Winning the race for attention
By: Eduardo Ascanio Gosling
Tags: Strategic Communication, Digital, Digital Marketing, Media, Corporate Communication

A few days ago, I was asked how to win the race for attention in the digital age. The question made me think about the best way to build a cohesive multistakeholder communication strategy in a moment when global attention span is narrowing and trends don’t last as long.

I am interested in figuring out how to use corporate communications and digital marketing to promote sustainable projects, build brand awareness, enhance market recognition, leverage knowledge and facilitate partnerships. I dealt with a similar situation back in 2013 when I created content for the now outdated Americas CSR Network, a platform designed by the Organization of American States (OAS) to facilitate knowledge sharing about Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in Latin America.

Last week, I went for the simple answer to the question about how to win the race for attention: it can be won by mapping stakeholders, creating key messages for specific audiences and using all the available channels. In sum, it can be won by communicating better than competitors. The complicated answer entails much more than that. I will try to explain it in the following paragraphs.

The not so recent emergence of digital media represented a paradigm shift towards a collaborative environment. Business leaders and communications specialists should strive for high rates of stakeholder engagement because it is now the most influential source of competitive advantage. In other words, achieving high rates of engagement guarantees having a head start in the race.

However, having a head start does not necessarily mean winning the race. Organizations must understand that the audiences of today are interested in meaningful conversations about social causes, have a profound mistrust in traditional institutions and can no longer be reached using conventional methods. The engagement efforts will not be successful if the messages are unclear, unilateral or self-congratulatory. At this point, using storytelling seems to be a plausible approach.

The storytelling approach is highly advisable but it requires a deep understanding of the experiences, behaviors, and needs of the target audiences. If done right, it could help to put all the communications tactics under one umbrella, guide the creation of content and ultimately serve business objectives. By way of example: a multilateral organization could promote sustainable projects and find new clients by telling a relatable story about the impact of improving access to mortgages for people with low income in addition to posting financial summaries and evaluation reports.

Nevertheless, it is important to clarify that brand awareness and recognition can only be achieved if organizations walk the talk. No stakeholder engagement strategy could dress up the inconsistencies that arise when words and actions are not aligned. In the race for attention, enforcing a thoughtful corporate purpose and standing by lofty values can be seen as having specialized training in long-distance running.

Still, the best runners are susceptible to fall when the going gets tough. It is for that reason that business leaders and communication specialists must have a management plan in the case of a crisis. The management plan should include early warnings systems, rapid response protocols, adaptable key messages and specialized training programs for spokespersons, among other things. It serves as a guarantee that allows the organization to stay in the race despite the fall.

Additionally, it is widely believed that marathon competitors run faster when they hear applause from the crowd. In this context, facilitating partnerships is equivalent to having a cheering group of friends along the running course. Partnerships can provide experience, ideas, and know-how within the scope of a shared commitment. A comprehensive corporate communications strategy should include a map of current and potential partners as well as a framework to accelerate the onboarding of new partners. It is key to know who your friends are and how they can help you to run faster.

Finally, communications specialists should be willing to expand their strategies across new channels and formats. It is no longer enough to count with a strong presence in social media, an updated website and a well-written press release to complete the race. Organizations should keep an eye on the evolving media ecosystem in order to explore new avenues and methods without forgetting that audience identification and search engine optimization (SEO) are both still very important priorities. A good runner knows how to run on different surfaces and is constantly looking for better trails.

Corporate communications and digital marketing tools are appropriate for promoting sustainable projects, building brand awareness, enhancing market recognition, leveraging knowledge and facilitating partnerships. Somehow, digital is still a bandwagon and organizations are still in time to learn the intricacies of the digital age. Last week, I answered that communicating better than competitors is logically the best strategy to win the race for attention but honestly there is no easy way to do that.

It requires training. Just like running.