In business-to-business services categories such as law, accounting, consulting, and engineering, corporate communications are the often-understated linchpin upon which successful marketing strategies and campaigns are built.
Corporate communications and marketing communications are distinct disciplines. Each serves a different purpose and has specific objectives.
Corporate communications focus on managing the overall reputation and image of an organisation. They involve the strategic dissemination of information to build and maintain relationships with internal and external stakeholders. The primary goal of corporate communications is to shape perceptions, establish trust, and maintain a positive reputation for the organisation as a whole.
Marketing communications, on the other hand, are specifically geared toward promoting and selling. This discipline involves crafting messages and strategies to attract, engage, and convert clients. The focus here is on reaching and persuading target audiences, generating leads, and ultimately driving sales, loyalty, and advocacy.
Inadequate corporate communications hamper marketing efforts
If an organisation’s corporate communications are ineffective, its marketing efforts will be compromised, if not doomed to fail.
Lack of brand recognition will impede the organisation’s ability to reach its target audience, while insufficient brand awareness will make it challenging to stand out alongside better known rivals.
Furthermore, a deficit in positive stakeholder relationships will deprive the organisation of valuable referrals and recommendations.
And in risk-averse business landscapes, a tarnished reputation will swiftly erode an organisation’s credibility, hinder its ability to withstand stakeholder scrutiny, and drive buyers and decision makers elsewhere. Consider this: the Australian government’s “cold war against big consulting” resulted in a fourfold increase in new work for boutique consultants in the final quarter of 2023 year compared with the same quarter in 2022: Canberra consulting firms cash in on demise of the big four.
While both disciplines are essential for organisational success, corporate communications are the foundation. As such, they must be strong and substantive. The rest will follow.
