It’s hard enough to communicate with everyone who needs to hear from your organization in a timely manner. It’s another thing to do it in a way that resonates effectively. 

- Different groups are looking for different messages that drive faith in your brand and inform their decisions.

- Different people also have different ideas of what ideal communication looks like, preferring different channels, frequency and message content. 

We’re in an age where anytime, anywhere access to services and information is the expectation, not the exception. People want to hear from your organization on their timeline, and your communication strategies need to reflect this reality. This is especially true as more information-hungry Millennials become your target audience members.

Take a Careful Approach to Customizing Communications.
Connecting with your target audience is only partially about getting the right message to them. It’s also about providing the right information when and how they need it. Start here to do it more effectively.
  
1. Know your audience. Develop a strategic approach to consistently communicate with each audience segment. Start by taking careful account of who they are, what their pain points are, what they’re looking for from you and what their communication channel preferences likely are, based on how they spend their day. It’s an exercise known as creating “personas”—read what the process looks like here.

2. Speak to them where they are. Not everyone is seeking the same sort of information at the same time. People move through information-gathering journeys, and if they’re still learning about a particular product or service, they may not be ready for information on why they should come to you for it. Consider: What do they already know? What do they want to know? When do they want to know it? What don’t they want to know? See how to communicate with your audience based on where they are in their journey. 

3. Use the right tools. Give your audience information they can’t get from your competitors. Leverage automated communication processes to better measure results and customize your efforts. When it comes to adopting digital tools, embrace “right” over “new.”

4. Communicate about your communications. Once you’ve determined your communication strategy, inform everyone it affects and ensure they understand their role. If you create a new resource or harness a new technology, make sure your team knows how to make the most of it. Be sure you understand new tools well enough to assist with adoption among your audience.

5. Take a comprehensive approach. Reaching your audiences effectively may require a mix of paid (advertising/sponsorship), earned (media coverage), shared (social media and influencer communication) and owned (content on platforms you control) media. A comprehensive approach to engaging an audience can multiply your impact, so be sure you are relying on professionals with expertise in these communication areas when crafting your strategies.

There’s no shortage of external communication challenges facing an organization like yours. But they’re far from insurmountable if you’re willing to take a step back, take a deep breath and methodically plan your approach to satisfying stakeholder needs. 

It also doesn’t hurt to have experienced communications professionals by your side, helping you devise and execute a tailored strategy. Professionals like us. 

We’ve helped clients across a broad spectrum of industries tackle a variety of challenges to ensure their communications are resonating with their stakeholders. And we’re ready to do it again. 

Let’s start taking on your toughest communication needs together. Contact us to get started.

Related: Your Largest Employee Segment is About to Become Your Largest Customer Base.