FAQs

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Corporate Communications

External business Communication
Any exchange of information, or even advertising of any sort that an organization establishes with the people outside the organization can be termed as external business communication. External communication involves exchange of information or transmission of messages to clients, investors, or any other organization, which is directly or indirectly related to the performance of your business.

Modes of External Communication
Advertising: Advertising is perhaps a very crucial mode of communication as far as the clients of the company are concerned. Advertisements in any form - prints, video or audio can be used effectively to communicate your message to the clients/ customers. Advertising your products /services can help you reassure existing clients and give you a chance to attract new customers. Advertising can be done using the following media:

Print media: Newspapers, Magazines, Fliers, Brochures, Newsletters, and Catalogues

Electronic media: Internet, Telephone, Television, Radio or the emerging Podcasts can be used effectively for external business communication.

Non-conventional: If your Business is looking for un-conventional communication ideas, then investing in Trade shows, Promotional events, or setting up kiosks and hoardings can be a good option.

Goals of External Business Communication

Creating a Corporate Image: Any external communication that a corporate organization undertakes is instrumental in creating a corporate identity for the business. Every form of communication and all its elements contribute to building a corporate image. For example even the kind of colors a company uses for its corporate stationary or the company logo will speak volumes about the kind of image the company is trying to portray.

Retaining old customers and attracting new customers: External business communication can be used effectively to reach out to your old customers and strengthen their trust in the business. The other objective is to reach out to the new customers/clients. Ultimately effective communication translates into an increased, steady inflow of revenues.

Tips:
Be concise and clear during communicating. Explain your goals and objectives very precisely.
Do not bluff or make false claims. Failure to fulfill those claims will earn your Business a bad reputation.
While arranging meetings or conferences with your clients/customers, value their time and consider their convenience

Communication within the organizational structure of a corporate company is called internal business communication. Internal business communication is also one factor that cannot be compromised upon if you want to ensure a successful business.

Goals of Internal Communication:

Creating Better Work Atmosphere: Workplace atmosphere can be enhanced by effective business communication. Healthy flow of communication across all the peer groups, subordinates and seniors ensures a healthy work atmosphere.

Increased Productivity: Better communication translates into better understanding of Corporate goals and objectives of the company. If communication between work groups is clear and sound, it results in increased productivity for the Business.

Modes of Internal Communication

Print: Memos, in-house newsletters, fliers, magazines or leaflets can be used according to the business needs.

Electronic: PowerPoint presentations, videoconferences, telephone; fax, emails or even Internet messengers can be used for in-house communication.

Personal Communication: Regular meetings, conferences, brainstorming sessions or even informal chats can be considered as effective communication tools at workplace.

Internal business communication can be further classified into three categories of communication:

Upward Communication

Communication within the organization that passes from a lower hierarchy to higher hierarchy is called upward communication. For example subordinates passing on information to their seniors will be considered as upward communication.Here are some useful pointers to use while communicating with your seniors:
Subordinates should communicate with their seniors with an amount of respect. Although, we live in an age where workplace atmospheres are getting more friendly and open, it is necessary that one must not cross their boundaries.
Try maintaining a healthy relationship with your senior. Always seek feedback and at the same time make it a point to convey your own ideas and suggestions to them
Downward Communication

Communication that flows from the higher hierarchy to lower hierarchy is called downward communication. Some points to keep in mind while communicating with your subordinates at work:
Treat your subordinates with respect
Criticism if unavoidable should be kept constructive
Regularly ask for suggestions or feedback
Horizontal Communication

Communication within peer groups can be terned as horizontal communication. Bitching and gossiping may not be the only form of information exchange. Make note of some useful tips while you are at your workplace:
Do not indulge in mud slinging /back stabbing

Try and avoid conversations that tend to de-motivate you or your colleagues from work

Techniques for Effective Corporate Communication:

Timelines: It is crucial to remember that your business interests and business relationships may be spanning the continents and hence, respecting timelines and calculating deadlines are of utmost importance. You need to devise a technique to try out and confirm to the best communication 'space' that works for you. Always focus on saving time and ensuring timely execution of important strategies and business plans. In order to save time and meet organizational goals amidst the workforce in one physical arena as well as across the globe, you should capitalize on the communication media like efax and internet telephone at hand.

