How to use flow campaigning for targeted communication in change management? Listen in:
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flow campaigning – campaign management as a management consultancy?
Classically, the management of campaigns in companies is done by the marketing department or an external advertising agency. So how come flow is active in this field as a management consultancy with a focus on change management? Because this is where our expertise in change management can come in. Because we have been providing support in the conception, strategy and implementation of change for decades. flow campaigning means in concrete terms: we complement our change know-how with the media know-how of typografix design. And we do this when the resources in internal departments are not sufficiently available. Or when the campaign must have an internal impact. This requires a different basic approach than that of advertising agencies that specialize in successfully marketing new products to the outside world.
Target group-specific communication as a success factor
People in the company have different views and perspectives on things. They know the organization and the culture very well. Because of this closeness, communication must be different internally, especially since changes are not always viewed positively. Selling the ‘product change’ within organizations works according to completely different rules than selling any other product externally. We know the necessary success and influencing factors and design campaigns accordingly.
What are the ingredients for successful campaign management?
1. clear message
It doesn’t matter whether it’s a campaign for an association seeking new members, for example, or a company striving for cultural change: It must become clear where the journey is to go. Already at this point, there are often conflicting interests and disagreements that must first be clarified. What messages do we want to send, what is our story?
2. targeted analysis
At what point in the journey are we? Who is the target group and what are their reception habits? Especially in the case of change projects, it is important to find out how much frustration there may already be internally due to past experiences. What is the prevailing culture and what are the usual communication structures? Or in the case of campaigns in the public sector: What is the political issue, what campaigns for public participation have taken place so far, what resistance can arise, what has gone on so far and how?
3. suitable time
There are many tools, but when is the best time to use them? One of the success factors in change management, and thus also in campaigning, is not just to spread nice-sounding slogans, but to work consistently – and quite hard – until the desired effects are achieved, i.e. to balance the work and communication phases well. Creating participation is central, e.g., in selected pilot projects, workshop moderations, participatory actions or even large group formats. Such measures should take place in advance, and as soon as the first successes become apparent, they must be marketed with the appropriate instruments.
4. recipient-oriented approach
Pictures, reports, films and interviews with ‘real’ people at different levels have a particularly authentic effect. Pictures of personalities from the organization are much more appealing than arbitrary photos with models. Reports from management can be supplemented by stories from trainees and teams at different levels of the hierarchy. For campaigns in the public sector, it is purposeful to capture people on the street and their voices. In both cases, it is important not to sugarcoat anything, but also to allow critical statements. The following applies to the use of media: the mix makes the difference and personal encounters – in addition to the use of digital media – have a high value for people.
Flexible, structured approach to change management
What applies to change management therefore also applies to flow campaigning: good structure and goal-oriented planning are just as crucial as high flexibility. Because circumstances often change, surprising results emerge, measures do not work as expected, new opportunities arise, and so on.
In order to be able to react quickly and without frictional losses, we work closely with the typografix-design agency in campaigning. This way, our clients can be sure that their campaign will not only be professionally supported in terms of content, but also in terms of graphics and media.
For more detailed information, take a look at our short (german) info film “flow consulting and typografix make common cause” and the page “flow campaigning: The plus for your campaign”.
Thank you for your interest and enjoy listening to our new podcast episode.
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