Communication, Strategy, and the Pursuit of Positioning

     In class this week we are discussing strategy and how communication plays a role in how strategy is formulated and implemented. In "The Strategic Communication Imperative" Argenti, Howell, and Beck, "...define strategic communication as communication aligned with the company's overall strategy, to enhance its strategic positioning."(p. 83). In the grand scheme of a business any company, at the end of the day, no matter how simple, is striving towards one common goal to be achieved whether it be through one product or service or multiple products or services, under the same company or scattered throughout several company umbrellas. In order to achieve this goal, a company must communicate, all the pieces must work together and communicate in order to achieve that one common goal.

     According to T. Micheal Glenn, president and CEO of FedEx, "'Communication is at the center of everything. You can't execute strategy if you can't communicate about it,..."(Argenti, Howell, Beck, 2005, p.84). I believe this sums up business. If you do not have the ability or do not take the time in which to communicate properly what your strategy is, then all of your segments, employees, stakeholders, audience, etc, lose purpose, or worse, create what they feel their purpose should be, further blurring the intended strategy and creating a fragmented business. This will not achieve your strategy. Also, take in to mind employees. They look for a purpose and a commitment from their executives.


"'The only way to show the commitment is to communicate with passion, face-to-face, all the time with the same message.'"(Argenti, Howell, Beck, 2005, p85)

     With all of the different ways in which company's can communicate with their audiences, and the need for constant reminders and a "real" relationship, integrated communications, as well as proper use of social media is important. Integration is simple, all parts must work together, you must have a consistent message. Social media provides company's with the ability to gain the "face-to-face" element with a vast audience at the same time. Social media is rebuilding the relationship element of business, where customers feel like they have impact and importance to business. A part of strategy should revolve around the customer, the end user. What better way to support this element then to openly communicate with them?

     "As an organization grows in size and complexity -- more markets, customers, products, services, employees, suppliers, investors, and so on -- the need for a consistent communications strategy becomes even more critical because it must communicate to a diverse and rapidly expanding array of constituents while remaining relevant to all."(Argenti, Howell, Beck, 2005, p86)

     It is important that all communication must work together. If the overall theme of your Twitter, Facebook group, website, and blogs are mismatched and voice conflicting information, your business can come off as confused and your sites lose reputability. As you look to reach multiple audiences, you must take into account that they will use multiple platforms in which to reach you. By creating an integrated communications strategy, a company is able to position themselves in a way that is definable, recognizable, and understood by all audiences in which they interact.

     Have you ever come across a company whose social media content across different platforms is conflicting? If so, what was your initial reaction and what conclusions did you draw about the company due to their fragmented communications?

Argenti, P.A. Howell, R.A. & Beck, K.A. (2005). The Strategic Communication Imperative. MIT Sloan Management Review. Retrieved February 4, 2014 from https://www.dartmouth.edu/~opa/communicators/fall08/reading//Sloan_MIT_Strat_Comm_Imp.pdf