Protocol: Formal, as well as informal work environs demand respect for protocol. It is very important to follow the same when communicating too and ensure that the chosen communication technique or techniques are designed to meet specifications. Irrespective of whether you are personally communicating at a presentation or using some form of communication media, acknowledging seniors within the hierarchy chart over those on lower rungs ensures that you don't rub sore shoulders. If this strategy is applied all the time, you will notice easier follow-through and much more clarity in the delegation and execution of work within the community.

Technology: Make the most of corporate communication mediums available at your disposal to build strong business relationships. You should optimize the use of online publications, Ezines and even automated responses to make your presence felt within the business community. This highly effective corporate communication technique or strategy helps you to literally 'be' at two or more places at the same time! Businesses around the world today, capitalize on the efficiency of electronic communication and internet technology. Don't be left behind.

Techniques for good corporate communication have a number of tangible and intangible benefits including optimized increased revenue, improved customer retention service and lead examples of corporate leadership to colleagues and new recruits. As you sway between the frustration and by-the-minute exerted stress of responsibilities, focusing on a positive mental attitude and keeping the tried and tested techniques for successful corporate communication in mind helps a lot.

How to craft an effective message or communication campaign?
Crafting an effective message or communication campaign is dependent on many factors:

Importance of Effective Internal and external communication.
People get thousands of messages each day, and the first question is "Why should I care?" or "What's in it for me?" Effective communication answers this question.

• Crucial information should be highlighted and made sure it is delivered in the materials.
• Emphasize the importance at the beginning of your message or materials.
• Keeping your communication straightforward makes it more effective.
• Avoid using acronyms, regulatory terms or jargon.
• Delete words if an average person doesn’t understand them.
• When writing, keep sentences short and break up copy with headings and graphics. A page full of text is not appealing to potential readers.

External business communication puts focus on audiences outside the company. This sort of communication happens through public relations, media relations, marketing management and advertising and is intended to enhance cooperation between a business and other groups and creates a positive corporate image. It also coordinates plans with business partners and suppliers and markets a company.

Internal communication, on the other hand, puts focus on the employees and makes them feel they are not neglected. They are a part of the company policy and are its brand ambassadors. It can be effectively managed through regular monthly meetings and constant, updated emails about the companies policies and decisions. Communication within a company improves good working relationships and teamwork. Leaders use it to inform and motivate. Professionalism, respect and tact are important to effective, ethical internal communication.

What are the popular methods of corporate communication?

• Make information available to customers and employees through a variety of formats.
• Text messages and e-mails can be used to communicate urgent information, while newsletters can be used for content that is not urgent.
• A website is vital for communication with customers, a well-organized Intranet displaying news content and practical resources can be helpful to employees.
• Video presentations appeal to visual learners and offers new perspectives or details.
• Regular meetings with employees and customers develops interaction and leads to credibility.

Timeliness in Corporate communications

Information that customers need to know must be communicated quickly. When customers learn information from the media instead of the organization, there can be a perception that you intended to hide the information.
Two of the most serious mistakes an organization can make when communicating with stakeholders is providing information that is too little and too late.

Transparency and Frequency

• You can build trust in your Employees and the public by increasing the transparency of your messages.
• Executives should be forthcoming and willing to express disasters and regret about difficult situations. Often, sharing the reasons behind difficulties helps in better understanding.
• Monthly newsletters or quarterly meetings can keep employees informed about company activities, while articles on the company's website and e-mails keep customers in the loop.

What are the Benefits of Corporate Communication?

Having an effective plan for corporate communications helps organizations:

• Build relationships with customers
• Improve company culture
• Establish leadership in their industry.

