Corporate Communications and Business Letter Elements
Types of Corporate Communications
Internal Corporate Communications: Your internal corporate communications are how your company connects with those within your organization. From the personnel in your head offices to your workforce spread across the globe, your internal communications are crucial to engaging each individual in your company with your brand messages.
External Corporate Communications: External corporate communications are how you choose to share your brand with the world outside of your company. This covers a lot of ground, from how you communicate with your current and prospective customers, to your relationships with government bodies, the media, and the wider public. It’s a big part of how your brand identity reaches the masses.
Communication Mix
The corporate communication mix, also known as the communication mix, refers to the various communication tools and channels that an organization uses to convey its messages to internal and external stakeholders.
It is a strategic approach that combines different communication elements to create a cohesive and consistent message about the company’s values, vision, products, and services.
The corporate communication mix typically includes the following elements:
- Advertising: Paid promotional messages through traditional media (TV, radio, print) or digital platforms (online ads, social media ads) to reach a wide audience and build brand awareness.
- Public Relations (PR): Managing the organization’s relationship with the public, media, and other stakeholders to create a positive image and maintain credibility. PR includes activities like press releases, media relations, events, and crisis communication.
- Internal Communication: Communication within the organization to inform and engage employees. This includes newsletters, emails, intranet portals, town hall meetings, and other channels to ensure employees are well-informed about company updates and objectives.
- Corporate Identity: The visual representation of the company, including the logo, color scheme, typography, and overall brand identity. Consistency in corporate identity helps establish a recognizable and memorable brand.
- Social Media: Utilizing various social media platforms (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, etc.) to engage with customers, address inquiries, and share updates.
- Content Marketing: Creating and distributing valuable content (blogs, articles, videos) to inform and educate the target audience, positioning the organization as a thought leader in its industry.
- Events and Sponsorships: Participating in or sponsoring events, conferences, and community initiatives to enhance brand visibility and reputation.
12 Parts of a Business Letter
- Heading: Include your name and contact information, such as an address, phone number, and email address. You might also include a company logo in the header.
- Date: The date you send the letter.
- Reference: Applicants may reference a job position, or customers may refer to the order information when filing a complaint.
- Recipient’s Address: The details of the recipient, including their address and contact information.
- Subject: Include the topic of the letter. If you are writing a complaint letter, the subject can be the order number.
- Salutation: The formal greeting directly addressing the recipient.
- Body Paragraphs: The full text with details of the letter and relevant information.
- Closing: The last paragraph in a business letter that includes what the writer expects from the recipient.
- Signature: Some letters require a handwritten signature in addition to a typed signature.
- Enclosures: Consider including your contact information. You may not need to include this if you have shared your contact details in the heading.
- Copy Circulation: The additional recipients for a letter.
- PostScript: You can include an additional message after the writer finishes an article. You can note this with P.S. and your text after your signature.