Suggest You - Business

Introducing Public Relations
Effective public relations are a process and its essential first step is research. Nowadays, research is widely accepted by public relations professionals as an integral part of the planning, program development, and evaluation process. Before a public relations program is undertaken, information must be gathered, data collected, and interpretation done. Only after the first step is performed, organizations can begin to make policy decisions and map out strategies for effective communication programs.The second step in the public relations process, after research, is program planning. Prior to the implementation of a public relations activity, it is essential that considerable thought must be given to what should be done and in what sequence to accomplish an organization's objectives.A good public relations program should be an effective tool to support an organization's business, marketing, and communications objectives. In other words, public relations planning should be strategic. A practitioner must think about a situation, analyze what can be done about it, creatively conceptualize the appropriate strategies and tactics, and determine how the results will be measured. Planning also involves the co-ordination of multiple methods to achieve specific results.Developing a systematic pl

esult from how well you are able to distill your communication into two or three well articulated and clearly defined thoughts. Avoid the "rah-rah" syndrome. Employees will rally around the organization's leadership once they understand what's expected of them. Spend time with managers "one on one" and assure that each understands the message the way you meant it to be understood. Take the time to be sure.

Be Consistent

Employee survey data shows that the leadership team and management need to speak with a single voice. Don't allow your communications to wander. Speak and act as one. Never waver. Avoid signs that can be interpreted by employees as a lack of commitment or understanding of the program. If you aren't certain of the answer to a question, don't shoot from the hip. Gather your forces, and develop a collective response. Any mid-stream changes in the roadmap need to be articulated as such, and the workforce needs to understand why the change is warranted. You don't want employees wondering about the competency of their leaders when much is being asked of them. Keep in mind that you communicate in both word and in deed. Employees are watching and taking their cues from both.

Communicate Constantly

Internal communication needs to be relentless and repetitive. Never assume that everyone in the workforce knows and understands. Keep the cascade cascading and repeat the key ideas and critical elements, and repeat them and then, repeat them again. The constant nature of your communication will be a visible sign that change is underw

Why Paying Someone Else to Write Your Resume Makes So Much Sense
Have you been slaving over writing your own resum?? Have you looked at literally hundreds of examples of resum?s online and perhaps even bought a book on how to write a resum?? Still you cannot decide can you? Sometimes I think there is just too many choices around when it comes to resum? writing? As a reader of resum?s and not really a writer of resum?s I can tell you I have read a ton of resum?s in my life.Sometimes I wonder why they cut down all those trees. After all a person is in 3-D and a resum? is merely on a two-dimensional piece of paper trying to describe the 3-D person. It's kind of funny when you think about it. Nevertheless we always used to use those resum?s that we got into the office as scratch paper, because often they were on very high quality paper.If you do not want your resum? to turn into scrap paper or worse off simply be thrown in the trash can then perhaps it makes sense to pay someone such as a professional resum? writer to write a r?sum? for you. It is even better if you can find someone who is more industry specific and can custom tailor your resum? to exactly what the human resource departments at the closest corporations that you might be applying to are looking for.Do yourself a favor and get a professional resum? writer to help you rather then st

Like most organizations in this tough economy, yours is one with challenging issues that aren't going to go away on their own. You're going to have to take real action - something purposeful and programmed to let everyone know you mean change - large scale (like a new corporate strategic focus) or more localized (such as departmental shifts).

You realize that the first step requires you to acknowledge that change is needed - your organization's survival depends upon it. People need to know that you've got a plan for making that change happen. But the truth is, effective internal communication has never been one of your organization's strong suits. Worse yet, you may not even be certain what it is that you need to communicate or how to measure it.

What makes this problem even more alarming is that yours, like most modern organizations, seems armed to the teeth with the kind of technological instruments that are supposed to make the process of internal communication relatively easy. But too many organizations are confusing the media with the message. As a result, content often takes a back seat to speed and quantity. And neither of those elements is necessarily critical to orchestrating an effective internal communication campaign. To the contrary, speed and quantity can be what makes your message fall on seemingly deaf, if not overloaded, ears.

