Corporate communications departments are a vital part of a company’s structure. They help shape how, and whether, the world sees the company. But sometimes they get too big for their britches. Don’t make these mistakes in your marketing communications department.
- Acting like a master instead of a servant. Communications departments exist to get the word out about what *everyone else* at the company is doing, not to control when and how they can tell the world about what they’re doing. Your purpose is to proactively find out what they’re doing and get the word out, reactively respond to requests for publicity when they ask for it, and strategically create an overarching message, brand, and plan that you execute in partnership with other departments. A bad sign: if other departments can’t get what they need from you and they begin sneaking around you to communicate with their customers and shareholders? You’re not doing your job.
- Thinking you hold the keys to the kingdom. It’s laughable that in some organizations, even the president or vice president has a marketing department-imposed disclaimer on her communications that explains it’s only her opinion and nothing she says represents the organization, blah blah….zzzzz. If someone that high up on the totem pole can’t speak for the organization, you have the wrong people that high up on the totem pole, or else you have a power grab at work in your marketing department.
- Making social media go through an approval process. Social media is about connecting–genuinely–with friends and fans. You don’t do that by running a potential status update past several layers of management. If you’re worried about making a faux pas online, join the club: so is every other organization in the world. The answer isn’t to delay social media communication, but to appoint select, trustworthy people who “get it” to be your social media spokespeople.
- Putting your youngest, tech-savviest employee on social media. He may be a whiz at code or the latest and greatest hangouts for teens, but you need someone with a bit of accumulated wisdom and experience to represent your organization online. You don’t need layers of approval, but you don’t want inexperience, either. A happy solution is, again, to appoint select, trustworthy people who “get it” as your social media spokespeople.
- Maintaining a stiff company line. Everyone knows when a company is spouting bull$*%&. When you’re backed into a corner, make the best of it, take the high road, but don’t pretend it’s not happening. Don’t hide behind passive sentence construction (“Mistakes were made, and insincere apologies proffered…”). And for the love of all that is compassionate, don’t let Legal cowtow you into creating a scapegoat and washing your company hands of it. People see right through those blame games. Own it, be real, and make it better. It’s the right thing to do and you know it.
- Complicating everything. It’s not complicated. Don’t let it be. Develop a strategic, holistic communications plan for the organization as a whole that is visionary, anticipating where the company and its customers will go in the future. Then drill that plan down into individual brands, concepts, and products and tailor it. Finally, execute. Evaluate. Tweak. Overhaul if necessary. Find the magic connection between your company and its stakeholders and roll with it.
It doesn't have to be this complicated. Really.
Now, consider the opposite of these six “don’ts.” Marketing communications departments should serve the other departments and the company’s stakeholders promptly, humbly, proactively, and sincerely. No layers of bureaucracy, no power grabs, just fabulous service. Success stems from a good company culture. Aren’t you ready for that?
