about our new campaign ideas?” when they encounter them in the office.

Get specific with tasks and instructions

Getting specific about tasks and projects ensures all participants are clear about what needs to be done, how it should be completed, and how it fits into the larger project or company goals.

When an assignment is done wrong, too slowly, or only partially, it will lead to project delays that will have a negative effect on business. This is an issue that is generally as much the fault of the person assigning the task as the person responsible for its completion.

Celebrate achievements and milestones

When employers offer their workers praise on a task or project, they’re effectively improving employee morale and motivation. Likewise, when an organization celebrates the work of a team or even the whole company, this creates a strong sense of teamwork and reinforces shared goals.

Positive feedback towards employees can be done in both informal and formal ways. It could, for example, be outlined in a quarterly review, or it could be as simple as offering praise during a team chat.

Establish a clear external communication strategy

Understand your target audience

The first step for any business to take when creating an external communication strategy is to carry out market research to gain an understanding of who exactly their target audience is. Before an organization can decide how it wants to deliver its message, it must be aware of how to speak its audience’s language. The more awareness that exists around this audience, the easier it will be to create campaigns that are engaging and intuitive.

Choose the appropriate platforms

After establishing the intended audience, the next step is to decide which platforms will be most effective to deliver this tailored content. Successful communication strategies often utilize a number of different platforms, spreading their message through everything from social media to television advertisements, press releases, and in-person events.

Establish a tone of voice

Businesses should ask questions such as how they want people to remember, engage, and talk about their brand. This entails giving their communication a tone and personality that people can associate with the company. This is why an external communications strategy is an important part of overall branding; it helps shape the public narrative and how audiences connect with the organization.

Give messages real value

Finally, it’s important to ensure that every message being sent out through external communications is designed to deliver real value to audiences. It’s never useful to distribute content just for the sake of it. The focus should be on creating campaigns that highlight the most significant elements of the brand, including its personality, values, and overall message.

The importance of a cohesive business communication strategy

An effective communication strategy is a necessity for any organization looking to succeed and grow. For an enterprise company to reach its greatest potential, all the rules, company values, regulations, and policies of the business have to be communicated to people within and outside the organization.

When a company dedicates time and effort to plan a strategy that best meets its needs, it will create consistency in workplace communication, helping to reduce confusion or missed information, in addition to helping keep customers, suppliers and investors informed and in the loop at all times.