19 MAY2022Irrespective of the industry, organizations had to adapt to a new playbook of reputation management, dictated by the unique sensitivities of the Covid-19 world. Keeping a tab on channels and crafting messages that suit the sensibilities of multiple cohorts across platforms has become even more critical. Owned channels have gained prominence providing reliable information and presenting compassionate side of brands and business leaders. At VFS Global, we undertook a two-pronged approach that included sensitization (through information sharing) and upholding optimism (on travel resumption). The team drove the former through consistent rounds of sharing information across all digital and social channels of the company and the media community.WHAT STRATEGIES SHOULD COMPANIES FOLLOW FOR REMOVING ANY GAPS IN COMMUNICATION?It is essential to keep in mind the audience, objective, and the intended outcome from the communication. Arming the audience with the correct information helps them make the right decisions that go a long way in building confidence. As a communication practitioner for over two decades, here are some points I would reiterate Customizing the narrative - Every platform caters to a distinct set of audience groups that makes it essential to customize the message to make it relevant for that specific set. Identifying what works best for the company and building content for particular platforms through collaboration will be crucial to success. Using the suitable medium Companies have a plethora of touchpoints to engage with their audiences. Using an appropriate medium is highly critical. Picking an inappropriate platform could lead to misinterpretations and gaps in ROI. Avoiding Assumptions Clarity of purpose along with transparency in messaging is vital when deciding outreach strategies. Lack of this can lead to miscommunication, which might result in a more significant challenge at a later stage.Internal communication is as important as external communication - Both are significant for business growth, supporting the organization differently. Efforts should be aligned, and messages unified. Communication fails when inconsistency leads to mixed messages, resulting in disengaged employees and, therefore, confused customers.HOW CAN ONE BE CREATIVE IN CHALLENGING SITUATIONS? PLEASE PROVIDE SOME STATS AND EXAMPLES OF RESPECTIVE CHALLENGING TASKS WITHOUT MENTIONING ANY COMPANY OR PERSON NAME.In today's digitally connected world, the canvas has expanded for every marketing and communication practitioner. This has made companies aware about stakeholder voices and its role long-term brand perception. Given that today's customers aren't just consumers but also active tech-savvy content creators, innovation in communication entails collaborating with customers from the outset. Co-creating with the customer is the new meaning of being 'customer-centric'. While brands continue to engage with traditional media, they also need to cultivate brand evangelists who advocate for the brand and its values. This could be anyone from a YouTuber to a blogger or a business stakeholder. The key is to go where your audience is and leverage the 'media' that caters to that pocket of the audience.Audiences now have more access to the brands they follow, providing communicators with more opportunities to engage. Thanks to the growth of new media channels, platforms, and gadgets, a world of gateways has opened to deliver a message, sell a product, or develop a relationship.There are enough examples in recent times of how brands engaged with their audience segments and the world at large during the Covid crisis. With offline events entirely out of the picture, many brands have experimented with online events and tasted success, such as the launch of sports shoes, or mobile phones, or even car models.Gartner has some interesting insights on the trends that we will see in defining customer engagement in the coming years.
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