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Communication and Branding Strategy
PURPOSE The purpose of this communication and branding strategy document is to unite the communication processes of AAM Investment Group and to serve alignment with the vision of the group. This is a preliminary document, developed to elucidate discussion on communication with AAMIG and its importance to many aspects of business growth and management. The communications strategy shows how effective communications can: • Help achieve overall objectives • Engage effectively with stakeholders • Communicate AAM Investment Group achievements • Ensure processes undertaken by AAM Investment Group are understood • Facilitate behavioural and perception change where necessary • Consolidate current communication processes By embedding communication and branding strategy as a key corporate fund, we are able to strengthen the internal culture and the operational processes through effective and structured communication messages; we are also able to shape the expectations that key external stakeholders hold in regards to AAM Investment Group. This strategy seeks to address all staff involved with AAMIG to ensure they are aware of objectives and key messages and in turn create individual investment in the company. 2
Communication and Branding Strategy
Situation Analysis Extensive growth and company restructure has occurred over the past twelve months and continues throughout the whole group. Many transitions and consolidation of company functions result in the need for a clear branding and communication strategy.
Vision
Objectives
To promote investment and lead change in the agricultural industry to create a positive and sustainable legacy.
• To ensure all AAMIG staff feel part of our organisation and understand the benefits from being part of this organisation • To communicate the core competencies of the company externally and internally • To present externally what we practice internally • To contribute to further growth of the company and ensure transparency
Audience Internal Stakeholders Head Office Staff RLX Site Staff Non RLX Site Staff Board Outsourced function providers (Lawyers)
External Stakeholders Investors Clients Suppliers Communities RLX Facility users (Agents, transporters, vendors, buyers, breed associations) Government (Regulating and lobbying Media)
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Example Key Messages Key communication Message 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Corporate Information. “Who is AAM Investment Group?� Who makes up the group and how the group is structured. Achievements and successes Expectations on progress and delivery reporting. Whom do we report to on our progress and impending delivery expectations? Processes and Policies How do these processes and policies affect the way we work, what standards are expected? Capabilities. What is our corporate profile? How do we provide opportunities in regional and rural areas? Corporate Social Responsibility How do we promote innovation and safety? Internal External
1. Corporate Information: Understanding the organisation an employee is working for, is an integral part of developing individual investment and therefore increasing productivity and efficiency. 2. Achievements: Celebrating achievements of all employees, both personal and work related increases feelings of contribution and community. 3. Expectations: Clarifying expectations of both the employee and their managers. Through increasing two-way communication, to ensure all staff are aware of what is expected of them and what they can expect as an employee of AAMIG. The increase of modern management techniques, such as having technology, has resulted in greater efficiencies and has led to the dilution of individual responsibility. Through outlining and enforcing two way expectations and responsibilities, we can harness modern management and individual responsibilities. 4. Processes and Policies: Ensuring each employee understands and acts accordingly and understands the value of the policies and procedures.
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Communication and Branding Strategy
Audience Internal Internal Internal Internal External External External External 5. Corporate Profile: External stakeholders need to be aware of all aspects of the company to ensure all diverse groups understand the company’s services, target markets, strengths and record of accomplishments. This will be an important first step in deciding to do business with the company. 6. Provision of opportunities in regional and rural areas: AAMIG provides opportunities to regional and rural areas, both through employment opportunities and injecting economic activity into small communities. 7. Corporate Social Responsibility: All organisations have the responsibility to contribute to sustainable environmental and community development and to integrate this throughout the organisation and practise within the organisations relationships. 8. Safety and Innovation: Through communicating safety practices and the investment into innovation, we are able to present a leading company in the industries in which we operate.
Communication Methods Staff Production Collateral Company Profile AAMIG Website
Uniforms
Slack
Signage
Policies
Style Guide
Training
Social Media
Branding
Internal
Newsletter
Communication Profiles RLX Website Project
Conferences & Forums
Events
General
Direct Stakeholders
Safety
Community
Social Media
External
Print Media Rural Publications Other
Information Collateral
Templates Corporate Profile
Online Media
Capabilities
Online Publications
IM’s
Investment Forums
The Legend of AAMIG
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Communication Methodologies And Examples Branding Company Style Guide
Online Document
Key Message: 2,4,5,6,7,8
Priority:
A company style guide helps communicate a consistent look and brand associated with documents relating to the company. Ensuring this consistency contributes to the professionalism of the company. Developing a full style guide for AAMIG is a top priority, as this is an internal process. Internal processes need to be finalised prior to communicating our messages externally. Included in this style guide; • Templates; Letterhead, Media Release, Media Note, Meeting Minutes and Agendas • Email signatures • Business Cards • Information Templates
Uniforms
Physical
Key Message: 1,5
Priority:
Communicating through company uniforms increases the level of professionalism and increases a team members feeling of belonging and equality. • AAM Operations Uniforms: Uniforms for AAM Operations Staff have been distributed. • AAM Investment Group Uniforms: Shirts for AAMIG Head Office staff are to be allocated for on-site visits and meetings. Some members of staff have received AAMIG corporate shirts. Women’s shirts need to be organised.