So, how DO you communicate to get workplace change?

Make internal communications a key element in any strategic plan requiring people to behave differently. The need for different behavior may come from a realization, for example, that service teams are not providing the results that customers value. Or, it may result from a strategic shift where certain employees have new responsibility to deliver a strengthened promise of value.

In any case, organizations should think "program and process" as they map out their internal communication effort. And while the effectiveness of your communications will depend, to a large extent, on the power of the content, the real magic will come from effective frequency and timing of the messages.

To be effective, internal communication should be tackled like any other organizational task, with a defined process and according to a relatively rigid execution schedule.

The Three-Step Staging Process

In many companies, internal communication plans are a loose collection of seemingly random communication activities. There will be a video here, an email there, perhaps a memo to all hands, an informal employee survey, or a town hall meeting. But while these activities are indeed the activities of internal communications, results occur when these events are staged according to a simple, three-step plan.

Stage #1: Creating a State of Awareness

In any organization, absence of communication creates a crippling environment. When there is an information void, employees make up their own. And their version is usually much worse than the truth.

So, in this stage, employees are given their wakeup call. The focus is on making everyone aware of exactly what is about to be implemented, with some high level commentary on why it is important. It's a good time for sensitive bluntness.

Critical messages should be delivered by a single voice - the leader of the executive team. Employees need to know that what they are hearing comes from management's top rung.

It's important to remember that employees respond positively to truthfulness and candor. They don't usually respond at all to what they perceive as corporate hype or management puffery. You just want them to become aware of what's going to happen and why. In each of these stages, use your full arsenal of communication instruments: the written word, creative innovations, videos, e-mail, the intranet, face time, and unique ideas like conversation pits to spread awareness.

Hold focus groups and conduct formal employee surveys to determine if people are getting this first stage message. While "cascading" the information downward, from senior executives, to mid-level managers, and finally throughout the entire organization, keep in mind that important feedback must have a path back up the corporate mountain.

Stage #2: Building an Informed Workplace

At this stage, employees need to understand why change is necessary and how everyone will get to the same place at the same time. Inform and educate employees as to the breadth and depth of the change. Tackle the tough cultural issues and don't downplay how difficult and demanding the change will be. Be very clear as to what's expected of each employee. It's time for the tough content.

Use similar communication tools as in Stage #1, but demand that management become even more involved in the cascade and feedback processes. Managers should observe and take part in focus groups and review employee survey results. Face time becomes extremely important because anxiety will be everywhere.

Rumors will spawn and multiply at warp speed if they aren't preempted. Keep in mind that one employee's perception can quickly become a co-workers truth. Have a strict schedule and stick to it. Its tightness speaks to the urgency of the entire effort.

Stage #3: Achieving Workforce Commitment

There is an obvious intensity to the communication cascade. It's reached the point where commitment is everything. Those who aren't comfortable or haven't been able to adapt to the demands for change will need to be provided with alternatives. The organization's leaders are everywhere, visible, energized, and supportive of those who have climbed on board. Management needs to be engaged heavily in this final stage.

Implementation Guidelines

While the three-step staging process frames the internal communication campaign, the power is in the implementation. Following are five guidelines to help ensure your message is being heard loud and clear through the clutter.

Speak With Clarity

Avoid confusion by leaving no room for misinterpretation of your messages. Speak with a clear voice. Keep communication simple, and don't attempt to pack everything into a single communication effort. At the awareness stage, your success will result from how well you are able to distill your communication into two or three well articulated and clearly defined thoughts. Avoid the "rah-rah" syndrome. Employees will rally around the organization's leadership once they understand what's expected of them. Spend time with managers "one on one" and assure that each understands the message the way you meant it to be understood. Take the time to be sure.

