- How many times have you heard the phrase “thought leader” (i.e., expert) and wondered how to achieve that status?
- Ditto for “content is king”—what does that even mean?
- Do you ever find yourself thinking that you and the other professionals at your firm know enough and are experienced enough to have an impact on your profession, but you don’t know how you can find the time to do what is necessary to move forward?
- Did you ever want to express your opinion about an issue, whether that is year-end tax planning or why changing auditor firms may not be the best thing to do, but you didn’t know where to start?
- Have you ever stressed over writing a response that clarifies your position on a particular issue?
The obstacles these questions represent can be overcome—if you plan and implement a strategy that is right for you. Your strategic communications plan many include white papers, brochures, blogs, tweets, direct mail or any other media. The important factors are developing a plan, committing to it and being accountable for implementation.
Here are some things to consider as you begin planning:
- What particular area do you want to promote? Do you have a unique niche, practice area or ancillary product that you wish to highlight?
- Know what story you want to tell. Is it a case study, new view of an old topic, or something else?
- Be careful not to overextend. Start with one service or area, and assign a budget.
- Choose the person who will champion and oversee the effort. Several people may supply content (e.g., each partner in the area may be charged with writing one article each quarter), but there should only be one leader. That person, perhaps your marketing director or partner in charge of marketing, should be accountable for
- assigning “stories” that will further the firm’s agenda
- ensuring the manuscript is delivered in a timely manner
- editing the copy to be sure the story is told in a way the potential audience will understand and appreciate
- overseeing publication of the story as well as any related public relations efforts
It is important to note that being accountable for these tasks does not mean the project leader has to do each item him or herself. Good delegating is part of good leadership, after all.
This process of implementing a strategic communication program may seem overwhelming, but it is doable if it is undertaken in a thoughtful, considered manner.