Websites
Online
Key Message: 2,4,5,6,7,8
Priority:
Websites are an important platform to disseminate information to interested parties. The AAMIG and RLX websites remain a targeted platform for people who seek information specific to our company/industry. • AAM Investment Group Website: AAMIG website is existing. Actions regarding AAMIG website relate to constant updating of current and relevant materials. • RLX Website is currently under development and is a high priority to ensure the added benefits included in the new website are to the market quickly.
AAM Investment Group Information
Online Print
Key Message: 1,2,5,6,7,8
Priority:
Information packages regarding AAM Investment Group are important to both internal and external stakeholders to increase understanding of the company as a whole. 6
Communication and Branding Strategy
Internal Communication Slack
Online
Key Message: 1,2,3,4
Priority:
Increased use of internal communication platform to make staff aware of internal messages.
Social Media
Online
Key Message: 1,2,3,4
Priority:
All staff members should be aware of and using personal social media platforms, for example LinkedIn. Staff are to create current LinkedIn profiles, as an essential virtual network and to increase personal branding platform, which will align with company branding.
Newsletter
Online
Key Message: 1,2,3,4
Priority:
Newsletters remain an efficient way of spreading messages, achievements and general company news. Internal Staff newsletters contribute to starting conversations, complement existing communication channels, through calling the reader to action and engaging the reader by including multimedia. In addition, management can gain an understanding of reach through real-time engagement metrics.
Staff Induction Pack
Physical Document
Key Message: 1,2,3,4
Priority:
Staff induction programs ensure all new staff start with the company with the right information. Inductions guarantee maximum productivity and knowledge of safe work practices applicable to their location.
Policies and Procedures
Physical Document
Key Message: 1,2,3,4
Priority:
Increasing staff knowledge of policies and procedures results in a more efficient and productive staff group who act within the parameters of the outlined policy and procedure documents.
Training
Physical Document
Key Message: 1,2,3,4
Priority:
Organisations truly excel when they invest in training for their staff. Investment in training addresses weaknesses, improves employee performance, results on consistency of work and develops employee satisfaction.
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External Communication Social Media
Online
Key Message: 5,6,7,8
Priority:
Engagement with social media ensures company messages are consistently communicated to a targeted audience. The use of Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram ensure AAMIG continue to have an informal online presence that increases engagement with their audience.
Print Media
Key Message: 5,6,7,8
Priority:
Print media remains in integral part of communication within the agricultural industry. Print media is useful for editorial content and advertisements. Editorial content is an efficient way of communicating a story to our audience whilst advertising remains an efficient communication platform that allows the company to retain control over the messages being communicated.
Events
Events
Key Message: 5,6,7,8
Priority:
Through running events for external stakeholders and staff, a company is able to continuously initiate and develop engagement with their audience. Conferences and events are an efficient way to communicate a message to a targeted group.
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Communication and Branding Strategy
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Communication Timeline
Draft Budget High commitment, fastest implementation and penetration.
Medium Case An attempt at a balance between costs and impact.
Basic Case
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Communication and Branding Strategy
Discussion Documents The following papers provide context regarding a series of the required communications measures for AAMIG. They are intended as short introductions to each topic covered.
AAMIG Internal Communications System
Why is an internal communication system important?
An organisation needs to communicate effectively with their employees to ensure an increased level of engagement with them. Internal communications are particularly important in a growing organisation. At the most basic level, internal communications helps to clarify, expectations of staff and for staff to communicate expectations of their job. It is important to employees’ understanding the organisation, its values and purposes. Moving past staff and employer expectations and organisation values, internal communications increases the level of engagement staff feel in their workplace and with the people they work alongside. Increased engagement can result in staff understanding the organisation cares about their views and understands how their role contributes to the overall business. An engaged workforce feels valued and involved and that they genuinely matter to the organisation. Overall, internal communications can result in higher productivity and quality of work. Internal communications is most effective when a clear message is delivered, through appropriate channels and tailored to suit the intended audience.
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The cost of not engaging with internal communications? When a company fails to focus on effective internal communications it can be extremely damaging. Failure to engage with employees in the correct way will lead to employees feeling underappreciated and in turn, l build cynicism towards the workplace. A workforce which fails to connect with the company and the staff with whom they work and interact each day, will result in high staff turnover.
