If you’re a start-up, small business or non-profit that isn’t committing time and resources to your communications needs, you’re not alone. But you are missing out. Here’s what can happen: You’ve set your goals, your marketing strategy is in place, but you haven’t drilled down to how your story will come to life in a fully-integrated way that delivers the results you desire. A strong integrated communications strategy ensures that your vision and goals are realized with impact and authenticity, and that you connect with your target audiences with the right story at the right time.
Let’s take a look at some of the misplaced concerns that stop organizations from committing to an integrated communications strategy:
“We can’t afford the investment.”
You can’t afford NOT to. A well-designed and well-executed earned communications strategy is both cost-efficient and effective. Many organizations are guilty of fragmenting the levers of communication by engaging in only some dimensions of it, but not in others. For example, committing to social media, but not building a robust content strategy won’t work. In our hyper-connected digital world, there’s never been a better time to take advantage of all the available earned opportunities, regardless of budget limitations.
“We don’t have the resources to execute internally.”
This may be true on the surface, though sometimes amazing things can happen with a little creativity and leveraging of internal resources. I often ask clients the following: “Is everything you’re currently doing working? Are there programs you do only because you’ve always done them? Are there things you can stop doing so you can start taking more valuable actions?” It’s also about understanding the art and science of communications. The art is the creativity, while the science lies in process. The magic can happen once both are aligned and the right people are set up for success.
“It’s hard to measure results.”
Measurement becomes easy once you establish clear goals. In the words of the legendary Yogi Berra, “If you don't know where you are going, you'll end up someplace else.”
There’s no one-size-fits-all solution, but a highly impactful customized communications strategy can work for your organization, regardless of its size. Positivity Communications’ goal is to help empower purpose-driven brands, start-ups, small businesses, and non-profits to build and execute their own communications strategies. Every organization has different needs, structures, and dynamics. That’s what makes what I do so exciting. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain by embracing a forward-looking, integrated communications strategy.
Contact me today if you’d like to know more.
With positivity,
Shelley
(photo credit: Steve Johnson, Unsplash)