The More Things Change, the More they Stay the Same

by Frank L. Williams

The world has changed dramatically in the more than three decades since I earned my communication degree from N.C. State University, and this change is as evident in the world of communication and public relations as anywhere.

When I graduated, we saved files on floppy disks, the internet was in its infancy, social media did not exist, and we distributed press releases using snail mail or a good, old-fashioned fax machine. Print newspapers were still widely read, 24-hour news networks were just coming into their own, blogs and podcasts did not yet exist, and citizen journalism was not yet commonplace. Newsroom schedules were based on a couple of major daily newscasts or a daily paper’s print deadline, not today’s maddening “rush to see who can break it first on X.com” environment.

Yes, the world of business and communication has changed, and it continues to rapidly do so, particularly with the rise of AI. But, as the old saying goes, the more things change, the more they stay the same.

Let’s examine a few timeless communication principles that apply now, more than ever:

• Have a clear strategic purpose: As Stephen Covey says in The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, you should begin with the end in mind. At Pioneer Strategies, one of our core principles is that every communication activity should advance a business goal. Your communication program should both inform and be informed by a big-picture strategic vision for your business or association. This is more important than ever in an era that offers a hot new trend every week. Without a clear strategy, you may invest your communication resources in fool’s gold.
• Conduct accurate research: Research is one of the most important components of an effective communication strategy. Sadly, it is also one of the most overlooked. Many people skip research and planning, jumping straight into execution, and then wonder why their communication program misses the mark. Research provides accurate insights into how key publics view your organization and what they think about key issues. It helps you understand their expectations and preconceived notions, enables you to test messages and learn how to most effectively engage with your audiences, and allows you to test your assumptions against reality on the ground. Technology has increased the importance of conducting valid research, as social media can make some voices seem larger and louder than they really are. On the flip side, technology has also given us numerous tools that increase the ease of conducting effective research. 
• Know who you need to reach: Clearly and accurately identifying the publics with whom your organization needs to build relationships enables you to develop strong messaging, choose the right communication channels, anticipate and avoid stepping on land mines, and wisely allocate your resources. Accurate research helps you clearly define your key publics.
• Define big-picture communication goals: Communication goals should define the impact you want your communication program to have. For example, an association might set a goal to increase member engagement. This goal is broad and aspirational. Specific, measurable objectives associated with this goal might include increasing the number of members who attend regional meetings by 15% or increasing the percentage of members who serve on a committee by 10%.
• Develop the right messaging: The messaging you disseminate should be clear, concise, and coherent, and it must mean something to your key publics. It doesn’t matter how clearly you communicate a message if your audiences don’t care or don’t understand it. That’s why it’s important to speak your audience’s language. For example, if you are working for a governmental organization, and your messaging is intended for residents who do not work for the government, it should not sound like something out of a public administration textbook. Effective research will help you identify the right messages and frame them in a way that resonates with the people you need to reach.
• Choose the right communication tools: Whether it’s a handbill posted on the front of the county courthouse in 1870 or a targeted digital advertisement today, a tool is only useful if it effectively communicates your message to your audience. Because today’s communication landscape is more crowded than ever, it’s more difficult for your message to break through the clutter and reach your key publics. Additionally, because there are so many options available today, it’s hard to know where to start. It’s all too easy to jump on the bandwagon of a new, shiny, and often expensive thing that will supposedly reach your audience more effectively than anything in the history of mankind. Choose your tools wisely.
• Monitor, measure and adapt: Effective communication is two-way communication, and evaluation starts the moment execution begins. You should monitor the impact of your communication campaign from the outset and tweak it as necessary to ensure maximum effectiveness. The key word here is “tweak” – make minor adjustments as needed, but don’t dramatically deviate from your strategic direction unless absolutely necessary.
• Be consistent and build trust: Simply put, this is fundamental. Public relations is largely about building organizational credibility, and credibility is rooted in trust. 

Thanks largely to the impact of technology, the world of communication is rapidly changing. But the more things change, the more they stay the same. How effectively are you adapting?