New companies and small businesses can build their organisations with a good communications strategy. Press releases are sent to the media to indicate the launch of new products, changes in leaderships or company news. When faced with situations of crises as well, companies should be in constant touch with the media and prevent an unreasonable panic among customers. With the advent of the internet today, organisations show customer service on posts like Facebook and Twitter as well as send online webcasts. Inside the company, Intranets’ keep employees posted on the latest news.

To What extent can we use multimedia for corporate communications?

Multimedia communication helps capture attention. It can be of great help when complex messages have to be sent across. Powerpoint, Information graphics, videos, podcasts, emails, social networking sites, Flash, text messages, SMSs, and news conferences are some ways of using multimedia for corporate communication. They help the message effectively, and like we all know, we see and understand better.

Marketing communications

Marketing communication - methods

In order to effectively communicate, print, social networks, digital media and broadcast media have to be collaraborated. All these campaigns should be aligned with the marketing plan underlined by the company. Some of the policies that can be followed are:

• Create specific, measurable plans that are realistic and timely
• Research details about potential customers, target audiences before embarking on a design schedule
• Spend adequately on advertising for all the media. The ad should create a demand for the product. Use all the available media to the best advantage.
• Ensure the customers voice is heard and taken care of Execute special offers like discount sales, promotions etc and reach out to the public as much as possible.

Virtual communication in business

As dependency on the Internet grows, the need for virtual communication also does. The use of emails, web cams, video conferencing, text messaging, online advertising and social media networks are all instances of virtual communication. The intention in using virtual communication is that a message is sent accurately, and instantaneously, in exactly the way we want to send it and is received by the recipient in exactly the same manner.

Integrated marketing

Unconscious experience of an advertiser’s message is also a potential source of pulling customers. Traditionally, the same message was repeated over a single medium multiple times. Now, with all the advancements of technology, the same message is designed to suit multiple media so the customer gets the same message as many times as possible.

Branding

Steps to create a brand

•The first step to create a brand is to know your competitors. Once you are aware of how consumers look at your company, then it is easy to handle competition.

• Increase an awareness of your own strengths and try to market them in accordance with your customer wishes.
• A clearly defined target customer base helps in strengthening a brand
• Identifying customer needs and fulfilling them through your products is best to develop your brand
• Knowing customers attitudes, lifestyle, purchasing styles will be a definite plus
• Making high quality products and constantly trying to make them better is the key
• Live up to your brand image. Display all the qualities that you advertise yourself with.

A corporate identity

An identity is how the public comes to see a company. For example, people who look at Amul butter identify the girl eating delicious butter. Their slogan “utterly butterly delicious” also goes with it. A corporate identity can be conveyed through a logo, a slogan or just a line of plain text.

Keeping the logo, the tagline and the color scheme uniform across all products creates a sense of uniqueness and also shows focus. For official purposes, creating letterheads, business cards and stationery with the company logo adds a visual touch of your dedication. Company blogs and websites also go a long way in adding credibility to the brand.

Visual branding

Visual branding has many aspects to it like:

• A logo- a company logo usually makes it stand out.
• Tagline- a one line phrase that talks about what the company does, what it is best at or it is famous for.
• Color scheme- this is a choice that companies make. Some companies select a color scheme to represent them while others just do with black and white
• Font- this can often go with the logo. For example, if it is a product aimed at children the font can be a little funnier than a font we would use to publish an official document
• Packaging- often companies use this as a chance to enhance their brand name. On every product of theirs the company logo and color scheme will be used.

T-shirts, blogs, business cards or every other advertising aspect of the company should convey the same message using the logos, tag lines, colors and fonts so that repeated exposure to the same creates a brand identity in public. Some companies also create music jingles along with their ads to enhance brand recognition among customers.

Communication branding

•Create blogs, emails, and profiles on social networking sites, brochures, pamphlets, and advertisements etc that display your visual brand.
•At the same time, create a mission statement and try to incorporate the values you have set in your mission statement into every article and ad you display. Keep your mission statement popular so that you show your customers you are focused in your work.

