How to develop and practice scenario planning within your organisation for issues management
Issues management planning and preparation is not a reactive task—it’s a proactive necessity. As communicators, we must anticipate potential challenges and prepare our organisations to navigate them effectively. The preparation begins with observation. We must scan the horizon for potential threats, whether they stem from internal processes, external factors, or unforeseen events. However, working in […]
Issues are like whack-a-mole, here’s your game kit.
Issues management is akin to a relentless game of whack-a-mole. Each emerging issue, be it a customer complaint gone viral or a misinterpreted executive statement, represents a potential threat that can impact a brand’s reputation, the organisation’s positioning, and erode the hard-earned trust of customers. The stakes in this game are exceedingly high; each mole […]
How to do a vulnerability assessment for issues management
Issues management is a critical aspect of any brand or organisation’s operations. It is the process of identifying, analysing, and responding to issues that have the potential to impact an entity’s reputation, financial stability, or ability to operate effectively. The scope of issues management is broad and can encompass a wide range of potential problems. […]
Personalisation with PR – Is it possible?
Personalisation in communications and PR is testing the way we communicate and engage with our audiences. The need for personalisation arises from the desire to create unique, tailored experiences that resonate with diverse audiences. It’s about understanding their individual needs, preferences, and behaviours of your audience, and then crafting messages that speak directly to these […]
Inbound vs. outbound communications campaigns
When it comes to communications and public relations (PR), there are two approaches – inbound and outbound – that can impact the strategy and trajectory of your campaign. Inbound campaigns are all about attracting your audience to come to you. They are designed to draw visitors and potential customers in, rather than outwardly pushing a […]
Managing the dynamic parts of your campaign
A campaign must respond to the shifting landscape of the market and the evolving needs and behaviours of your target audience. Campaigns go through dynamic parts, or phases, each with its own set of challenges and opportunities. These phases could include the planning stage, the execution stage, the monitoring stage, and/or the evaluation stage. At […]
How do we explain that our plans are dynamic?
Our work is a dynamic dance of adaptability. This dance is not choreographed in the traditional sense. There is no set sequence of steps to follow. We are not merely executing predefined steps; instead, we are constantly adjusting our movements in response to the rhythm of the market and the reactions of our audience. The […]
Setting up KPIs for your plan
Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) are often regarded as just mere numbers or data points. However, they are crucial to us, as communicators. KPIs guide us, providing direction and focus. They are the quantifiable measures that help us understand whether our efforts are steering us towards our desired outcomes or if we are drifting off course. […]
Managing a project starts from the plan
Project management is often perceived as a daunting task. And to tell the truth, this perception is not entirely unfounded. The complexity of coordinating various elements, the pressure of meeting deadlines, and the challenge of managing resources can indeed be overwhelming. But why do people find project management particularly challenging? The answer often lies in […]
How to use the Critical Path Method for communications and marketing projects?
Communications, Public Relations (PR) and marketing projects are characterised by their fast-paced nature, where multiple tasks often need to be managed simultaneously. In such scenarios, the Critical Path Method (CPM) can become an essential project management framework and technique for the communicator. The importance of CPM in PR and marketing stems from its ability to […]