Do you need an office for this? Tips for the first-time buyer of communications

Finnish companies employ a large number of communications professionals and experienced buyers of marketing communications services. This text is not for them.

It is intended to help those who have had their company's communication issues dropped on their desks. Those who may be considering the possibility of using an external partner for the first time.

I have had the privilege of working with many first-time buyers of communications during my career. The starting point is often the same: not knowing exactly what to look for, how much it would cost to use a partner, or even what you can get from which agency. Or what the benefits would be. It can also be a tight budget, and you don't really have room in your calendar for extra work.

But better communication should be done - either because it's on the scorecard or because its benefits have been recognised somewhere around the firm's corner. This is where many people Google "communications agency" or ask friends who you use. If things go really well, this could be the start of a great collaboration.

I'm going to go through some of the practical situations where many people start a partnership with marketing communications professionals. 

"The editor now to the financial media"

Perhaps the most common case is the acquisition of media visibility. For example, is your business growing fast and you feel that you should be talked about in the media as much as the market leader? Are you launching something new that needs more than just advertising to penetrate the market, or do you want attention for a big name announcement? You should write a press release, but no one has time. Or if the bulletin isn't going anywhere, the topics might be wrong, or the bulletin might be the wrong tool for getting exposure.

A communications agency builds sticky media angles, uses its relationships to contact the media and also produces content to support other media work. Earned visibility in the right media can give your business a significant breakthrough, even in the first instance, and also provides excellent support for paid advertising. For example, a communications agency can arrange for a challenger in your sector to be on the cover of a magazine, which not only gets the conversation going, but often gets the sales phone ringing. If your budget is limited, a one-off project like mediapitch may be the best way for your business to get started. 

Someone who matters

The social media riots of a couple of years ago may have died down a bit, but the pressure to go there is still there. "We should open up Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter for our company," a few people have said, and that's where the conversation has started. A communications agency can help you choose the right channels, define your role and content concepts - and even press the publish button if necessary.

And to maximise the impact of social media, rather than just presence, a partner can help with influencer networking and advertising.

On rock, not sand

Especially in newer companies, it is often the case that there is no systematic communication at all. There may already be an investment in advertising, but no time to think about communication themes and tools. If you have been given the responsibility of starting your company's communications, a partner can help you build a practical communications plan that will guide you in getting results and building your brand for, say, a year or two ahead.

An outside perspective can be valuable in unearthing what your company is ultimately most interesting about. Compelling communication creates awareness, differentiates you from your competitors and attracts the best talent in the industry. And to get the story told in a way that's visible to the outside world, agencies can build creative concepts, content for different channels and, for example, eye-catching visuals.

A good basis for cooperation

So how do you choose the right partner from the many agencies? If the chemistry is right and the conversation is straightforward from the start, it often bodes well for the collaboration. A good communications agency will be flexible enough to help with all your needs and to bring in other partners if necessary. And you can always change if the cooperation is not working and the desired results are not being achieved.

Before picking up the phone, it can be a good idea to think about things like:

1. Do you know what to communicate? In other words, is your company clear about the messages and brand image you want to convey, or do you need to spar over these?

2. What do you want to achieve? Quick visibility, direct sales leads, traffic to your website or rather to establish a long-term basis for your communications?

3. What kind of budget is allocated to communication? EUR 1 000 or EUR 40 000? This already goes a long way to determining what to prioritise and what projects can be launched.

4. What marketing communication resources does your company have at its disposal? For example, can texts, image editing and social media posts be handled internally, or do you need external help? If so, take this into account in your budgeting.

5. Do you have people in your company who want to be present in the media or on social media? Good spokespeople are a valuable, but not irreplaceable, asset for communication. There are other ways.

And this way, you're already a few steps closer to a fruitful communication partnership.