Be Consistent

Communicate Constantly

Thinking of Having Your Vehicle Wrapped?
Some businesses are exploring the idea of this fast-growing medium of vehicle wrapping as an effective advertising tool. Small businesses, large corporations, media outlets and others that want to attract attention are turning to vehicle advertising as a means to that end. But be warned: vehicle wrapping is not for the faint of heart. While some of the basic vehicle graphic application skills crossover to wrapping, the latter requires more sophisticated techniques. So if you are considering venturing into the bustling world of vehicle wrapping, then read on to learn more about what it takes to get started or if you even should!To wrap or not to wrap?Vehicle wrapping is fast becoming one of the hottest forms of outdoor advertising with media houses actually buying the space on trailers from companies like Tesco's. Your fleet of vehicles could be earning you more money than you think. Most large companies that want to advertise on their vehicles don't have to be sold on vehicle wraps. But the high cost compared to traditional vehicle graphics will cause some individual operators and small business owners to cringe. There is no doubt that there is lot of value in wrapping vehicles as the traditional vehicle livery now looks out of date and its real only purpose is as a form of identifi

ome from a realization, for example, that service teams are not providing the results that customers value. Or, it may result from a strategic shift where certain employees have new responsibility to deliver a strengthened promise of value.

To be effective, internal communication should be tackled like any other organizational task, with a defined process and according to a relatively rigid execution schedule.

The Three-Step Staging Process

Stage #1: Creating a State of Awareness

In any organization, absence of communication creates a crippling environment. When there is an information void, employees make up their own. And their version is usually much worse than the truth.

Critical messages should be delivered by a single voice - the leader of the executive team. Employees need to know that what they are hearing comes from management's top rung.

Stage #2: Building an Informed Workplace

Stage #3: Achieving Workforce Commitment

Implementation Guidelines

Speak With Clarity

Be Consistent

Communicate Constantly

When Your Spouse is Also Your Business Partner
I worked as a Yellow Page consultant for nearly 25 years, and before that ran an advertising agency. Over those three decades, I met with many husband and wife teams. The small business was, and still is, the backbone of the directory business. I got to observe the good, the bad, and the ugly. Being in a relationship, whether as a marriage or a business, a partnership can bring out the best and the worst in people. I don’t think that a business arrangement can save or improve a bad marriage. But it can certainly put a strain on one.During my tenure, most of the time the man was the boss. The wife was the accountant, junior partner, advisor, or vice-president. But, although I met with the husband, the wife always seemed to have the last word. He would begin to make an advertising decision and then she would overrule it. This wasn’t always the case, but it turned out that way more often than not. I witnessed physical fights, intimidation, name-calling, verbal or mental abuse, power plays, and general discontent. I frequently got the front row seat to a “brawl in the hall” or the “doom in the room” and therefore it wasn’t pretty.That’s not to say that all couples fought. Some were relatively compatible and still used subtle ways to get their points across. I noticed that the older ones tended to

exactly what is about to be implemented, with some high level commentary on why it is important. It's a good time for sensitive bluntness.

Critical messages should be delivered by a single voice - the leader of the executive team. Employees need to know that what they are hearing comes from management's top rung.

Stage #2: Building an Informed Workplace

Stage #3: Achieving Workforce Commitment

Implementation Guidelines

Speak With Clarity

Be Consistent

Communicate Constantly

Is Your Management Style Assisting or Hurting Your Business?
Many times business owners can have significant differences in management styles that can deter the growth of both the employees and the business.Employees can have differing needs that require differing methods of management as well. Problems arise when the management style of a business owner does not match the needs of the employees.There are two basic management styles that are also broken down into more minor categories, the Autocratic Management Style and the Permissive Management Style. An Autocratic Management Style is one in which the business owner makes all decisions unilaterally. In other words, the business owner is the "boss" period and doesn’t value input from employees. The business owner's word is law. The Permissive Management Style allows employees to take part in business decisions. A rather considerable degree of autonomy on the part of employees is encouraged in this management style.If a business owner possesses an Autocratic Management Style, and the employees and/or type of business would benefit more from a Permissive Management Style, problems will arise, and vice versa.Management styles may also be "situational", in other words, should be changed depending upon the needs and growth of the business, as well as the differing situations that may occur.ntent.

