“Jason is a highly skilled and talented marketing and communications professional. For more than two years, Jason and I have worked together on more than a dozen strategic and tactical plans on behalf of this major healthcare client. His work is exceptional – insightful and thoughtful. He also works beautifully with our client, challenging them when appropriate and always wanting to introduce new ideas and new ways of doing things in the communications realm.”

Dorothy Balabanos, project lead, president of DJB Communications Group, Inc.

Background

This privately held and employee-owned healthcare company develops, manufactures and distributes personal-care products in nearly 70 countries. With several thousand employees and nearly a billion dollars in annual sales, it knew it needed to more strategically and consistently engage with its internal and external audiences to maintain and grow its business, strengthen its brand and attract new talent in an increasingly competitive marketplace. It hired our team in late 2014.

PROBLEM

Management did not have a firm grasp on best practices for corporate communications in healthcare, and in general. No meaningful structure existed for strong external (and to some extent, internal) communications globally and for two-way communications between headquarters and the dozens of regions / nearly 70 countries in which the Company has a strong presence. The company did not have refined key messaging, a social media plan, a proactive media relations effort or a strategy for moving its communications to the next level.

SOLUTION / ACTIVITIES

A: During 2015, our team built the foundation for a sophisticated communications operation this international company deserved. We did so in three phases:

  1. Discovery / competitive analysis: We carefully examined and reported on the communications capabilities, efforts and success of the Company and its three top competitors; developed and shared communications best practices based on our research and experience; provided an executive summary and recommendations about how the Company should move forward to achieve its goal of building a world-class communications structure and operation.
  2. Structure development: We created a detailed (68-page) plan and framework for how the Company should build a global communications structure, complete with: foundational messaging, staffing, roles and responsibilities, objectives, target audiences, processes, communications scenarios, communications templates, channels (media, intranet, social, etc.), policies and more. We provided a substantial and actionable framework for internal communications, key-constituent communications, media relations, social media and more.
  3. 2016-2018 strategic corporate communications plan creation: We developed a detailed (43-page) plan that addressed: objectives; foundational key messages; dozens of high-value, actionable internal and external communications strategies and tactics – using all channels (including social media); measurement recommendations; and much more.

Additional activities:

B: Creating and providing half-day media education and spokesperson training sessions for senior management.

C: Writing and issuing several news releases – ranging from announcing C-suite hires to new contracts to awards – gaining media interest and coverage.

D: Providing crisis communications counseling on a variety issues, including managing plant closures, communicating about a multi-million dollar DOJ settlement, and more.

E: Providing strategic counsel on wide range of issues.

RESULTS

  • The Company is in the process of prioritizing recommended activities, getting management’s buy-in to become more communicative and proactive, building its global communications team based on our recommendations, and engaging us to implement several foundation-building strategies and tactics.
  • Following our recommendations, the Company is using various communications templates and methodologies we created to improve internal communications and employee morale.
  • Via our training, top communications managers from Illinois to Japan now better understand how media work, what they need, how to respond to requests, and how to conduct interviews.
  • We have helped the Company proactively communicate, build up its newsroom content and have important information to share across several channels by our regularly writing, editing and issuing several news releases on topics including new contracts, awards, executive hires, and a major anniversary.
  • We have helped the Company gain interest from and coverage with top healthcare industry and business media (though it is reluctant to share any financials).
  • Since working with us, the Company has earned a much better internal and external reputation based on employee feedback and the types and quantity of positive comments on social media (Facebook, Twitter, Glassdoor, etc.), and via customers and other constituents.