Every organization wants to know that it is receiving value for money and that expenditures are investments that will result in real returns. This holds true for investments in advertising and corporate communications. The only way to ensure your advertising and communications expenditures meet those criteria is by taking a strategic approach.

Strategic communications is a management function that helps an organization meet its strategic and operational goals. It’s a big umbrella and includes marketing, public and media relations and internal communications.

Articulating a clear definition of the problem you want to solve is the essential first step, followed by defining the results you want to achieve, including setting clear, measurable objectives.

Fundamental to developing a solid strategic foundation for the solution to your problem is research. Who do you want to talk to? What do you know about the people you want to talk to? What is their current behaviour? What messages will resonate with your audience? Beyond answering these questions, research also establishes a baseline of behaviour or opinion or awareness to measure desired change against.

Organizations that reject a "shotgun" approach to communications in favour of targeted communications driven by sound research and focused on results will soon discover how hard their advertising communications budgets can work for them.