Marketing Communication always needs to achieve a clearly defined business result. The business result should be evaluated by the board of a company in terms of the definitive outcomes required by the company’s strategy. Once the parameters of the evaluation of the communication efforts are agreed upon by the board and the company communicators – senior management and the marketing, sales and communication departments – success usually follows.
In the ever-changing business environment, communication sits at the heart of business strategy development. Where most companies fail in their communication efforts, is in failing to communicate their strategy to stakeholders regularly and in a sustainable manner. This is usually because there is no clear framework for communication. The lack of a clear framework often results in contradictory messages, duplication and conflict.
Often when messages are cascaded down the organisation, stakeholders are left to interpret the messages unaided. While the message remains the same, each person interprets the message differently, based on an experience with the company or issue. Many companies communicate with their stakeholders and staff only in the event of a crisis leading to disillusionment among staff and a cynical resignation by their external stakeholders.