In January, 2015, international communications
consultancy Hill+Knowlton Strategies expanded its physical footprint in
Africa with the launch of a new office in Lagos, Nigeria.
Hill+Knowlton Strategies Nigeria builds on the company’s
existing strong presence in Sub-Saharan Africa and further extends the
agency’s ability to serve its rapidly expanding
client interests in
African countries in a fully integrated way. The Hill+Knowlton
Strategies global network consists of some 88 offices, including key
African markets such as Egypt, Ghana, Kenya, Rwanda, South Africa,
Tanzania, and Uganda.
This article discusses how Hill & Knowlton Strategies Nigeria can create value for companies that invest in Communications.
Proving business effects from
communications has always been challenging. Now, in a communications
landscape that is fundamentally different from just a few years ago,
this challenge may be greater still.
It is not, however, impossible. Academic
research unveils strong relationships between investments in
communications and financial results for companies: In studies on brand
orientation it has been shown that companies with well-articulated brand
strategies outperform peers; in studies on reputation management, good
stakeholder relations help sustain superior profit outcomes over time;
even the level of news coverage of CEOs, a recent study from the
University of Cambridge says, has direct impact on the valuation of
joint stock firms.
Besides, at Hill+Knowlton we see tangible
results time and again, from more sales following product campaigns to
increased understanding among policy-makers for our clients’
perspectives.
And yet: the debate over communications’
ROI is far from over. It cannot be. The context for communications has
changed and therefore the need to assess value of communications is as
strong as ever.
Some significant forces drive change.
With the disintermediation of news and technological advances come
demands for truth and transparency and for authenticity. Audiences blur,
and showing strong character becomes more important. Business to Human,
as opposed to Business to Business and Business to Consumer, is the new
currency.
As a consequence, for real and tangible
ROI in the future, communications needs to change. At Hill+Knowlton, we
believe very strongly in what we call 3P Communications: Performance +
Purpose = Preference.
Performance is the ability to engage in
meaningful conversations with target audiences about the actual facts of
the business. What we do, how we do it, and why.
Purpose is a company’s raison d’etre, or
reason to exist. It’s about making a difference: To the world, to
customers and clients, to your shareholders, to employees.
Preference is the outcome: that audiences start to prefer our products, services, positions and qualities.
Building communications around this model
enables a different kind of conversation not only with audiences, but
also between the chief executive and the communications director. Basing
the communications function’s key performance indicators on the 3P
model ensures that investments in communications can be assessed in
business terms.
KPIs for communicating performance should be more rational
and directed towards specific business challenges, for instance
regulatory framework conditions in public affairs, or ability to operate
in market.
KPIs for communicating purpose should be
more emotional and, for instance, measurable through internal versus
external Net Promoter Score – this is what we call PurposeStrength.
Preference is the outcome, so we would propose measures about change in behaviour.
Above all, the conversation about KPIs
for the communications function should be rooted in the idea that
communications isn’t a campaign but a programme. Campaigns are
set-pieces, with beginnings and ends. As such they can be measured
separately. The communications function, however, is a full season’s
worth of set-pieces.
And the return of investment is,
ultimately, when audiences start to prefer the products, views and
positions of the organisation.
By increasing their investment in
Communications, Nigerian organizations can continue to grow, increase
their revenue and thus, boost the Nigerian Economy.
TokunbohDurosaro
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