Behavioral branding

•Get public relation ideas that work in accordance with your mission.
•Every employee of the company has to behave the same way to project a public image for the company
•Stay focused on the mission and do not let the public perceive that there is a shift in values for the sake of publicity

Retail marketing
There are loads of places for customers to choose from today. In every brand there is competition between the product and also competition between the stores that sell the products. There is no guarantee the customer is going to shop only from this store or only for this product. In the era of online shopping most customers do not even get to see and touch the actual product before it reaches their home. This is where branding comes into play. Once customers are aware of a brand and are comfortable with it, it is more likely that they will stick to it.

Advertising

Advertising with the web

With the onset of the Internet, companies are now trying to use the World Wide Web to complement their ad campaigns in print and broadcast media. Started in the mid 1990s, the constant use of the Internet makes it a highlight source for advertising. Companies explain about their products in detail and also provide positive interaction to customers online, in order to attract them. Some of the commonest forms of web advertising are:

• Search Engine marketing
• Pay per click ads
• Display ads like banners and classifieds and auctions
• Social networking sites
• Email campaigns for personal communication with potential customers

What are the advantages of advertising on the web?

There are manifold opportunities of advertising on the web. The first and the foremost is of course, the equal advertising opportunities to small and big organizations alike.
The internet is available 24 hrs a day, seven days a week, in fact, throughout the year non stop.
Immediate, viewer feedback, ease in management etc are some other factors that encourage companies to advertise on the web.

Why is business advertising important?

Irrespective of the size of the business, it should communicate through ads. If a business is not advertising, then it is obviously not being considered for buying. Advertising on a shoe string budget also keeps the business before the customers. In case of a crunch in funds, short term staregy should help because it helps in retaining existing customers. From local pamphlets and ads in the news papers to the Internet, everything helps!

Why is commercial advertising important?

Advertising is of prime importance to all business. The broadcast media, especially the Television is a great advertising source. Its wide reach, audio visual presentation, and multiple channels are all factors that boost television’s advertising potential. Well established business can always reinvent their image through a new, well designed commercial.

Film and Documentary

Films are the most effective medium of communication today, especially with youth.

The making of a movie -steps

All movies start from a concept- a basic idea followed by a plot, storyline, twists and turns in the storyline, characters, settings etc. The script is the most important phase of film making. Casting makes up for the glamour and action side of a movie while the crew makes up the technical side. Beginning from the iidea to writing a script, drawing story boards, getting funds, cast, crew, locations and equipment are all stages a movie undergoes before finally starting shooting and getting final touches with editing.

What are High Definition films?

High definition film making is using latest technological advances to make sharper, clearer images. Often, the resolution or pixel size of a HD is some hundred times more than a normal television resulting in better quality images. Available in two formats: the progressive and the interlaced, HD also has the advantage of using more frames per second when compared to traditional movies. HD has a capacity of up to 56 to 60 frames a second that helps in reducing the flicker effect. Editing is also much easier and instant footages can be viewed.

How to film Documentaries?

A Documentary is a much shorter film revolving around one issue, highlighting its problems etc. It is a symbol of modern culture and technical advancements. The first thing to shooting a documentary would be deciding on a sensitive issue. Thorough research should be done before embarking on the project. For funding, in some cases the government can also provide grants. The script is as important as a film in a documentary. Preferably shoot using a B-roll video. Documentaries involve many interviews, setting up a schedule with all the interviewees will be important. For every interview, keep a back up of about two interviewees in mind. Finally, edit the project depending on the length required. Usually documentaries are 90 minutes in length; however, they can be shorter or longer depending on the need and sensitivity of the topic. Documentaries can enter film festivals much more easily than full length feature films and doing so can be a great chance of exposure for film makers.

HD versus Standard definition

High definition (HD) is replacing Standard definition (SD) today. In comparison to SD, HD has the following advantages:

• HD uses digital signals that are compact and carry more information leading to better picture quality.
• HD works with more pixels, therefore better resolution.
• HD has an option of working with Interlaced or progressive pixels giving integrated images.
• SD however is cheaper when compared to HD and some shows still exist in SD.