The Communication Strategy Handbook

Betteke van Ruler, Ph.D., is a professor and leading scholar in corporate communication and public relations. She received the honorary title of Officer in the Order of Orange Nassau by Her Majesty Queen Beatrix of The Netherlands for her groundbreaking work in bridging the gap between academic theory and practice. Van Ruler is published in Public Relations Review, Journal of Communication Management, Journal of Public Relations Research, and in many international scientific and professional journals and books. She is founder of the Van Ruler Academy and was Chair of the Public Relations Division of International Communication Association and President of EUPRERA, the European Public Relations Education Research Association. She was honored with the prestigious ICA Fellowship award of the International Communication Association (2018).

Frank Körver, M.Sc., is a partner at go WEPUBLIC, an Amsterdam-based consultancy firm and Dutch affiliate of the international Interel Group. Körver is an experienced consultant at the intersection of strategy, leadership and communication. He is a renowned consultant in The Netherlands and trusted advisor of senior executives and CCOs.

Strategic development is one of the most daunting challenges that faces any professional, no matter the field. After all, stakes are high. Developing effective strategies can put you on the path to becoming a trusted advisor and a valued employee.

The Communication Strategy Framework introduced in this handbook has been designed to help professionals make targeted choices toward strategic communication. Taking an iterative approach and continually reflecting on whether your choices remain congruent enables you to continually adapt to changing circumstances while staying in command. Linear planning models are ineffective. Quick strategy development can revolutionize the communication function and strengthen the relationship amongst members of a professional team. Linking communication and business strategy is the number one challenge for today's communication practitioners.

The Communication Strategy Framework facilitates the communication professional to forcefully and efficiently make the right choices. It compels individuals to think about how communication can contribute to achieving the organization's or client's goals. As a result, it provides a clear picture of your communication strategy in one page by putting superfluous details aside and concentrating on the essentials.

The Communication Strategy Framework has proven to be an instant eye-opener. A best-seller amongst professionals in the Netherlands, it is available for the first time in English. This step-by-step guide to creating a winning communication strategy will help communicators of all types, from professionals and clients to students and teachers!

List of figures - Acknowledgements - Why a Communication Strategy Framework? - The Communication Strategy Framework: A practical method - Agility versus linearity - Strategy is about making choices - This is strategy - When do you need a strategy? - The Communication Strategy Framework - The Communication Strategy Framework helps you to make choices - Do you need the Communication Strategy Framework? - 8 building blocks for the Communication Strategy Framework - Orientation: The left part of the Communication Strategy Framework - Building block: Vision - Jim Macnamara: Communication Strategy - Building block: Internal Situation - Dejan Vercic: Communication Strategy - Building block: External Situation -Inge Wallage: Communication Strategy - Building block: Ambition -Xianhong Chen: Communication Strategy - Implementation: The right part of the Communication Strategy Framework - Building block: Accountability - Ansgar Zerfass: Communication Strategy - Building block: Stakeholders - Larissa Grunig: Communication Strategy - Building block: Resources - Angeles Moreno: Communication Strategy - Building block: Game Plan - Robert Heath: Communication Strategy - Case: An inhouse communication strategy for CoolDays - Where do we go from here? - Four myths debunked - Ronel Rensburg: Communication Strategy - High requirements, rising expectations - Business-focused communication - Maria Aparecida Ferrari: Communication Strategy - Leadership in communication - Stephen Waddington: Communication Strategy - Bibliography - About the authors - Notes.