Key Data for Communicators in Global Survey

The latest global survey from Melcrum, Key Benchmark Data for Communicators 2009, has revealed that in the light of the recession, every area of internal communications is being re-examined. Here are some of the survey’s headlines and what they mean for IC professionals:

Budget cuts – almost half of respondents (46%) said they will be spending less on consultants in the next 12 months. External advisors will therefore need to “re-evaluate what they offer and become more focused”. For those working in-house, budget cuts will mean less opportunities to move position and engage employees on a grand scale – but will be a chance for savvy communicators to gain respect by getting creative working closely with leaders and to make a difference.

Strategy change – 47% of respondents stated that cutbacks have led to fundamental change in their communication strategy. The main focus for internal communicators today appears to be on rebuilding trust and giving employees the answers they need. This is good news as it puts IC in the limelight, but it is demanding work that often needs to be done with fewer resources. Now more than ever, IC professionals need to prove their worth to gain the resources they need.

Change in Channels – 45% of respondents predicted a reduction in print communications in the coming year, with many seeing the Internet as a more cost effective and engaging alternative, due to its ability to spread messages to the right audiences with simplicity, immediacy and transparency.

Priority skills - Most respondents indicated that over the next 12 months, the most important skills will be: ‘managing change communication’ (43.2%), ’supporting senior leadership communication’ (37.9%), and ‘measuring the effectiveness of internal communication’ (27.6%). In terms of leadership communications, ‘coaching managers to communicate’ came out as the top priority (52.5%), closely followed by ’strategic planning’ (51%) and ‘how to assess communication effectiveness’ (49.3%).

More about the survey and its findings >

Melitta

Marketing masterclass on branding: 1 October 2009

The Geneva Communicators Network is a media partner for the following communications event where our members (that’s you!) can receive a discount entry.  Full details on the event below:

 The International University in Geneva and  Geneva Women in International Trade  have the pleasure to invite you to a roundtable:

“Marketing Masterclass: Can branding be a bridge between the corporates and the international organisations? ”    

When: Thursday 1 October 2009, 6 p.m.

Where: Ramada Park Hotel, Avenue Louis-Casaï 75-77, Genève-Cointrin 1216

 “A mini-revolution is taking place among international and non-governmental organizations that are borrowing marketing strategies normally used in the corporate world to build stronger brands and partner more effectively with industry. What appeared to be a savvy trend before the current economic turmoil may now become a financial necessity. How can these two worlds with seemingly different agendas best maximise these new “partnerships”? Our panel brings together experts in marketing and communications who will share their insight, methodologies and provide practical examples.”

Panel members: • Sue Mizera, Managing Director, Young & Rubicam Brands
• John Kidd, Head of Global Communications, International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN)
• Amanda Seller, Head of Private Sector Fund Raising, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
• Nada Dugas, Associate Director, Procter & Gamble,External Relations Baby Care, EMEA

Register online here and note in the comments box “GCN member”:
http://www.iun.ch/index.cfm/en/iun/news_events/registrationform?id=77

Entry fee: 35 CHF (25 CHF for GWIT, GCN and IUN Alumni) with 5 CHF donated for every entry to the Room to Read project

Agenda:
6.00 p.m.       Welcome
6.30 p.m.       Presentations followed by discussions
8.00 p.m.       Cocktail and networking

Register online here and note in the comments box “GCN member”:
http://www.iun.ch/index.cfm/en/iun/news_events/registrationform?id=77

For further information, please consult the roundtable flyer (pdf):
http://www.iun.ch/common/doc/en/Marketing_Masterclass.pdf

Change communications and ownable truths

The key to effective internal communications that will support and drive positive change is a thorough understanding of your brand and your people. This demands that you uncover the ownable truths about your organisation – the genuine, inspiring and truly representative truths that define and unite your people and brand.

In a recently launched white paper, design, branding and communications consultancy Small Back Room, provide communication practitioners with the tools to do just this.

In this paper, Small Back Room explain how to uncover these ownable truths and used them to build or enhance a brand from the inside out, helping you to generate a platform for clear, direct and effective communications that will drive positive change.

The paper also looks at the relationships between brands, strategy, internal communications and change – and their impact on internal communications and includes a ‘change scenario assessment tool’ so that you can evaluate exactly where your organisation is in the change cycle and then plan your management of change from there.

Small Back Room has made the paper available for download by GCN members >

Melitta

4th Geneva Communications Forum

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Thanks to the many communicators who came out for the 4th Geneva Communications Forum «Taking Brand Initiative: Aligning Strategy, Culture, and Identity» on Monday evening (the Geneva Communicators Network was a co-organiser of the event).

