You won’t have to look far to see one of your most important audiences.
For time immemorial, external communications have been king for companies and organizations seeking to sell their products, promote or protect their brands and enhance their bottom lines. However, in an age of instant, global connectivity, anyone has the potential to reach a massive audience with the expression of a single thought or a photo posted on social media.
Thus, internal communications have become inextricably linked with external communications and are more important than ever for businesses that can benefit by keeping employees informed and assuring they have a stake in the company beyond a paycheck. Failure to communicate effectively with internal audiences creates a scenario that could result in negative consequences if employees aren’t vested in the company’s success.
One positive social media post could set off a chain of events that boost the bottom line … but one misstep could become a reminder of the Internet’s power to make a negative comment “go viral” with potential to imperil a company’s financial health.
At Cookerly Public Relations we have three decades of experience working with clients to develop and implement internal communications from the ground up, and in auditing existing programs to identify needs and finetune strategies for maximum effectiveness.
A small sampling of our internal communications expertise includes, but is not limited to:
- Communications audits
- Customized strategies and planning
- Development of internal communications infrastructure assets
- Guidelines/playbooks for employees
- Chain of command
- “Dos and Don’ts”
- Messaging documents (e.g., company/product/service overviews, talking points, Q&A, “elevator speeches”, etc.)
- Employee newsletters
- Video messages
- Collateral
- Digital assets
- Guidelines/playbooks for employees
- Communications training
- Town hall-style presentations to employees
- Internal event planning and execution
- Crisis and issue management
- Emergency response planning
Our strategies have become essential, core components of internal communications programs for dozens of business enterprises ranging from start-ups to national non-profits and Fortune 100 corporations.
As a senior vice president at Cookerly, Matt helps organizations protect and advance their reputations and bottom lines through strategic communications programs. Using creativity, planning and flawless execution, he works with a team to deliver compelling public relations campaigns that produce results and support clients’ business objectives.
As senior vice president at Cookerly, Mike Rieman specializes in building and maintaining relationships with the media and has an excellent track record of landing significant placements in print and broadcast media including USA Today, Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg and Money Magazine.
As vice president of Cookerly, Sheryl Sellaway uses her extensive corporate communications background to lead consumer PR efforts, deliver strategy for marketing programs and share expertise about community initiatives.
In his role as senior vice president of Cookerly, Chip Stewart is the head strategist for content services across all media. He shepherds the Cookerly Content Hub and can help clients get started on a blog or a vlog, a video or an editorial series, a mobile app or a meme, an infographic campaign or an annual report.
As senior vice president and chief talent officer of Cookerly, Keith Bowermaster leads the firm’s health care practice, shepherds clients through all facets of integrated marketing, manages reputation issues including complex issues and crises and helps cultivate a bright and engaged agency staff at all levels.
As senior vice president of Cookerly, Beth McKenna oversees integrated marketing campaigns for business-to-business, technology and hospitality clients. From creative brand-building to reputation management, she and her team leverage traditional and social communications channels to engage with key publics.
In his role as senior vice president and chief operations officer of Cookerly, Cory Stewart manages issues and crisis response for a wide range of clients.
In her role as senior vice president of Cookerly, Tracy Paden heads business-to-business accounts and high-profile integrated marketing campaigns for government, transportation, nonprofits and the public good. She leads massive cause marketing programs, devising strategies to drive behavioral change on issues from clean air to littering. She is also highly experienced in managing government contracts and budgets.
In her role as executive vice president of Cookerly, Jane Stout, APR, oversees financial and professional services accounts and sets integrated marketing strategy for the company’s top clients. From creative brand-building to reputation management, she and the Cookerly team leverage traditional and social communications channels to engage with key publics, consistently exceeding client expectations.
In her role as CEO and founder of the firm, Carol Cookerly is a chief strategist for building and sustaining brands. However, it is her deft management of complex crises and issues over three decades that has made Cookerly a top choice for clients when adversity strikes. Under her direction, the agency has been the lead strategist in scores of permitting efforts, contamination issues, natural and manmade disaster responses, instances of legislative and judicial activism, and challenging personnel matters including C-suite succession, whistleblowers, discrimination and harassment in just about every major industry.
