Marrying the art and science of engagement in a ‘post-digital’ world
By Suvir Paul, Executive Vice-President, RF Thunder
The rules of the game have changed and yet I see communication practitioners professing more of the same. It is but obvious that while change is constant, most of us prefer to fall back into our comfort zones where ‘what we know’ is considered ‘safe and comforting’. The last year has altered consumer behaviours and attitudes, upending business strategies and engagement, for better or worse. We are now in a post-digital world where governments, businesses, educators, entrepreneurs, and the public at large have had to relook and redesign their approaches to the adoption of technology, in an informed and empathetic way.
Information is a flat world
We can all agree that the uptake of digital assets across the spectrum (from hardware to software services) in the last year has been really significant. Access to information no longer requires you to be in a library scouring through encyclopedias or scholarly books – a privilege for those with access back in the day. Type your query in a search box on your device and presto – the world’s information is at our fingertips. Our ability to sift through the reams of information, make sense and connect the dots, requires knowledge managers to be astute. To get the right information, to the right people, at the right time is the key to building any great business strategy. The ability to distill information into knowledge will help organizations to grow faster, sharpen decision making, stimulate innovation and improve efficiency.
The insights are more pertinent than the data itself
We are now living in a world where data is being generated per day, is being spoken about in zettabytes, exabytes, petabytes and it is staggering to the extent where high-tech companies could not keep count even if they wanted to. While this amount of data is great for Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning algorithms, we as communication professionals have to hone skills that allow us to study data in a manner to read what the insights are. The insights will provide a sharper, stronger, and smarter view to identifying audiences who matter, building narratives that are authentic, and defining measurement matrixes for the work we do.
Reputation matters in a post-digital world
No denying, that your reputation drives the overall performance of the company and ability to attract the best people, however, if anything can go wrong, it will. Today information is disseminated at lightning speeds through social media and online forums. Technology has democratized dissent and we live in an era where leading the communication is more important than reacting. Your ability to respond to a crisis within 30 mins determines your preparedness and tests the equity that you may have built with audiences. Reputation requires you to do and let others speak for you.
Getting your story told through meaningful engagement
In an information-overloaded world, cutting through the clutter is of paramount importance and you cannot please everyone – if that be the case, you are better off selling ice cream and even that is a choice for a discerning public. Invest time in understanding who is most important, define their needs and wants and innovate strategies to engage in a most meaningful way. Build purpose for your business, link it to your actions, and communicate that purpose in everything you do. The formats have changed and by analyzing past trends and being aware of current changes, introduce content strategies that lead to sustained reputation building through deep engagement.
Adopt a challenging, high-performance culture
The employer brand exists and lives on in the minds and hearts of former, current, and prospective employees. Each interaction or transaction with the organization is a touchpoint for perceptions to form. Creating a strong employer brand is all about managing each interaction well, forging a connection with good storytelling, and developing an Employee Value Proposition (EVP) that is aspirational, challenging, and relevant. Digital formats allow for more meaningful engagement and keep a pulse on your best brand ambassadors.
Bridging the gap to a post-digital world
- Question everything: Challenge the status quo, think different, be curious – it’s not necessary to do different things always, but find ways to do the same things differently and better.
- Build a hero-team: Power lies in the collective wisdom, teamwork, in compassion – all in a supportive atmosphere of creativity, trust, loyalty, engagement, and spirit.
- Be a crystal gazer: hungry to learn, pre-empts and seeks answers to what could be based on evidence and fact, dynamic and brave new-thinkers wanting to change the world one-day-at-a-time.
