Feel like you’re being overlooked? You might need to get better at this.

Do you often feel like you have more to give at work but people just don’t see it? Do you feel like people come to you for small, simple tasks when you are capable of so much more?

Like many communications professionals, you probably have a fantastic strategic skillset but rarely get the chance to show it off.

Taking the initiative to put a strategy around pieces of work can give you the opportunity to showcase what you have to offer. Here’s why communications strategies are an excellent tool for showcasing what you can do:

1.        They get people to look at the bigger picture

Taking a step back and looking at the communications needs for a project or regular stream of work can show you things you hadn’t noticed before. It’s an opportunity to review who you need to be talking to, the best place to reach them and what you need to be saying. Your stakeholders might have assumptions about what you know or may have missed a perspective that you bring.

2.        They show that by being proactive, you can prevent the need to be reactive

One of the biggest benefits of having a communications strategy is that they allow you to pre-empt what might be challenging and come up with a mitigation strategy. Some stakeholders with limited communications experience may not be aware of how much communications professionals can do to prevent issues arising in a range of areas. A communications strategy is a great tool to showcase this benefit and have a conversation with stakeholders around potential issues.

3.        They give you a chance to do things differently and therefore be seen differently

If people are coming to you to give you communications tasks, rather than asking for your advice, a communications strategy is a fantastic tool to start a different conversation. It will give you the chance to test new ideas and show that you can think differently. While it may take time for new approaches to be considered, a strategy is a fantastic way to open a dialogue with stakeholders on how things can be done differently.

This is my first article in a series around communications strategies. Next week I’ll be chatting about what you need to do once you’ve developed your communications strategy.