Communication is an aid used in everyday life, be it personal or business. Without good business communications, the internal and external structure of a company can face numerous challenges that can ultimately lead to its demise. A startup should treat internal and external communications with utmost importance. The two main pillars of any startup are it’s team (internal) and customers (external), and if the communication is not streamlined, there are higher possibilities of business hitting the bricks.
Importance of Internal Communication
Companies are built on communication, without it — it’s just a bunch of people bumping into each other.
Organisations need to communicate effectively with their employees. This is easier said than done; and as organisations get bigger, this becomes a more complex challenge.
Any communication becomes an effective communication when a clear message is delivered through the appropriate channels and is tailored to the audience. In a company, this should result in employees knowing how their work contributes to achieving the business goals, which helps keep people motivated and engaged.
Engaging employees through internal communication is about getting them informed, educated and inspired. An engaged workforce feels valued, involved and has the confidence that they genuinely matter. Higher levels of engagement improves morale, boosts productivity and leads to a better working environment. Effective communications ensure that employees fully understand the company, its values, and purposes, what is expected of them to achieve the business goals and how to engage with their own roles fully.
Here are a few tips to maintain effective internal communication:
- Be open and transparent
- Talk to employees and show them that you value them … and their voice
- Create a cohesive company culture
- Lead by example
- Don’t forget face-to-face interaction is crucial
- Reward and recognise employees in ways that are meaningful to them
- Set timely and measurable goals
- Request feedback
- Implement internal social networks
A few tools that might help you with your teams are:
- Slack – Bid goodbye to internal emails, welcome smart communication
- Google Drive – Work in collaboration on every device
- Trello – Manage tasks and to-do lists efficiently
Importance of External Communication
There are a great many who would agree with Bill Gates. The best place for a start-up to start is external communications. It’s basically direct interaction with the media, press releases, interviews, features, briefings,etc. It is the direct engagement through Public Relations that will immediately get your key message across to people.
The goal of external communications is to promote the company and increase revenue, therefore external communications are an important part of an overall marketing plan. Common examples of external business communications include direct mailings, fact sheets, press kits, newsletters, magazines, brochures, news releases and annual reports.
While traditional print methods of communications are still common, modern technology has changed the face of external communications to a great extent, and the Internet has become a valued channel for reaching out to customers. Social media is an easy way to reach target customers and is the most cost-effective means of promotion at the same time. However, there is also the possibility of public backlashes, such as negative ratings, reviews, or comment posting. In the longer run, the benefits far outweigh the risks, as technology allows the company to communicate and engage with audiences all over the world.
Communication is more than just coverage. It’s more than Facebook likes or Twitter followers. It’s more than writing press releases or blog posts. It’s a broad, creative field that can drive serious results for your company. We are no longer living in the age where the value derived from Communication is ambiguous, and all we can point to is outdated metrics like impressions. Communication can and should directly support sales.
While many businesses may think that PR is a luxury – The fact is that it’s not a luxury; it’s a necessity.
His expertise ranges from Tech Hiring, to CXO level Blogging. Adhish is an active member in the web community and can often be found at local meetups and conferences in and around NCR.
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