What about integrated communications

Imagine working for a company here in Singapore where all its employees, shareholders, customers, and vendors understand the company strategy and goals. Imagine working in a company where your internal and external audiences also feel connected to your values and mission – sounds imaginary?

These companies exist and they create that type of cohesive corporate presence by building integrated communication efforts.

The truth is that integrated corporate communications is not what most companies have. Most companies divide the communication function – investor relations, PR, internal communications, marketing communications, etc – into silos, each with its own agenda and its own set of messages for their specific audience. In these cases, integration of messages is voluntary.

Communication efforts are integrated when the mechanisms, processes, and structure are in place allowing for the coordination of information and ensuring all areas of the company are speaking with consistent messages and in one voice to its various audiences. It’s strategic and intentional. It does not happen just because the people in these roles work well together. Integration DOES NOT mean centralization. Communications professionals can sit in different countries and business units.

The integration of the communications function allows for company information to link and impact all of a company’s audiences simultaneously creating broader presence and enhanced image.

Lack of integration in communication is why most companies have “split communications personalities” (a term I’ve coined), a condition whereby a company speaks to all its audiences with difference messages, in different voices, often creating a conflicting corporate image and presence internally and externally.

Understanding and reacting to market realities make integrating communications efforts more pressing. Among the realities making the need for cohesive corporate communication necessary are:

· Blurred lines between audiences. Employees are also shareholders, and shareholders are investors and customers. Analysts want to know more about a company than just its financial overview (strategy, product pipelines, CSR efforts, etc.). Consumers want to know more about the company they buy from than just their line of products. Are they receiving the same message from all parts of the company?
· Government and regulatory oversight. Around the world governments and regulatory bodies continue to implement regulations that require not only more open communication on financial matters but also on how companies can disseminate information, to whom and when, particularly if the company is publicly traded. Consistent, synchronized messaging is critical.
· Technology. The increase in use of technology means that information can travel to any person outside the corporation without going through firewalls. FaceBook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube are powerful tools for building strong corporate presence and aligning with your audiences. This makes the need for integrated messages and coordinated release of information more critical than ever before.

On a good day, not integrating corporate communication efforts can result in missed opportunities to reinforce corporate brand, image, and presence and achieve certain strategic goals. On a bad day, communication efforts that are not integrated can lead to crisis that affects shareholder perception, brand equity, market share, and consumer confidence.

However, on both good and bad days integrated efforts can yield powerful results such as:

• Enhancing corporate reputation. A great company is a consistent company in everything is says and does, and builds trust with its audiences as a result.
• Meeting crisis head on. Speaking in one voice is most critical during times of crisis; it enhances a company’s credibility and rebuilds trust.
• Maximizing organizational effectiveness. Consistent, aligned messages provide strong support for a company’s overall business strategies, and increase employee productivity.
• Fully leveraging all available technology. There is a dialogue taking place in the market about every company. Integrated communication efforts allow companies to coordinate messages and how they are shared in a way that leads and shape that dialogue in their favor.

To meet the challenges of today’s market place, companies must completely bridge the divide between themselves and their audiences to be successful. Integrating corporate communication efforts is a power step in that direction.

Ana Mollinedo Mims, President & CEO, A-proposito, LLC. (Offices in the US and Asia)