Comments on: How do I get management buy-in for my communications planning? http://www.eye-for-image.com/blog/how-do-i-get-management-buy-in-for-my-communications-planning/ THE blog for copywriters and communicators Sat, 22 Nov 2008 04:41:08 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: MyStrategicPlan/blog | 3 Perspectives for Getting Buy-in From Management http://www.eye-for-image.com/blog/how-do-i-get-management-buy-in-for-my-communications-planning/#comment-206 MyStrategicPlan/blog | 3 Perspectives for Getting Buy-in From Management Mon, 28 Jul 2008 15:35:04 +0000 http://www.eye-for-image.com/blog/how-do-i-get-management-buy-in-for-my-communications-planning/#comment-206 [...] From a Communications Management Perspective: With a firm eye on the bottom line, top management wants to see financial benefits. Yes, investment is required upfront, but in the not-so-long term, there should be savings as marketing materials are produced faster and more consistently. A challenge for communications and marketing managers is to document results and, wherever possible, show the numbers… more at Eye for Image [...] [...] From a Communications Management Perspective: With a firm eye on the bottom line, top management wants to see financial benefits. Yes, investment is required upfront, but in the not-so-long term, there should be savings as marketing materials are produced faster and more consistently. A challenge for communications and marketing managers is to document results and, wherever possible, show the numbers… more at Eye for Image [...]

]]> By: David Hoskin http://www.eye-for-image.com/blog/how-do-i-get-management-buy-in-for-my-communications-planning/#comment-185 David Hoskin Thu, 12 Jun 2008 12:57:32 +0000 http://www.eye-for-image.com/blog/how-do-i-get-management-buy-in-for-my-communications-planning/#comment-185 Another airline story! Yesterday at the seminar, two different airlines figured. We talked about Jan Carlzon (former CEO of SAS) and his thoughts on customer service and quality. Then we looked at how Thai Airways tells its story through advertising. Looks like airline stories should get their own blog! Another airline story! Yesterday at the seminar, two different airlines figured. We talked about Jan Carlzon (former CEO of SAS) and his thoughts on customer service and quality. Then we looked at how Thai Airways tells its story through advertising.

Looks like airline stories should get their own blog!

]]> By: Dan Elloway http://www.eye-for-image.com/blog/how-do-i-get-management-buy-in-for-my-communications-planning/#comment-183 Dan Elloway Thu, 12 Jun 2008 12:48:07 +0000 http://www.eye-for-image.com/blog/how-do-i-get-management-buy-in-for-my-communications-planning/#comment-183 Interestingly, all the companies you mention clearly have a single Big Idea behind everything they do. It's like Volvo, which has a simple one-word concept that everyone thinks of when you mention Volvo. And their communications reflect and reinforce this idea time and time again. So before you begin to start thinking of rolling out a campaign, whether it's consumer focused or an internal style guide, it really helps if there's a Big Idea to hang it on. Without the Big Idea, deciding what campaign to roll out, what that campaign should say and how to say it becomes much harder - as does 'selling' it to management. Here's an airline story from the book Made to Stick to illustrate the point. The longest-serving CEO of Southwest Airlines - the low-fare airline - can give the secret to running the company in 30 seconds. He gives an example. Someone from marketing has done a survey and found out that passengers on the Houston to Las Vegas flight might enjoy a salad during the flight. According to the CEO, the correct response is: "Will serving the salad make us the low-fare airline from Houston to Las Vegas? Because if it doesn't help us become the unchallenged low-fare airline, we're not serving a chicken salad." Interestingly, all the companies you mention clearly have a single Big Idea behind everything they do. It’s like Volvo, which has a simple one-word concept that everyone thinks of when you mention Volvo. And their communications reflect and reinforce this idea time and time again.

So before you begin to start thinking of rolling out a campaign, whether it’s consumer focused or an internal style guide, it really helps if there’s a Big Idea to hang it on. Without the Big Idea, deciding what campaign to roll out, what that campaign should say and how to say it becomes much harder - as does ’selling’ it to management.

Here’s an airline story from the book Made to Stick to illustrate the point. The longest-serving CEO of Southwest Airlines - the low-fare airline - can give the secret to running the company in 30 seconds. He gives an example. Someone from marketing has done a survey and found out that passengers on the Houston to Las Vegas flight might enjoy a salad during the flight. According to the CEO, the correct response is: “Will serving the salad make us the low-fare airline from Houston to Las Vegas? Because if it doesn’t help us become the unchallenged low-fare airline, we’re not serving a chicken salad.”

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