Career Opportunities in Business Communication
Corporate communications refers to any means by which information or ideas are communicated from a corporation to an external party, or between parties within a corporation itself. Corporate communications can take many forms, from verbal to written to visual. It spans all media forms, from intercompany memos, to press releases, to interviews given to the media, to multimedia presentations at trade fairs. Any time a corporation is making a communication that is not an advertisement, that is corporate communications. Some of the main forms are public relations, speeches, web content, internal communication and government communication.
The field of corporate communications is specifically concerned with these flows of information. Communications staff work are responsible for managing these flows. They are involved in setting the agenda for what is communicated; when and where it is disseminated; and they write and produce the communications.
For me, corporate communications is a tremendous opportunity. I have a very positive attitude towards the field. It is a way of managing information flows and being creative at the same time. I am excited by the variety of opportunities in the corporate communications field.
Computers are an essential tool in corporate communications. They perform a myriad of functions. Indeed, it would be difficult to pursue the field without the use of computers. Among the functions they perform are gathering, organizing, production and dissemination of information.
The gathering function incorporates the Internet and email. These tools provide means of researching. The Internet often contains an internal company website from which information can be drawn. Email not only helps to bring in vital information but it also can be used to coordinate information during the key stage when communiques are being put together. It is important to have regular, reliable communication with all related parties, from the relevant functional departments and from the legal department, in addition to the relevant parties within the communications department. Statistical tools like spreadsheets and databases are often used to gather information from sets of raw data.
The production function utilizes many different computer applications. Word processing is the most basic, but the corporate communications staff will also make use of many other applications. Images will need to be processed before use, in an application like Photoshop. Charts and graphs can be generated from spreadsheets. Many corporate communications are produced as.pdf files to ensure the integrity of their contents. Print communiques will require layout done as well. Mass communiques like flyers and pamphlets are produced at a reprographic shop, and all of their machines are run on computer.
In a modern corporation, the dissemination of corporate communications is frequently conducted via computer. Even communiques that exist in physical form, such as those produced in a reprographic shop, often have a digital form as well, such as a downloadable.pdf file. A high volume of internal communications is conducted through the use of email systems to which most or all employees have access. External communications often involves computers as well. Databases are maintained with external contact lists, and communiques can be sent en masse through these lists.
One of the most important mediums for corporate communication is the Internet. Websites are often the most public face of the company. Typically, the first place customers, prospective customers and suppliers turn to for information about a corporation is its web site. Web design is a unique multidisciplinary form of corporate communications, combining written work, visuals, and adding in a degree of functionality. Websites are used not just as a communications tool but also serve to facilitate the transaction of business as well.
In addition, computers are used for the internal Internet, or Intranet, wherein the same platform and technology used in external corporate communications is used to provide communications to internal users as well. This is an integral component in internal communications because the other main option, email, requires the user to be online at the time. With Intranet-based communication tools, internal users can access the information at all times.
II. Corporate Communications as a Career
There are many types of degrees that can prepare a person for a career in corporate communications. Naturally, a communications degree is a strong option. This degree familiarizes one with various forms of communication and the subtleties of the written word. Even more importantly, it teaches a person how to specifically and accurately reach their intended target audience with their communique. A communications degree helps one develop fluency in a number of different communication forms, and for a number of different purposes. The ability to smoothly transition between communication styles and purposes is a valuable asset to have when pursuing a career in corporate communications.
There are other degrees that a person can take to acquire the knowledge and skills required to succeed in the corporate communications field. A journalism degree gives a person strong writing skills and the ability to synthesize information into efficient bits suitable for mass communication. An English degree gives a person a strong understanding of the written word and language structure. A business degree (marketing is probably the best major) gives a person the familiarity with the everyday business terminology, and experience in writing n a corporate milieu.
Salaries in the field of corporate communications
According to Salaries.com, the median salary for a Communications Director is $121,798. At the low end, a position on www.indeed.comfor a business communications intern was listed at $32,000. According to the Bureau of Labor and Statistics, the mean for copy markers is around $30,000; for desktop publishers $37,000; public relations specialists nearly $56,000; public relations managers nearly $86,000.
