Communication that Drives Business Results [National Conference Session Recap]
Event: The Blueprint: Corporate Communications
Presenter: Carolyn Markey, Patrick Hernandez, Juli Huston-Rough and Courtney Moats from General Motors
Recap: Carolyn Markey started the session by introducing corporate communications as a function that drives business results. It is key to how employees, customers, stakeholders and the public see the company. Corporate communications includes employee communication, executive communication, speech writing, social media and brand communication. General Motors has their own marketing and brand communications departments and partners with about 12 public relations agencies to ensure effective messaging.
After the initial presentation, Markey introduced the panel that offered various levels of experience ranging from one year to 15. Each talked about their experiences working with the company and answered questions from the audience. When asked what one of the lessons learned when General Motors filed for bankruptcy, Huston-Rough said that as the community rallied around them, they learned the power of relationships and how to leverage them when necessary. Each panelist took the time to explain why they enjoyed working in a corporate setting, which included access to bigger budgets, deep understanding of the industry they work in, being a trusted advisor of senior leaders and the ability to learn new areas of the company.
Takeaways:
- Corporate communications drives business results.
- Working in corporate communications will give you a deeper understanding of an industry than working at an agency.
- When working with agencies, create a partnership built on trust and respect.
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Carly Owens is a senior at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, studying communication with an emphasis in public relations. She loves the art of storytelling and looks forward to a career based around that. Connect with her on LinkedIn, or follow her on Twitter @magicalcarly.
