By Andrew Blum*
In the communications tool book it’s sometimes easy to forget the internal audience. A word of advice: don’t forget it– in fact, embrace it.
As you set out in the New Year and look at the PR and communications landscape, think of your goals for the next 12 months. Key among them is the audience within your company. They need to receive frequent, periodic updates about your company and your brand. Make sure you are doing that with a designated internal communicator and have all communications branded the same way. Save a message from the CEO only for very important messages.
Besides updating your internal audience on good news about the company via email, newsletter or video, make sure that when you are releasing external news, it is announced internally first. And if you know there is going to be bad news about your company or brand in the news media, make sure a select group of internal people are alerted beforehand.
It’s also important to update your internal communications plan from time to time. While you are doing that, make sure all of your departments are in sync on this – from HR to payroll to benefits to marketing to the executive suite and operations. They are all part of the internal audience and are key to keeping up your internal brand.
*Andrew Blum is a PR consultant and media trainer and principal of AJB Communications. He has directed PR for professional services and financial services firms, NGOs, agencies and other clients. As a PR executive, and formerly as a journalist, he has been involved on both sides of the media aisle in some of the most media intensive crises of the past 25 years. Contact him at ajbcomms@gmail.com or follow him on Twitter: @ajbcomms.
