They ask me:
"Do I need a communications advisor?"
I respond with this:
"What are you trying to achieve?"
Immediately the entrepreneur is forced to answer what should be a simple question.
But often, the facial expression from our earnest entrepreneur suggests the preparation of complex word salad with little direction and many aspirations as a reply.
So before they can respond as their mind races, I say this:
"Users?
"Talent?
"Funding?
"Attention?
"Thought leadership?"
More painful facial expressions from our hero entrepreneur.
So as a life-preserver, I say:
"Communications is a good strategy, obviously, but the two questions an entrepreneur needs to answer at inception are:
"1) What are the best tactics or tools to achieve my business objectives?
"2) Who is going to execute, manage, and organize whatever tactics or tools are best to achieve my business objectives, an insider (employee) or an outsider (advisor or agency)?"
Calm returns and confident facial expressions from our champion entrepreneur.
So yes, you need a communications advisor.
Communications at the early stage can be constructive.
Communications can help with users.
Communications can help with talent.
Communications can help with funding.
Communications can help with attention.
Communications can help with thought leadership.
A professional communications advisor should ask you a lot of questions.
Like a lot of questions.
If they aren't asking you questions, move on.
If they are just answering your questions, move on.
A professional communications advisor will help you sort out your strategy, identify the best tactics or tools for the communications job, and assist you in organizing your internal team and external vendors.
However, a professional communications advisor cannot make a direct case that this Tweet got users, this interview got talent, or this thought leadership panel discussion got funding.
A professional communications advisor helps set the tone, propels the culture, and secures business objectives - often over time and not due to some one-off, silver bullet communications tactic.
Communications is akin to a vintner working in a vineyard.
Communications is an investment akin to a vintner taking care of pesky weeds, trimming the vines, harvesting the fruit, bottling the juice, and selling the wine.
A vintner cannot bottle a fine wine on day one.
But a vintner can make it much more challenging to bottle a fine wine on day one by not knowing what they are trying to achieve.
-Marc