Job descriptions sampling of job descriptions in the field from Monster.com shows that many communications positions are billed as writing jobs. Editing is another frequently cited component of jobs in the field. Some positions are more focused towards marketing, and these incorporate marketing strategy into the description, as well as graphics skills and Internet content management. Writing remains a key component whether the position is focused on internal or external communication.
III Corporate Website Comparison
For this comparison, I chose two similar entities at differing stages of professionalization in order to compare communications strategies. I selected two microbreweries, both considered leaders in sustainable business practices. One is New Belgium Brewing, one of the largest craft brewers in the U.S., with a professional communications person; the other Crann g Ales, a tiny craft brewer in British Columbia with no professional communications staff. Both websites have the same communications goals – to tell the story about the beer, and educate the public about their sustainable business practices, which for both companies not only form a part of their corporate identity but also form part of their public relations and marketing strategies.
The New Belgium website is a professionally laid-out site that conveys both the corporate philosophy and the product line. The color scheme and layout design are strong, and the page sizes are small and digestible. The corporate section, which details the history of the company, is scant for a company with a compelling story to tell. This section, along with the sections on sustainable practices, appear to have been written by the founders. The lack of professionalism in the writing is evident in the inconsistent tone compared with the rest of the site. Moreover, the section on the company’s achievements in sustainability is sloppy, with achievements listed off quickly. It makes for a tough read, moreso for readers unfamiliar with the basic technology and concepts. This section is small compared with the site, and tough to find. That is poor, given that this message is one of the most important things to New Belgium, and something for which they’ve received several press articles.
Other parts of the site appear more professionally written. The messages are simple – brief and with minimal industry-specific terminology. The overall presentation is a little bit lifeless in the way the message is basically a soft-sell. This is roughly in line with their corporate image but does not engage the reader to any great extent. The product descriptions generate a modest amount of desire. Due to legal considerations, there is limited opportunity to translate desire into action for a beer company as online sales are controlled, and New Belgium has too many accounts to list on their site.
For Crann g Ales, their website is a bit sloppier, but has stronger information. The color scheme is not at all engaging, nor is the layout. There is too much text on the first page, which reduces reader interest rather than piques it. The narrative on the beers is passable, but only conveys limited enthusiasm. The narrative on the sustainability practices, is far stronger than for New Belgium. The passion of the proprietors for sustainability shows through strongly in the loving, detailed descriptions of their practices. For this section, the interest level is high, and the enthusiasm conveys some desire in the part of the reader. In terms of action, there is a small section detailing accounts, but overall translating interest into desire seems to be a blind spot for C. Crann g and New Belgium alike.
IV Corporate Document Analysis
For this comparison, I picked up mortgage pamphlets, one from HSBC and the other from Bank of America. Perhaps it is worth noting that I also tried Citibank but they did not even have pamphlets available – a communication in its own right. Both pamphlets were in the lobby of the branch, available to anyone who walked in.
The Bank of America pamphlet is small, and almost entirely red on the front cover. This did not, however, help grab my attention as there were other pamphlets and the were all in the same color scheme. The size of the pamphlet was also a drawback, since not only does it not make a visual impact but it also does not contain much information. Worse, even though it was the only mortgage pamphlet on display it covers three distinct topics – purchase mortgage, refinance, and home equity. These three products do not share a target market, so it does not make sense to have them all on the same small pamphlet. Each of these sections is given one of the six folds. The cover, the legal disclaimers and some sort of survey are on the other three. Fully half of each page has a drawing of a big red house. Information is relegated to the bottom of each half.
The writing is very simplistic, and provides almost no information on the products. For each product a handful of bullet points outline key features. None of this serves to differentiate Bank of America from any other bank. Nor does it stimulate any sort of desire to pursue any action with them. With just 1/4 of the total space dedicated to actual information, and for any given customer just 1/12 of the space is dedicated to information on the product in which they have an interest, the Bank of America mortgage pamphlet is a poor attempt at corporate communications. It attracts no attention, arouses to interest, stimulates no desire and generates no action.
