Strategic Communications Consulting
Communication that is clearly focused—and makes an impact
Good communication doesn’t start with a channel, a press release, or a social media post.
It starts with clarity:
What is the goal? Who is the target audience? What messages are relevant?
And how can you reach the right people?
HAGENLOCHER PR supports companies and organizations in strategically planning their communications, structuring them in a transparent way, and implementing them effectively—from analysis to messaging and channels to evaluating the results.
HAGENLOCHER PR supports you with strategic public relations, media releases, topic development, interviews, press briefings, and, upon request, as an external press office.
When communication takes many paths, it needs a clear direction
Many companies and organizations communicate regularly: through websites, public relations, social media, newsletters, events, internal channels, or campaigns.
Yet there is often no unifying thread.
This results in isolated initiatives rather than a cohesive communication system.
Messages vary depending on the occasion.
Target audiences remain undefined.
Channels are utilized without a clear understanding of their role in the bigger picture.
Strategic communications consulting provides direction. It helps connect goals, target audiences, messages, topics, channels, and initiatives in such a way that communication does not appear arbitrary, but is transparently focused on achieving impact.
Communication is effective when goals, target audiences, messages, channels, and strategies work together in a recognizable way.
What Matters
What Strategic Communications Consulting Offers
Strategic communications consulting brings order to complex communications tasks—and turns individual initiatives into a robust system.
Clarity
Clarify Goals and Priorities
We help define communication goals, clarify expectations, and set priorities—so that communication doesn’t have to do everything at once.
Target Audiences
Understanding Reference Groups Better
Customers, employees, the media, policymakers, partners, job applicants, or the general public: Effective communication begins with a clear understanding of the relevant stakeholders.
Messages
Getting to the Heart of Messages
We develop key messages, lines of argument, and topics that are clear, credible, and relatable to a variety of target audiences.
Effect
Tailor Measures to Specific Needs
Channels, formats, and content are not considered in isolation, but are aligned with objectives, resources, and the desired impact.
Services
Our Services in Strategic Communications Consulting
We don’t follow a one-size-fits-all approach. What matters most is where your organization stands, what goals you’re pursuing, which target audiences are important, and what resources are available. Based on this, we develop a communication strategy that is clear, realistic, and actionable.
01
Analysis & Assessment
Current status, perception, communication channels, topics, competition, resources, and measures taken to date.
02
Goals & Communication Architecture
Communication objectives, priorities, strategic guidelines, and alignment with corporate or organizational goals.
03
Target Audiences & Stakeholders
Analysis of relevant target groups, expectations, information needs, and appropriate touchpoints.
04
Positioning & Messages
Key messages, value propositions, topic architecture, writing style, and communication guidelines.
05
Channel and Action Planning
Selecting appropriate communication channels, formats, and strategies—from media relations to the website and social media, and including internal communication.
06
Evaluation, Feedback, & Optimization
Key metrics, reflection, performance monitoring, PR oversight, and ongoing refinement of the communication strategy.
Procedure
How to Create a Viable Communication Plan
Strategic communication follows a clear process: defining objectives, understanding target audiences, developing messages, selecting channels, designing content, and evaluating results.
01
Goals
We define what communication is meant to achieve: visibility, trust, reputation, engagement, demand, understanding, or support.
02
Target Audiences
We identify the relevant stakeholder groups and determine what expectations, questions, and information needs they have.
03
Messages
We develop clear messages, arguments, and themes that are tailored to the organization and its respective target audiences.
04
Channels
We determine which channels are appropriate—such as public relations, the website, social media, newsletters, events, or internal communications.
05
Storytelling
We craft messages so that they are understandable, credible, and relatable—for example, through stories, examples, people, and specific situations.
06
Implementation & Evaluation
We oversee the implementation, review the results, and further adjust the strategy, content, and actions as needed.
A Communication Strategy Rather Than Isolated Measures
Strategy links goals, content, and channels
Communication is often approached from the perspective of the channel: We need more social media. We need to send out press releases more often. The website needs to be revamped. A newsletter would be a good idea.
Strategic communications consulting flips this perspective. First, we clarify goals, target audiences, messages, and topics. Only then do we decide which channels and formats make sense. This approach avoids a hodgepodge of individual measures and instead creates a communications system that provides direction and enables impact.
First the strategy, then the channel
- Define Communication Goals
- Understand Target Audiences and Stakeholders
- Structure messages and topics
- Selecting appropriate channels
- Implement and evaluate measures
For organizations that want to manage their communications more effectively
Strategic communications consulting is particularly useful when communication is becoming more important, but there is not yet a clear internal structure, approach, or set of priorities.
Companies with growing communication needs
Organizations without a clear communication strategy
Teams with many channels but little structure
Employers who want to strengthen their reputation and build trust
Nonprofit organizations with limited resources
Executives who want to take a more strategic approach to communication
Frequently Asked Questions About Strategic Communications Consulting
When is strategic communications consulting a good idea?
Strategic communications consulting makes sense when communication is no longer just a side issue:
—during periods of growth, change, new target audiences, reputation issues, lack of visibility, unclear messages, or numerous individual initiatives without a unifying theme.
What distinguishes communications consulting from day-to-day PR?
Operational PR implements specific measures, such as press relations, content, or social media.
Strategic communications consulting first clarifies which goals are being pursued, which target audiences are important, which messages to convey, and which measures are truly effective.
Does this always have to result in a comprehensive strategy?
No.
Sometimes a short workshop, a communication plan, or some strategic brainstorming is all it takes.
What matters isn’t the scope, but whether the communication becomes clearer, more focused, and easier to implement afterward.
How is the success of strategic communication measured?
Depending on the goal, different criteria may be relevant:
visibility, media coverage, reach, engagement, inquiries, internal participation, trust, reputation, or specific target actions.
It is important to define success criteria early on and review them regularly.
Next Step
Communication Strategy
Would you like to align your communications more clearly, refine your messages, better manage your channels, or develop a strategic communications system from individual initiatives? If so, we’ll work with you to develop a communications strategy that aligns with your goals, target audiences, and resources.
Learn more about HAGENLOCHER PR
