4 key components to a successful multi-dimensional communication strategy

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‘Multi-dimensional communication strategy’ may be a mouthful to say, but it’s actually pretty simple. What it boils down to is a comprehensive communications strategy that targets multiple, relevant audiences through a variety of modes, platforms, and media content. As your Communications team knows, a solid communications strategy is vital to the success of an organization; it can help increase employee morale, ensure a consistent brand and image, and help achieve company goals more efficiently. Here are four key components to ensure your multi-dimensional communication strategy has a big impact.

1. Target your audience

As a first step, identify the different audiences you need to reach. Consider all groups that have an effect on your company, from stakeholders and employees to customers or government agencies. Then, rank the influence and importance of these groups to prioritize communication. Target each message for the intended audience. To find out more about these groups, research their knowledge and attitudes towards your company or towards a specific goal you have. Then, compare this level of awareness to what you’d like these groups to understand. For example, if you discover employees aren’t aware of additional training programs, your employee communications plan will include additional information on training. If you discover customers only know your organization for one product, your customer plan might involve highlighting additional products.

2. Expand your platforms

Once you have a clear message in mind, consider how to communicate across multiple channels. There is an ideal way to communicate with each one of these audiences, so be sure to reach out in a variety of ways. Promote your content via traditional platforms such as your company’s website, newsletters, and press releases, on social media through Facebook, Twitter, Google+, and LinkedIn, as well as on mobile through text and apps. Make sure the platforms you use for each audience make sense. For example, your Communications team may direct content towards employees via newsletters or a workforce communications app, and to outside consumers via social media.

3. Create compelling content

Once your audience and communication platform is set, focus on creating compelling content. Good content is short, and varied. Content can come in the form of newsletters, interviews, publications, videos, photos, podcasts, stats and data, or a message from the CEO. Consider using internal resources to create content such as senior leaders, your own Communications team, or interns. If internal resources are not available, go through a PR firm, send press releases to the media, or use freelancers. Overall, when deciding on the information you want to convey, consider how your intended audience will receive your message. It’s important be open to feedback in order to continually improve your strategy.

4. Evaluate your progress

As the final step, evaluate progress by analyzing clicks, views, likes, shares, or by sending out surveys. By establishing clear goals at the beginning of this process, you will be able to directly see how your internal communications plan plays out. If your goal is to have a direct impact on sales, more mentions of a new product, or changes to the perception of your company in general, target a communications campaign based around that specific goal. Then, evaluate your progress, adjusting your strategy as needed. Overall, keep an eye on the big picture. While it’s essential to make sure the small parts of a communications strategy fit together, the key part to a multi-dimensional strategy is to consider all audiences, and to ensure compelling, targeted content reaches them through a wide variety of platforms.

See a multi-dimensional strategy at work. Watch our latest customer video with PVH Corp.