Many internal communicators work in isolation, muddling through the challenges of being strategist, advisor, content manager, part-time designer, channel guru… the list goes on.
It can be lonely out there, navigating the wild west of internal communications. And while IC’s profile has certainly evolved, community is often the key to sustained success.
That’s an ethos Rachel Miller, one of the leading, best-known voices in the internal comms space in the UK, holds dear. In her latest of three appearances of The Internal Comms Podcast, Rachel explained what drives her. In short: “Setting people up for success.”
This idea of ‘leaving the ladder down’ for IC pros to step up behind is something that has powered Rachel through many successes and challenges in her career. And in this spirit, we’re sharing Rachel’s approach to crafting an internal communication strategy.
The Miller framework for creating an internal communication strategy
Mindset. Any good strategy begins with setting intentions. Define your business priorities and the overarching vision you’re setting out to make reality. Ensure you iron out why communication is important.
Insight. What do you know about the business? And what do you know about its people?
Logistics. There’s likely a list of tools and channels that are currently being used to reach colleagues. How often is internal communication happening, and what has been prioritised so far? It’s great to know what – if anything – your internal audience expects from the organisation as it stands.
Leadership. As internal communicators, we’re often tasked with ensuring leadership comms is clear, concise and well informed. After all, respect for leadership is a key ingredient for a happy workforce. Ask, what role leaders will play in communicating the strategy. Will line managers be used as a channel? and, if so, how will you give them the right tools for the job?
Evaluation. Evaluating the success of a comms strategy is essential to getting further buy-in. It also informs the next and final part of the framework: revision. Define how you’ll be measuring your success upfront, and follow through with it throughout.
Revision. All great strategies will evolve and take on new forms as you learn more about what works and what is less effective. Don’t be afraid to chop and change as you go along!
Get a deep insight into some of Rachel’s most brilliant advice and expertise in episode 97 of The Internal Comms Podcast. Rachel’s book, Internal Communication Strategy, is available now.
