“Let’s be honest, differing political views aside, ‘Stay alert, control the virus, save lives’ means nothing. Or, lots of things. Or, different things to different people. Take your pick.”
If the last week has taught us anything, it’s that clear, concise communication is key to achieving the results we want.
Let’s be honest, differing political views aside, ‘Stay alert, control the virus, save lives’ means nothing. Or, lots of things. Or, different things to different people. Take your pick.
When senior members of the Government can’t get it right, it’s no surprise that polls have revealed 2/3 of the population don’t understand the message. And the 1/3 that do have interpreted it in different ways.
That’s why it’s key to be clear, know your message and execute it properly. A mantra that’s just as important to foodservice brands as it is for Government comms. Here are some things to think about.
1. Be clear
Clarity is key to getting your message across. A typical person – and all journalists – will want to get to the nub of the who, what, why, when, where, as well as the how. Boris had a vague ‘what’ but not much else up his sleeve. Setting these out clearly and ticking them off the at planning stage will test your thinking and ensure you’ve answered any potential questions/challenges before communicating to the market.
2. Know your message
Know your message and make sure your team does too. It doesn’t look good, like this week, if everyone is singing off a different hymn sheet. Yes, it takes more time and resource, but an internal briefing to align your whole team from the start of a campaign is an investment well made. Providing the team with a simple elevator pitch post briefing is also a useful aide memoire to give everyone the confidence they need to take that message to market.
3. Execute properly
Boris spoke up too early without having everything ready to roll out the idea properly: police powers, and a fully functioning transport system to name two. Timing and preparation are everything. It’s about carefully mapping the process and taking into considerations each element of the campaign. There’s no point planning an HTML campaign if your website isn’t ready, or throwing all your budget into a competition that clashes with someone else’s. Not having gone into the necessary detail can make or break your campaign.
We’ve got 30 years of expertise in planning and executing award-winning comms campaigns. Let us help you achieve the results you want. Give us a call on 0208 256 1360 for free, friendly advice. No politics, we promise.