Good internal communications consists of: • Open and objective communications • Consistent and regular communication • Two-way dialogue • Understanding the audience
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Communication and Branding Strategy
The power of internal communications lies within taking employees on a journey with the organisation through change and growth periods. Their interaction and interest will mean the difference between communications that go nowhere and communications that motivate entire staff groups.
AAMIG & Social Media
Why is Social Media important? Social Media provides an online platform that encompasses nonconservative, two-way engagement with a varied group of stakeholders. Social Media is important to organisations to:
• Increase stakeholder participation and engagement • Leverage influencers • Uphold reputation and appear active to investors
Social media is a strategic communication partner without geographical limitations that encompasses many functions: • customer service • marketing
• Target niche groups for specific projects
• internal communications
• Maximise opportunities
• public relations
• Increase efficiency (e.g. no need to send multiple people to the conference)
• corporate social responsibility
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How can social media enhance our communication with our stakeholders? • Channels to project key messages to our stakeholders in real-time • Two-way dialogue to promote an active following Social media can significantly enhance collaboration, participation, interactivity and engagement by opening up:
• Ability to grow audience relatively quickly; particularly relevant for penetration of a new industry niche
Growth through targeting of thought leaders and influencers Thought leadership is an integral part of any communication and marketing activities, as it helps to position Our organisation as a leader in the industry, it also helps you to connect with other thought leaders in our industry.
• Networking; follow up on meetings, with conference attendees and conversations • Grow audience by reaching out to individuals or organisations with a large following • Quickly inflitrate a new audience • Lobbying and support for local, national or global initiatives
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Communication and Branding Strategy
AAMIG Staff Induction
WORKPLACE CULTURE New employees need to quickly align and be assimilated into the AAMIG culture. They need to understand values and the behaviours that drive those values. COMPLIANCE By educating new employees about company policies on safety, bullying, sexual harassment, and other critical policies it will help to protect the business by preventing incidents and better defending any claim. RETENTION Induction programs help employees to adjust to their new role, make a smoother transition into the business and assimilate into the company culture. This ultimately leads to better retention of employees, saves on recruitment costs and helps employees to feel supported.
PRODUCTIVITY Employees learn the right way of doing things from the beginning, instead of being shown shortcuts. SAVES TIME & MONEY Saves time and money in the long term as a well-developed induction program can be easily replicated for each new employee and added to with new information when necessary. COMPANY REPUTATION Inductions help to establish a professional impression of the business, including the way you deliver customer service.
Carrying out inductions in advance ensures that: • Employees will feel empowered and build a sense of pride and belonging. • Employees are up to speed with what’s required from them on day one: employees and contractors can get to work immediately. • They know how to get help and where to refer for guidance. • They won’t make costly mistakes during the early part of their learning curve
Why Induction is important 15
The cost of Induction not inducting Materials/ staff? Resources • Higher staff turnover – an average cost to replace a staff member can be as much as $60,000. • New staff can feel undervalued and disconnected from our company aims and objectives
• Induction Checklist – preparing the employee to start • Paperwork to be completed including: (a) Employee Details Form (b) Tax File Declaration (c) Superannuation Choice Form (d) Fair Work Checklist (e) Fair Work Information Statement • Health and Safety Induction
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Communication and Branding Strategy
AAMIG Branding
Why is branding important? The Benefits: 1. Market recognition and understanding 2. Expansion opportunities, by leveraging the positive recognition of the brand to expand into new/complementary areas 3. Negotiating power - again, less necessity to establish credibility in negotiations 4. Competitive advantage increased margins-minimise competitive threats 5. Defence against negative news by having a history of continually positive messages 6. Enhance the self-image of staff and supporters-making them feel ownership and comfort in the company 7. Inspire staff to give their best, knowing that being part of a highperformance brand says something about them
Branding is generally considered to go hand in hand with marketing, however a strong and consistent brand will, in fact, provide a valuable shortcut to having to establish credibility across all stakeholder groups-not only customers. Our brand strategy will be successful when we create and support a brand which is a true reection of who and what we are. In essence, our brand needs to follow our values and be a proxy for those values in the minds of those with whom we do business, both internally and externally.
In the case of AAMIG, our brand does not need to be recognised by everyone in the community (compared with a brand like Coles or Woolworth’s, for example) but needs to be instantly and deeply recognised by the relatively small group of individuals and businesses with whom we interact. Our branding strategy needs to strongly annunciate our values and engender a pre-conceived expectation of integrity and performance within the target cohort.
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Communication and Branding Strategy (Draft)