The HSBC mortgage pamphlet is actually three pamphlets. Rather than being stuck in a slot on an information stand, they were laid out on a table with water and cookies. Each pamphlet was a different size and shape. The table display itself attracted my attention, and once there the mortgage pamphlets easily caught my eye. The two largest pamphlets are bright, bold, full of information and pictures. The photos in one feature idyllic new house scenes (sparkling kitchen island, for example) while the other featured well-chosen photographs of Asian scenes. Both were very eye-catching.
From there the writing was tight, and to the point. It not only illustrated the features of doing mortgage business with HSBC but also was full of positive reinforcement and empowerment. Lines like “Yes, you can afford to own a home” and “If you build it, we will help” are highlighted in bold, red text. Further use of bold text offers features similar to those listed in the Bank of America pamphlet but the larger size of the pamphlet allows for more details to be listed. In contrast to the Bank of America pamphlet, the HSBC ones dedicate 75% of their space to information and customer engagement. The writing does an excellent job of spurring desire. The action segment is also stronger. Aside from the encouraging language, the location of the pamphlet table is close to where you would book your appointment, such that you have to pass it on your way out the door. At Bank of America, I was able to slip in and out without having to pass anybody. Moreover, the HSBC pamphlets gave me enough to read so that I was able to become comfortable in the branch, which was not the case with the scant Bank of America pamphlet.
Newsletter Analysis
For the purposes of this exercise I looked at the front page(s) of websites for two prostletyzing religious groups – Scientology and Jehovah’s Witnesses.
For the former, the newsletter was only available by subscription so I looked at the Background & Origins section.
The Scientology section is simply laid out and well-written. It contains only a handful of images, none with any real relevance to the text itself. The writing is clear and simple, outlining the basic tenets of the religion. By the end of the four-page e-pamphlet, the simplicity has given way to more long-winded, preponderous dialogue. By this stage, some of the salient points have been repeated a few times, which does not serve to retain interest. It appears written less to engage the casual visitor than to appeal to someone who is already strongly leaning towards joining. The section is attention-grabbing at first, but would be more so if the images related to the text. The interest level is piqued early, but fades as the text thickens. The writing is solid throughout, but desire and action are not followed through upon to any great degree. The final line, for example, should contain an action statement, but is instead a very passive, weak statement: “Millions upon millions more will follow in this quest to create a better world.” On the whole, I found the professionalism of this pamphlet to be high, but its effectiveness surprisingly low.
The Jehovah’s Witnesses have a similar e-pamphlet outlining the origin of their religion. Their article has a presentation far less slick than that of the Scientologists. The text is threadbare, and does not appear professionally written. It outlines the religion almost in point form. Whereas the Scientology article spoke directly to the reader, the Jehvoah’s Witnesses e-pamphlet does not, rather it focuses on the conduct of meetings and other things entirely unrelated to the needs of a prospective member or someone curious about the nature of the faith. The text is riddled with Biblical references, which would be lost on anyone not already familiar with the Bible. Compare with the Scientology pamphlet, where it outlines the various books and what they contain first, before making referenes. The Jehovah’s Witnesses e-pamphlet is surprisingly unprofessional in all respects. It does not capture attention with its poor layout and dry text. It does not stimulate interest nor desire when because it does not speak to the reader. The action component is too little, too late.
VI Types of Corporate Communication
For this exercise I looked at two items received recently in my mailbox – one for a MasterCard debit card, the other for an American Express credit card. The Amex one came in a mid-sized enveloped and included a sample card. The MasterCard one came in a letter-sized envelope and did not include a sample card.
The Amex pamphlet stands out immediately for its layout (it unfolds into a legal-sized vertical sheet) and thick stock. The main selling feature is a program for travel reward miles, something which is immediately apparent, and reinforced by the inclusion of a photograph of an airplane. After grabbing my attention, the pamphlet also succeeds on attracting interest. Like most people, I receive this type of correspondence regularly, so it takes a well-thought out presentation to get me to read in any detail. Several of the salient points are highlighted in duplicate – a bold header in the body of the pamphlet and then again in a boxed text on the left hand side. The pamphlet includes two pages. The legalese is relegated to the back of the first page, which immediately takes me to the second page, which is an application form. The sample card is intended to spur desire, and the application form is the action. Although I’m not going to fill this out, it is a solid package – a compelling case is made. The text is simple enough to get the point across easily without being so simple that it tells me nothing. And the action component is included.