Stage #3: Achieving Workforce Commitment

Implementation Guidelines

Speak With Clarity

Be Consistent

Communicate Constantly

Factoring Financing: The Easy Way To Finance Your Company
Waiting up to 60 days to get your invoices paid can really be a major source of stress for business owners. This can be especially painful if you have to pay rent, suppliers and meet payroll. This is even more painful when most of your money is tied up in slow paying invoices. Having money tied up in slow paying invoices can also prevent you from capitalizing on new opportunities. Why? Because few business owners can deliver large orders to new clients and then underwrite the transaction for up to 60 days.If you cannot afford to wait to get paid by your clients there is a solution that can provide you with the necessary financing. It’s called factoring financing. With factoring you can accelerate the payment for your invoices and get funding to pay rent, pay your suppliers, meet payroll and take on new projects.As opposed to bank financing, invoice factoring is easy to qualify for. The main requirement is that you have invoices from mid size and large commercial customers. Most factoring companies are comfortable working with new companies – even if they have no hard collateral – provided that they have good invoices and a solid business plan.Another advantage of factoring is that your financing is not fixed on any specific amount, like a loan or line of credit. You can usually factor a

Be Consistent

Communicate Constantly

Cascade, and Cascade More

The manager that people tend to listen to and believe most is their immediate supervisor. While commitment and focus from the top is important, messages need to roll down, from the top level, to the next layer, to the next layer, to the next. Achieving cascading communications requires that you plan for it, and that you implement. Give managers the tools to tell the story consistently and well, and help them handle the basic forms of resistance they are sure to encounter. Remember too that good communication is "two way." Make it easy for employees to ask questions, provide feedback, and get answers.

Context and Credibility are Everything

As with all communication, understand where the "receiver" is, and how his or her biases, fears, concerns, and experiences may affect what is heard. People care about what affects them personally, in terms of job stability, pay, respect, etc. And they'll filter what they hear based on their history and experience. If they perceive that management has always been forthright and truthful, odds are they'll receive the newest information as such. If not, your communications challenge will be more significant, and you need to plan accordingly.

While a consistent, programmatic, well executed approach to internal communication should help achieve behavioral change in most of the workforce, employee surveys have shown there will undoubtedly be outliers. For these individuals, change is somehow threatening or unattractive. Perhaps they can't see organizational failure as their failure. For these people, sometimes the best answer is a public confrontation, as harsh as that may sound. When one of the brethren is selected out of the "old think" lineup, and shot publicly in the corporate town square, everyone quickly gets the message.

Our Conclusion

Behavioral change is never easy, and it is never successfully accomplished without an all-out internal communications program. Such a program can and should be carefully orchestrated and controlled for maximum effectiveness. Truth and candor should be the lynch pins of your effort. Leadership and management will need to speak with a single voice. It should be made clear to everyone that there will be no room in the new workplace culture for those who can't or won't make the commitment to change. Finally, the internal communications cascade should not end when the immediate goals are accomplished. An effective, vibrant, and barrier-free internal communications program will in many cases be an important symbol, and measure, of the change you're seeking.

HTTP = HTML link (for blogs, profiles,phorums):
<a href="http://www.suggestyou.com/article/47074/suggestyou-How-to-Communicate-with-Your-Employees.html">How to Communicate with Your Employees</a>

BB link (for phorums):
[url=http://www.suggestyou.com/article/47074/suggestyou-How-to-Communicate-with-Your-Employees.html]How to Communicate with Your Employees[/url]

The Pointers to Consider about Booklet Printing

The booklets which are deemed as just an ordinary type of small panes that are fastened together with card cover are now recognized by many business-minded individuals as an effective medium that offers great marketing potential.

The Power of Magnetic Business Cards

In almost every household in the western hemisphere you can find them stuck to refrigerators, filing cabinets and a host of metal surfaces. These little advertising pieces called magnetic business cards represent a large portion of the tools used in marketing.

Have You Ever Computed The Cost Of Your Lost Sales?

There are only three ways to sell more. Do more right. Do less wrong. Do both. Doing none of the three will guarantee that the value of your lost sales each year far exceeds the total of your closed sales.

Bookmark it:

Tags

Links

Suggest You - How to Communicate with Your Employees

Related Articles: