Communication in small and medium-sized enterprises
Economy
Heart, backbone and driving force – the German economy has many names for its small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). And they all do them justice. Like a strong, beating heart, they pump German expertise and ‘Made in Germany’ products into global markets with great innovative vigour. Particularly in times of weak growth and reduced purchasing power, both at home and abroad, SMEs act as the reliable backbone that stabilises our German economy. Firmly rooted in their regions, they are the best guarantee of local jobs and apprenticeships.
In short: we love our SMEs.
Their distinctive ‘hands-on mentality’ is both a blessing and – from a communication perspective – unfortunately often a curse as well. Often family-run and with clear, simple hierarchies, it is precisely our internationally active SMEs that manage to keep pace with the rather sedate large corporations. However, when it comes to attracting new customers, market share or highly qualified specialists, these ‘hidden champions’ struggle to keep up with the big brands. Yet the problem is often home-grown – they lack a communication strategy that is optimally designed from a conceptual and strategic perspective.
Only 40 per cent of SMEs have their own communications department or a dedicated communications budget. Communications is institutionalised within these companies only in the rarest of cases. Several studies in recent years have highlighted this fact, including the latest study on SME communications. Above all, this highlights a key problem in SME corporate communications: the lack of a communication strategy. This is not to say that communication does not exist within SMEs. On the contrary: as many as nine out of ten SMEs already make use of the wide range of communication tools available. Websites are being built, trade fairs and events attended, media and press relations maintained, and advertisements placed. Social media is no longer a taboo subject either; Facebook, YouTube, Twitter and the like have long since found their way into these businesses.
Yet the question remains as to whether there is a communication strategy derived from the corporate strategy. What use are individual measures without knowing what objectives one is pursuing? How does one select the right colours from one’s palette without knowing what picture one wants to paint? To put it another way: would you get into your car without knowing your destination?
When it comes to communication, the journey must not be the destination. A strategy should mark the start of the journey into corporate communication. Cruising aimlessly around – that’s something we enjoyed in our youth. But the days of spontaneous and situational communication are over.
Why is a communication strategy important?
1. Understanding brand value, sharpening
your profile Through a communication strategy, companies identify their USPs (unique selling points), sharpen their individual, unique profile and thereby clearly distinguish themselves from competitors. In this way, every communication initiative becomes a sales-supporting measure.
2. Sustainability
Only a company that knows its target audiences can act in a goal-oriented and sustainable manner. Advertisements, trade fair appearances and the like will only be successful if it is clear which target audience is to be reached with which core messages.
3. Optimal use of resources Formulating a strategy means, above all, becoming aware of the potential of communication and making optimal use of resources (time, budget, staff).
4. Protection against crises
Many companies prefer to remain silent for fear of communicating incorrectly. Yet good communication is the best defence against negative press coverage.
