DOES ‘COMMUNICATIONS’ DO IT FOR YOU…?

Working with clients across a variety of industries, I've rediscovered how common it is to speak different languages within a single organisation. This has reminded me that frequently - and as most marketers know already - our role is best described as that of a translation service between 'the business' and 'Communications'. 

At one time or another and in any organisation with specialist skills and knowledge, 'the business' will complain about the failure of 'Communications' to promote what they do, frequently complaining that "all those people" have "too much control over what we say where" and "never do anything for me", as I heard only recently - and definitely not for the first time!

Conversations with 'Communications' reveal a different truth. It quickly becomes apparent that, whilst 'the business' is saying "communicate immediately with my important information that everyone will want to hear", their inability to articulate it in a compelling way fails to connect with a communications function that rarely has bandwidth - or time - to develop the in-depth knowledge required to interpret it themselves.

Cue Marketing...

Most Marketers thoroughly enjoy the often time-consuming challenge of working closely with 'the business' to translate techno speak or business babble into value-led messages and engaging stories. Of course, we rely on our counterparts in Communications for guidance as to the best tone, design, format, frequency, choice of media channels etc. - the business of communicating - but shaping the essence of a story in to meaningful content that's aimed at the right people in the most appropriate target audiences is a skill that is second nature to good marketers...and long may that continue.