Strategic communication is intentional communication
It was Matiul Islam Nowshad who first introduced with the concept of strategic communication to me a few years ago when we were trying to understand, as a company, what we wanted to achieve through communications function.
We discussed a lot about strategic communication, and Nowshad Bhai also assigned one of our teammates, Niaz Siddiqui, who would think about it and plan the ways ahead.
Understanding strategic communication is essential.
To my mind, strategic communication is the art of incorporating different aspects of communication into one strategy. All parts of communication are crucial for a successful entity. Understanding each component will help our organization become a stronger brand.
The term ‘strategic’ has many connotations. It refers to tactics or practices in business circles and is often associated with military theory or international relations. The words ‘strategy’ and ‘communication’ indicate intentional communication, a deliberate plan, or both.
Strategic communication impacts all functions of an organization, including marketing. Communication is not simply a tool for transmitting information but is a resource for producing the social world. It encompasses all aspects of communication efforts, such as media releases, internal communications, relationships with journalists, customer communications, handling crises and stakeholder management.
Strategic communication is to know what to communicate, when to communicate and at the same time, what not to communicate. And that is why the role of a strategic communicator is complex and dynamic. The communications professional must become adaptive, responsive, and resilient. Organizations are now demanding an unprecedented level of flexibility from their communications teams. Building the capacity to adapt to newer contexts and add value is important.
Among the many skills of a strategic communicator is knowing how to write powerful messages. Effective communicators are aware of their audience and tailor their messages accordingly. They use indirect and direct methods of communication to get their point across. They consider the audience’s knowledge level and use information that is relevant to them. They also know that some messages will be more effective than others.
A strategic message should address a problem or a goal that the audience shares. It has to be short, meaningful, motivational, and culturally relevant. If the message is clear to the audience, it will make the task easier for us. The goal of strategic messaging is also to drive behaviour, which leads to achieving business objectives.
If I were a strategic communicator, I should be using multiple communication channels. It helps in many ways. It will give us more control over messages’ flow and ensure that our messages get across to the right people. Some communications may be best suited to a broad audience, but we should always consider the specific needs of our customers, and internal and external stakeholders when designing our communication strategy.
Becoming an accountable communicator is a crucial component of strategic communications. This is what we often overlook. ‘Accountability’ can be defined as an obligation to account for one’s actions, accept responsibility, and transparently disclose the results. We must mean the messages that we spread.
** I dedicate this blog to Matiul Islam Nowshad, the mentor-teacher I will always remember and thank.
One Reply to “Strategic communication is intentional communication”
“Communication is not simply a tool for transmitting information but is a resource for producing the social world.”
“Some communications may be best suited to a broad audience, but we should always consider the specific needs of our customers, and internal and external stakeholders when designing our communication strategy.”