I started my journey away from Utah with a cup of hot chocolate from City Cakes and Cafe. My barista, Emily, decided to write me a message to send me on my way. There might be a grammar error on the cup, but the sentiment is what matters in this instance.
Government, investor and consumer communications roles in business
The special communication functions inside of a corporate communications department include government communications, investor communications and consumer relations. These three stakeholders are keys in ensuring a company’s success, and each has its own power and own messages that they need to receive.
Government communications are basically the lobbyists that a company hires to make sure that legislation is favorable to the company. Generally, this happens at a national level, but there are times when local lawmakers can affect a business, and that business will need to talk to them. Disney has between three and five people in this role in the United States.
For investors, the law requires that the messages are factual. This is where Enron messed up. Investor communications can do their best to spin bad situations, but they cannot outright lie without there being legal consequences if the company is caught doing so.
Without consumers, there is no company. While it may seem like a good idea to overhype the company so that consumers will buy into it, that type of thinking leads to short term gains and long term losses. In “Good to Great,” businesses are advised to under promise and over deliver.
Disney has the possibility of falling victim to its own success. People have such a high expectation when they come to Walt Disney World that it seems like the company would have a hard time delivering on what the consumer sees as a promise. However, Disney’s cast members are so empowered in what they do that they are able to deliver magical moment after magical moment. Even when there is a disappointment that is caused by a cast member, the rest of the vacation memories overwhelm the one bad experience.
Government communications are basically the lobbyists that a company hires to make sure that legislation is favorable to the company. Generally, this happens at a national level, but there are times when local lawmakers can affect a business, and that business will need to talk to them. Disney has between three and five people in this role in the United States.
For investors, the law requires that the messages are factual. This is where Enron messed up. Investor communications can do their best to spin bad situations, but they cannot outright lie without there being legal consequences if the company is caught doing so.
Without consumers, there is no company. While it may seem like a good idea to overhype the company so that consumers will buy into it, that type of thinking leads to short term gains and long term losses. In “Good to Great,” businesses are advised to under promise and over deliver.
Disney has the possibility of falling victim to its own success. People have such a high expectation when they come to Walt Disney World that it seems like the company would have a hard time delivering on what the consumer sees as a promise. However, Disney’s cast members are so empowered in what they do that they are able to deliver magical moment after magical moment. Even when there is a disappointment that is caused by a cast member, the rest of the vacation memories overwhelm the one bad experience.
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