How does your comms budget compare to other organisations? What about the size of your team?
If you would like to benchmark, today’s guest post and resource will help you analyse what you’re doing.
It’s written by Elizabeth Kilbride, a research analyst for the Communications practice at CEB (now Gartner).
They run an annual benchmarking survey for comms practitioners. It’s usually locked and only accessible for their members (CEB became Gartner and was formerly known as Melcrum, which is a name I know will be more familiar to my blog readers).
However, this year their survey has been opened to the wider community and you’re invited to take part. Everyone who completes it receives a customised report that benchmarks their function with others of similar size.
Why is this useful?
If you’re plotting your 2018 budgets and resources, I think it could be helpful to inform your plans, which is why I’m sharing it. The survey will take you 20-30 minutes to complete.
I’ll hand you over to Elizabeth and am interested to know if you share her views. As ever, you’re welcome to comment below or Tweet me @AllthingsIC.
Closer Coordination between Comms and Marketing – The implications for strategic and resource allocation decisions
Sometimes writing about “internal” and “external” messaging feels anachronistic, like relics of an earlier time when it was easier to segment audiences.
The digitisation of our world, and proliferation of social channels, allows for information producers and consumers to access the same platforms. This complex information environment demands coordinated messaging.
As organisations try to strengthen brand externally with culture internally, the previously distinct functions of Communications and Marketing find themselves facing ever-blurrier lines.
In 2016, for example, 23% of communications leaders reported to the Chief Marketing Officer (CMO). This percentage has more than doubled since 2014, when just 10% reported into the CMO, and is now almost equal to the percentage reporting into the CEO (24%).
The significance of this reporting line shift is found in the concurrent shift in resource allocation. Convergence with Marketing leads communications teams to skew external in their budget.
This budget shift includes a significant increase in dollars spent on the corporate website, with a proportional decrease in employee communications.
Further reading on the All Things IC blog: What is internal communication?
Allocating funds
Budget decisions always come with inherent trade-offs. And with ever-multiplying ways to spend your Communications budget, it can be a challenge to allocate the funds.
Where do the dollars actually go? We’ve been tracking benchmarks based on budget, staff, and activity spend for 12 years.
To see how you compare, take the 2017 CEB Communications’ Benchmarking Trends Survey.
Everyone who takes part will receive custom reports detailing how their resources compare to peers in the same revenue band.
Complete the survey to start your analysis.
Post author: Elizabeth Kilbride, research analyst for the Communications practice at CEB, now Gartner.
CEB IC conference
The CEB IC Summit is taking place from 10-12 October 2017.
Formerly known as the Melcrum Summit, I’ve attended regularly for years and it’s always worth going.
It’s three days of networking, benchmarking, and showcasing the smartest best practices in Internal Communication. There are a number of early bird tickets available, so you can benefit from signing up early.
You can find out more by following them on Twitter @CEB_News.
Learn about internal communication
Want to learn more about IC?
I’d love you to join me at one of my All Things IC Masterclasses. They’re your chance to invest a day of your time in your career.
Topics to choose from include Change Communication in September, Internal Communication in November and Strategic Internal Communication in December 2017.
Find out all you need to know via my Masterclasses website.
First published on the All Things IC blog 1 August 2017.
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