What’s Your Point? - Measurement in Internal Comms

Measurement feels like a hot topic. Good. There’s much to do, and I think that the CIPR, IoIC and PRCA research will be revealing. (Haven’t taken the survey?! Take it now!)

Communicators know eyeballs, opens and awareness aren’t the whole story. More important is evidence of new, changed behaviours and attitudes, of greater skills or confidence across the workforce.

Oftentimes – for changes to the pension scheme or a new product launch, say - there are stats on uptake or sales that tell you the whole story.

But it’s not always so easy; these measures might not exist. That’s where I think there’s work to do – in knowledge or confidence – in knowing what, and how, to measure.

For me, it’s always a research approach, it starts with defining the question you’re trying to answer.

It’s an absolute focus on what you’re trying to prove: How will you know when you’ve taken everyone to the right destination?

Because then you can:

1) Better assess what’s available. What’s out there on efficiencies made, faster processes, customer retention? What engagement measures can you draw on? Ask yourself: Does this help me build a picture of the effect? Does this help me tell part of the story?

2) See what you’ve done. You may not have moved that needle all by yourself – but what part of that shift do you take credit for? Can you show that a combination of small shifts adds up to more than a hill of beans?

3) See what to add to develop the whole picture, be that: surveys, focus groups, interviews, or perhaps more anecdotal feedback.

4) Put it all together. You might have generated words, numbers and sentiments, now bring that all into one narrative.

Of course, if you are:

• Looking for new measures

• Using those measures in different ways

• Adding your own measurement

• Using lots of different measures to demonstrate a single point

Then these might not be comms pro skills. To develop them may need training, it may need external help. Or it may simply need the time and freedom to try – and sometimes fail at - different things.

But with a clarity of focus on what you’re trying to achieve, and the confidence in your measures, then I think that – as well as being able to prove your impact – then there’s every chance to finesse the comms too.

Because that focus helps sharpen the brief, pinpoint the delivery, elevate the execution, identify where there are real risks. Concentrating on the end point is often a very good place to start.