Read a summary of the event here>>

View the photos of the event here>>

View the World Television webcast here>>

New communications jobs and consultancy opportunities

New communication jobs in Geneva are up on our career page

Visual Communications Specialist, BIS, Basel

Communication positions, UNAIDS, Geneva

Consultancy – web projects UNICEF, Geneva

Good luck!

Social Media for Internal Communicators – a practical guide

Internal communication agency, theblueballroom, has a released a social media white paper giving internal communicators a practical guide to social media tools. Called Collaboration in Action, the white paper is free to download, but you must register first.

Download the white paper >

Melitta

Employee engagement, the key to Britain’s future

A new British Government review has highlighted the importance of effective engagement to successful business performance, showing that high levels of employee engagement are inextricably linked to the successful achievement of commercial and other organisational objectives. 

The MacLeod Review, commissioned by the British Government’s Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, also states that British firms need to improve engagement levels. It cites a number of impeding factors ranging from leaders not really understanding what employee engagement is or recognising its importance, to not knowing where to go for assistance, and the poor people skills of many line managers.

David MacLeod, who lead the review with Nita Clarke, said: “This is about unleashing the potential of people at work and enabling them to be the best they can be. Whether we are in a downturn or in better economic times, engagement is a key to innovation and competitiveness.”

Nita Clarke said:  “By respecting the contribution employees can make and ensuring they are fully involved in developing their organisation’s future, employers can help unlock their full potential. When done well, employee engagement is a win for the organisation, a win for the individual and therefore a win for the country as a whole.” 

Read more about the review’s findings >

Melitta

Training course: writing for the web

The Geneva Web Group have organised an interesting training course this week:

Topic: writing for the web
Date: Thursday 27 August, 14-18h00
Place: HDC, Geneva
Cost: 40 CHF
Facilitator: Eric Reiss

Sign up at:  http://www.doodle.com/t3m3awafv7k4g88f

In just three hours, Eric will show you how to create findable, scannable, skim-able, and readable on-line content. This is the stuff that creates understanding, builds trust, and increases conversion rates. Topics include:

- why writing for the web is different (basic observations and hard facts)
- navigation (labels, not graphics)
- shared-reference building (getting folks on the same mental page)
- descriptions (core content)
- contextual navigation (locally relevant links)
- convenience text (alt texts, pop-ups, FAQs, and instructions)
- information architecture (from a content-provider point-of-view)
- metadata (machine-readable keywords, titles, and descriptions).

Eric Reiss

Eric Reiss has been actively involved in the creation of multimedia and web projects for over 30 years. Following a long career as a senior copywriter for one of Europe’s leading business-to-business advertising agencies, he is now CEO of the FatDUX Group, a user-experience consultancy headquartered in Copenhagen, Denmark, with affiliates in Hamburg, London, Cracow, and Los Angeles.

Sign up at:  http://www.doodle.com/t3m3awafv7k4g88f

Internal Communications – vital and growing in Latin America

We have often reported on Internal Communications (IC) in Europe and the States and it’s importance during times of crisis. So it was interesting to read a report this week that shows how IC is regarded in Argentina. 

Interestingly, the study conducted by the Asociación Argentina de Comunicación Interna (Argentine Association of Internal Communication), shows that the majority of Argentine companies formally manage their Internal Communications (70% with an in-house person or team), with 84% of those responsible for Communication stating that they have their own budget and 40% of them are handling a budget which is higher than last year’s.

This fact, together with the knowledge that none of the companies survey plan to downsize their internal communication function or activities, would seem to show that the discipline is seen as an important success factor, particularly in today’s climate of change. 

For more about the survey and its findings, download a copy of the research >

Melitta

Twitter tops social media for Fortune 100 companies

During 2009, Twitter surpassed blogging as the social media platform of choice – at least among the Fortune 100.

A recent analysis compiled by Burson-Marsteller and Proof Digital Media found that the largest 100 companies, in the terms of revenue as compiled by Fortune Magazine’s annual Fortune 500, were active on three key social media: Twitter, Facebook and Blog. 

According to the study, 54% of the Fortune 100 use Twitter to reach out directly to stakeholders,while 32% use blogs and 29% actively use a Facebook Fan Page to engage. Despite the perception that Twitter is the newest kid on the block among the three platforms, 76% of Fortune 100 companies that were using just one social media channel were using Twitter over the other two channels.

The study also revealed that that Twitter is most often used for news and announcements (94%), customer service (67%), promotions and deals (57%), and job postings (11%). By contrast, Facebook fan pages are more consumer focused, with promotions, product information, and philanthropy and community service announcements. And content on corporate blogs, the study found, falls into categories of current projects, external initiatives, and community involvement. 

More about the surveys results >

Melitta