HOW LEARNING STRATEGIC COMMUNICATION CAN HELP IN THE CORPORATE WORLD

It is no secret that the corporate world is highly competitive, and maintaining your survival here is no walk in the park. Even the businesses that have gone through their startup phase need a clear and concise plan based on their strategic objectives. Several factors play a crucial role in achieving business goals, one of which is strategic communication.

It is a broad term that refers to the strategic use of communication by any organization or its employees to achieve business goals. In other words, being strategic in your communication means delivering or communicating the best message by utilizing the right channels that can help in meeting organizational goals. Learning strategic communication enables you to help improve the internal communication strategies, understand the target audience, and build effective marketing campaigns. However, to succeed in this fast-paced world, learning strategic communication is essential to take your career to the next level.

Today, most organizations look for employees who are well equipped in using the right tools and techniques that can help them in achieving their business goals. Given the increasing importance of strategic communications in the corporate world, several universities are now offering online programs that are specifically designed for business professionals who are either willing to upskill their career or seeking a career transition in this field. These online programs serve as an excellent opportunity for professionals to boost their communication skills, resulting in gaining a competitive edge over other employees. Hence, it is the best time to get yourself enrolled in strategic communications masters programs online to expand your professional expertise.

If you’re still not convinced on how learning strategic communication majors can help you, then keep reading. Below we have discussed different career paths that you can choose with a degree in communication.

1. PUBLIC RELATIONS SPECIALIST

Let’s face it; every organization’s primary concern is to build a strong image among its target audience. This is where every business needs a PR specialist. These professionals are responsible for building and maintaining a good public image of a brand. As a public relations specialist, you can work in various settings such as private firms, government agencies, or non-profit organizations. With a degree in strategic communication, you will be to strategically communicate a positive message about the business and the employer through a persuasive campaign.

However, your day-to-day responsibilities would include:

• Craft press releases and social media programs to promote positive brand image
• Build good relations with customers, media persons, employees, stakeholders
• Manage web and social media content
• Keep an eye out on various promotions or marketing programs and check whether they abide by company PR policy etc.

2. CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Creative directors are responsible for planning, designing, and delivering the brand’s vision through layouts and visuals of products, advertising, digital publications, etc. You must have strong creative skills to visualize the concept for a company. Effective communication (both written and verbal), leadership, creativity, interpersonal and time-management skills are necessary to advance in this career. Although the job responsibilities of a creative director vary depending on the industry and job type, however, some typical job duties include:

• Plan and transform a message, information, or concept into an appealing visual design
• Oversee and approve designs and artworks for advertising and publication
• Meet and collaborate with different clients and departments to discuss designs and layouts
• Assist, supervise, and motivate graphic designing and web designing teams
• Make sure the submission of projects are on time and within the allocated budget etc.

3. SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER

With around 3.6 billion social media users worldwide, ensuring social media presence is pertinent for all businesses. However, creating a company account on different social media platforms isn’t enough. Most companies hire social media managers responsible for interacting with the target audience, increasing brand awareness, and boosting sales. Besides, excellent time-management, creative, interpersonal, and communication skills are mandatory to work in the capacity of this role.

Typical responsibilities of a social media manager include:

• Create effective social media strategies
• Keep abreast of the latest trends and topics popular on social media
• Coordinate with the marketing team to craft engaging and interactive social media content to attract more customers etc.

4. MARKETING MANAGER

Businesses that lack effective promotional strategies often face challenges in achieving their sales targets. This is where the role of marketing manager comes into play. These professionals utilize strategic communication to craft multi-faceted promotional campaigns. As a marketing manager, you should be proficient in different marketing automation software. Besides, strong leadership, communication, time-management, and organizational skills are mandatory to excel in this field. Perhaps, your daily duties as a marketing manager may include:

• Evaluate marketing trends and design campaigns accordingly
• Coordinate with other departments to optimize marketing strategies and drive relevant traffic
• Present and promote products and services in industry-related events
• Supervise and manage product marketing budgets etc.

Wrap Up

Undoubtedly, strategic communication is the foundation for the long-term success of a company. Keep in mind; there is no one-size-fits-all strategy in this ever-evolving digital world. Still, learning strategic communication will help you gain insight into the newest trends and techniques that can significantly influence any business’s target audience.