Be prepared

I was very interested to read the article on communications in your June issue (p26).

As Ferrier Pearce has just made a presentation on the same subject at the recent NAPF Local Authority Conference, I thought it may be worth adding a couple of observations that your readers might find helpful.

Communication is not just simply sending information to members. It is ensuring they understand that information, can discuss it with partners and then take appropriate actions.

The starting point of any communications exercise must be, therefore, to find out what members want to know and how and where they want to receive pension information.

By establishing this on day one, communications material can be designed to satisfy specific needs and interests, while providing additional information that members need to know and understand.

The evaluation of a communications exercise is also essential to discover if it was successful. This has to be supported by, and measured against, benchmarking research conducted before the communications material is designed and written.

It’s all about being prepared and making sure you tell members what they want to hear as well as what you want to tell them. In the words of Mary Poppins – “It’s finding the right kind of sugar to help the medicine go down”.

Early research will also mean that you can target your messages and make maximum impact with the minimum budget.

Nigel Ferrier
Ferrier Pearce Creative Group
Cambridgeshire