Four bullet points: is it time to update your communication strategy?

Autumn is slowly arriving and with it the feeling of a new beginning. Whether it's the nostalgia left behind by the school years or the energy of the holiday season, autumn seems to make many of us itch for a little renewal.

Autumn or not, there are a few pointers that can help you assess whether it's the right time to update your communication strategy - especially if there is no deadline set for the current strategy. The tips listed below will help you reflect on the situation.

When is it time to update your communication strategy?

1. It's been a while since the last time.

Sometimes a communication strategy is enough for a year, sometimes for five. This depends very much on the strategy and its objective. However, after a couple of years at the latest, it would be a good idea to take stock of the situation to see whether the strategy and objectives are still relevant and whether the direction is still right. The longer it is since the strategy was updated, the more likely it is to become outdated.

2. The operating environment has changed.

We live in a rapidly evolving world, and organisations are undergoing constant change. The pace of change is certainly not going to slow down. Whether it's a change in customer values and motivations, a change in the market or industry, or even a change in the management of an organisation, it can mean a change in communication strategy.

3. The communication does not resonate.

If the effectiveness of your communication is declining, and systematically so, it is definitely a sign that you need to update your communication strategy. This is often linked to the change in context mentioned in the previous paragraph: your content or messages simply no longer resonate with your audience, either in the way you want them to or not at all. This situation may require brutal honesty about your own output, as it is notoriously easy to fall in love with - and become blinded by - your own ideas, such as slogans or content types. 

4. There is no communication strategy at all.

For example, for young or small companies, it may be common not to have a communication strategy at all. Business has taken off at a fast pace, and the focus has been more on doing than planning. There may have been a little bit of work in the way.

But if the plan is to grow, a communication strategy will provide a roadmap for how to support growth through communication in a planned and effective way. It is also a very essential tool for successful communication management.

There is no reason to compare a communication strategy with a backpack. When done well, it supports action at exactly the right points, without overstretching, but also provides security in times of crisis. The question is: how secure do you feel in your own leaning at the moment?

If you need some sparring help to update your communication strategy, get in touch and let's talk more.