Griffin Communications

Strategic Communications

You have big fish to fry. Are you angling to increase brand visibility or engage new audiences? Do you aim to develop meaningful relationships or heighten awareness about an issue or topic? Whatever your goal, you need a plan to get there.

Griffin Communication plans are rooted in research that goes below the surface of your business to ensure your strategies are tailored to address your business needs, issues, and goals. And we don’t leave you like a fish out of water. We provide toolkits to help you with day-to-day plan implementation - templates, guidelines, tips, tricks, and whatever will help you catch your goal.

At Griffin Communications we don’t just give you the fish. We give you the rod and we throw in the boat too.

SERVICES

Communications plans

Raise awareness. Shift perceptions. Change behaviour. Reach your goals. Our plans help organizations communicate more effectively with stakeholders, thought leaders, the media, the community, and everyone in between.

Internal engagement strategies

Need to keep your employees better informed? Need to grow trust? Do more than close gaps of information ... transform your staff into ambassadors for your brand and projects. An internal communications audit and plan will help you strengthen the inside before influencing the outside.

Issues management plans

When its time to set the story straight or improve your reputation, an issues management plan will help you anticipate and react appropriately to current or potential perception issues faced by your organization.

Social media and online engagement

Social and digital media are important platforms to elevate your brand and demonstrate thought leadership in your industry. An online communications plan and editorial calendar will help you establish an appropriate online presence for your budget, your target audience, and brand awareness objectives.

Experience

Laurie has written numerous strategic communications plans for large and small organizations in the public and private sectors (see sample of case studies below). Laurie uses industry best practices in combination with solid research to inform effective plans, persuasive key messaging, and the practical implementation of tactics. With nearly a decade of communication consulting and journalism freelancing, Laurie applies a creative, think-outside-the-box approach to both planning and executing strategies that bring results.

Additionally, Laurie has developed two proactive issues management frameworks, including one for a provincial government and one for a Fortune 500 company experiencing regular media scrutiny. Laurie also offers strategic advice, short-term plans, and tactical implementation in reaction to emerging issues that have included a hostile takeover bid, a plant closure, and funding cuts.

Case study 1: Municipal strategic plans

Strategic communications plans for two municipalities provided recommendations for formal communications processes, resulting in improved ongoing communication among council, administration, community groups, and the public. Both plans had direct impact on media protocols and opportunities that saw improved relationships with local media. One municipal plan saw stronger lines of communication developed between the municipality and a post-secondary institution in the pursuit of mutual goals.

Case study 2: Internal communications to advance ambitious business strategy

Laurie wrote a communications plan for an oil and gas company needing improved communication processes and engagement with employees. The company sought to raise internal awareness and participation in advancing its new, highly ambitious business strategy. When the strategy was initially shared, staff lacked confidence in the company's new business goals. Laurie designed focus groups, workshops, and surveys that allowed the company to identify areas requiring further clarification and communication. The research informed plans for direct and online staff engagement, storytelling, and internal recognition campaigns that increased awareness and participation.

Case study 3: Integrated communication and market access plan

After in-depth research Laurie identified specific barriers and opportunities for a heart valve technology manufacturer to effectively engage provincial healthcare purchasers, decision makers, and influencers in key target markets across Canada. Their goal was to penetrate perception barriers and acquire funding for an expensive procedure mostly required by elderly patients. Laurie’s interviews with interventional cardiologists, heart surgeons, and nurses provided insights on provincial health funding issues, wait list dynamics, and purchasing decision criteria. This qualitative insight informed a communication and market access plan that included patient advocacy, storytelling, and progressive phases of engagement with purchasers and influencers to advance funding goals.

Case study in the making: Capital campaign communication plan

Griffin Communications was hired to develop a communication plan for a multimillion-dollar fundraising campaign for capital development in a non-profit organization. The plan provides a phased approach for pre-campaign internal and external awareness building of several strategic themes that will be vital for campaign success when it launches next year. Laurie is presently guiding a team to build promotional material including articles, blogs, videos, brochures, a general campaign website, and a case booklet.