The MasterCard pamphlet is folded into six sections, three on each side. On the front cover is simply a picture of a card being used in a debit machine. Compared with the flying airplane on the Amex pamphlet, this can hardly be seen as compelling imagery – and I know it’s a debit card because the text tells me that. Upon opening the pamphlet, I am faced with three pages, almost exclusively text. The typeface is small and could be hard to read. Even if it is not, the presentation is overwhelming – there is a lot of reading to do, and only three bold text headers for three pages. The text itself is written in a casual tone, and explains the product well. This would be more effective if the product wasn’t so obvious in the first place. The concept is not that new. Too much text space is wasted explaining the technical mechanism of the card and reader. A boxed text Frequently Asked Questions features bold blue headers on a blue background, which sort of defeats the point of making them bold since they still don’t stand out. So I am barely attracted, not terribly interested, and have no desire. Which is just as well, since the action component of this pamphlet consists of a URL and an 800 number.
An application form would have been far more effective, because then I could have started the process right away. Or maybe I don’t understand the product – perhaps it’s tied into some account I already have? I should not have these sorts of questions after reading the pamphlet.
VII Advertising Analysis
For this exercise, I will analyze a pair of ads found in the May 13, 2008 edition of the U.S.A. Today. On the back page of the sports section is a full-page, full-color ad for Panera Bread. On the back page of the business section is a quarter-page black and white ad for AIG.
The Panera Bread ad jumps out with a photograph of a sandwich. A smiling sun beckons “Begin happy.” Right below that I’m informed that the sandwich is a new grilled breakfast sandwich. The placement at the back of the sports section means that if someone is reading the paper on public transport, holding it up, the ad will be facing the other passengers. There is text, describing the sandwich. Thus far attention has been grabbed, and the sandwich photo has capture interest. The text is simple but evocative (eg. “Applewood-smoked bacon,” “Vermont white cheddar”). This arouses desire. In terms of action, it lacks a little bit but this is a national publication so local addresses are impossible. In this case, the desire presents an interesting coda, and is intended to spur action in and of itself.
The placement in USA Today hits its target demographic. This is a mainstream publication of wide distribution. It targets readers who do not respond to the more business-like tone of many local papers. The broad scope of the paper’s readership works well with the broad audience of Panera Bread. The sports section is probably incidental – this just happens to be the back section of the paper. If another section was last, they probably would have placed the ad there anyway. There are no sports stories on the page. I find this ad effective, well-constructed, and well-placed.
The second ad is the quarter-page black-and-white for American General. This is placed at the back of the business section. The ad is dry, with very few graphics. The headline trumpets savings of up to 75%. Immediately, the dryness fails to attract my attention. In selecting ads for this exercise, the Panera ad was an immediate choice. I did not notice this ad on first pass, and it took several looks before I figured out what they were selling. The text is equally lacking in scintillation. It outlines some savings but fails to present a compelling case. No interest have been cultivated, and I have no desire to even peruse the ad further. The action part of the ad is lacking as well – a toll-free phone number and a URL. Thus the action component is entirely left to the consumer, which will not work unless the desire created is strong.
VIII Conclusion
Corporate communications is a broad field filled with opportunity. An analysis of various forms of communications shows that effectiveness is variable, even among professionally-produced communiques. Effective communication should feature four main components – attention, interest, desire, and action. These need to be geared towards the target market, with attention paid to the form of media used. Communications is often overlooked, but it is an essential component of business, from internal communications to public relations. There are endless opportunities to develop a lucrative career in corporate communications.
References
http://www.ragan.com/ME2/Default.asp http://www.scientology.org/religion/background-origins/index.html
http://www.watchtower.org/e/rq/index.htm?article=article_14.htm
http://www.monster.com http://www.salaries.com http://www.bls.gov/oes/2006/may/naics4_561400.htm
http://www.ragan.com/ME2/Default.asp
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