Three Redundant Communications Tactics to Safeguard your Organization’s Strategic Communications Plan

We now live in an era marked by fake news, privacy breaches, and a higher level of public skepticism than has been seen in decades. The new media are contributing to the growing risk in the communications market, and enterprises of all sorts must be cognizant of this phenomenon when developing their strategic communications plans. Though social and digital media platforms are popular and effective outlets for communicating quickly, authentically and cost-effectively with stakeholders, organizations must employ redundant communications tactics should these platforms deteriorate as the result of a crisis such as the one currently surrounding Facebook. The following are redundant communications tactics that have the potential to outlast popular social media outreach and can safeguard an organization from the negative consequences of a digital crisis.

Press Releases

When written well, a press release can be a great tool for quickly and easily gaining free publicity for your organization. A good press release can result in multiple media mentions, articles, and televised news stories about your company that have the potential to generate awareness as well as leads for your organization. Press releases can be pitched directly to journalists via email, a telephone conversation or face-to-face meeting as well as distributed on a larger scale through a service such as PR Newswire. Press releases can be used in conjunction with social media platforms such as Twitter to spread accurate information about your organization and its story. Though Twitter is a great platform for telling your organization’s story and keeping your audience up-to-date on the latest news, it is important to utilize redundant communications tactics in an era when the information industry is more volatile than ever. Using press releases as a redundant communications tactic to supplement the use of Twitter will help safeguard your organization’s strategic communications plan and ensure that your messages reach a wide audience accurately and efficiently.

Newsletters

Newsletters can be a great tool for promoting your organization’s mission, communicating with stakeholders, and keeping them informed of the lasted news and events. Newsletters can be distributed to your stakeholders digitally via email or be printed and sent through direct mail. Newsletters provide a great way for your organization to communicate with stakeholders about the information they value most as well as to let your organization’s brand personality shine through. Using newsletters in conjunction with Facebook is a good tactic for ensuring that your organization’s story is being told accurately and reaching a wide audience. Though Facebook is a great platform for communicating your organization’s story and engaging with stakeholders, many people are turning away from Facebook due to the ethical scandal currently surrounding the social media giant. Having a redundant communications tactic, such as the use of newsletters, in place will help ensure the safety and longevity of your organization’s strategic communications plan.

Op-Eds

Due to the growing prominence and influence of social media platforms as communications channels, many strategic communications plans fail to include newspapers in their toolbox of communications tactics. Though the influence of traditional newspapers may be fading, many newspaper companies such as the New York Times and Washington Post also post their content online to their websites. In this way, these companies can reach a wider audience through their owned digital platforms in addition to their printed materials. Pitching an op-ed to a reputable and relevant news outlet can be a great way to communicate your organization’s messages and mission to stakeholders and the public at large. Op-eds can be especially powerful tools for advocacy-oriented organizations to raise awareness about their cause. Because op-eds now appear online as well as in print, your organization will have the opportunity to direct readers to its owned media channels, such as its website, blog or social media pages. When pitching an op-ed, it is important to target publications that reach your target audiences and regularly post similar content to your organization’s story. This will increase the likelihood that your op-ed will be published and reach the right people. By utilizing op-eds in conjunction with communication through social media platforms and outside blog posts, you can ensure that your organization’s messages will be communicated accurately to your desired audience. Writing an op-ed as a redundant communications tactic can safeguard your organization’s strategic communications plan from the growing risks in the communications market, especially those related to the new media. Achieving placement for your organization’s op-ed in a reputable publication will also lend credibility to your organization’s messages in a way that social media posts cannot.

Now more than ever it is important to employ redundant communications tactics in conjunction with new media communications techniques. The digital world is an ever-changing and sometimes dangerous environment that can present your organization with as many challenges as it does opportunities. By employing redundant communications tactics as fail-safes in your organization’s strategic communications plan, you can ensure that your organization’s story will be told accurately and reach a wide audience.