Ep. 89: How Communications Can Play a Strategic Role in B2B Organizations

How Communications Can Play a Strategic Role in B2B Organizations

It’s a function that in many cases tends to be either overlooked, taken for granted, or treated as “out of sight, out of mind”. Now more than ever, communications play such a crucial role within B2B organizations in a way that brings employees together and creates alignment.

Join us in this week’s conversation with Guerlyne Guercy (Communications Manager – People & Communities, Cisco) as we discuss the vital role that communications professionals play within an organization. Guerlyne discusses her perspectives on how communications has changed, what mistakes to avoid, the importance of conducting research and having the right strategy, how to deal with internal pushback, and what metrics to focus on.

https://youtu.be/K3_1LiCmY6U

Topics discussed in this episode:

• Guerlyne shares some of the changes she has witnessed in her communications role at Cisco.[4:13]
• Some of the common mistakes that marketers make when it comes to communications, and what can be done to address them. [06:32]
  • Lack of cognizance around who your audience is
  • Lack of personalization
• Guerlyne’s advice to communications professionals who are struggling with internal pushback. [17:08]
• Some quick wins that people in the communications role should focus on. [25:28]
• Some metrics that communications professionals should be looking out for. [33:50]

Companies & links mentioned in this episode:

• Guerlyne Guercy on LinkedIn
• Cisco

Click here to access the episode key takeaways.

Transcript

SPEAKER

Christian Klepp, Guerlyne Guercy

Christian Klepp  00:00

Welcome to B2B Marketers on a Mission, a podcast for B2B marketers that helps you to question the conventional, think differently, disrupt your industry, and take your marketing to new heights. Each week, we talk to B2B marketing experts who share inspirational stories, discuss our thoughts and trending topics, and provide useful marketing tips and recommendations. And now, here’s your host and co-founder of EINBLICK Consulting, Christian Klepp. Welcome, everyone to this episode of the B2B Marketers on a Mission podcast where you get your weekly dose of B2B marketing insights. This is your host Christian Klepp. And today I am joined by someone… Oh, this is a new one for me on a communications crusade to help develop comprehensive and effective messaging across the organization. So coming to us from Dallas, Texas, Miss Guerlyne Guercy Welcome to the show.

Guerlyne Guercy  00:50

Hi, Christian, thank you so much for having me here today. Honored.

Christian Klepp  00:54

It’s great to be connected Guerlyne and, you know, I’ve loved all of our conversations so far. And I’m looking forward to diving in on this topic, because this is something that you’re very passionate about, you know, and I’ve got some experience in this field as well. But um, you know, today, it’s about you. So let’s go. So, let’s focus on the topic of the strategic role that people in communications play within a B2B organization. I know that sounds a bit like a mouthful, but it’s a function that in many cases, and correct me if I’m wrong, it tends to be either overlooked, taken for granted, or treated as out of sight, out of mind. So why do you think the communications role is so important?

Guerlyne Guercy  01:38

Yeah, that’s very well said, Christian. I think as we look at communications, now, it’s more important than ever, especially considering the times that we’re in, coming through the pandemic, there has been a greater need for companies to advocate with more transparency, more clarity, more precision in the way that they show up corporately, but also when most importantly, with their employees. So communications can no longer be something that is out of sight, out of mind. And now more than ever, corporations are more responsible for what they’re saying and how they’re showing