Communication is an integral part of everyday life and plays a major part in the corporate world. It is also what forms the backbone in all marketing and advertising-related matters: it is about what you say, how you say it, and to whom you say it. For Avant Communication, communication is where it all comes together – the cornerstone of our twelve divisions.

Communication is essentially the way you interact with potential and existing consumers; it is how you market your business and show what it is that sets you apart from your competitors. Your ability to engage with, and gain the loyalty and trust of, your target market can have a tremendous effect on the reputation and success of your business. Look no further than multi-billion dollar companies like Coca Cola and Microsoft as evidence.

Why is communication important?

Your brand is more than just a name and a logo: it represents a promise to the consumer, assuring quality, reliability and good service. Communication is a key factor in imparting these principles, and in establishing and nurturing the relationship between you and your consumers.

Besides for the message you wish to convey, the type of communication and the approach you choose play a vital role in your business brand identity that is, how consumers view your business or product. The way you position your brand can have a huge influence on its perceived image and standing.

How do I communicate effectively and successfully?

Different communication companies have different fields of focus. A lot of the bigger, well-known agencies deal predominantly with above the line (ATL) advertising (the use of more prominent media formats), which is often seen as the more traditional approach. Below the line (BTL) advertising (the use of non-media communication) has seen a steady increase in popularity over the last few years, especially in light of budget cuts and limited funding.

A recent development, and probably the one that makes the most sense to the majority of companies nowadays, is an integrated, or through the line (TTL), approach. This entails bringing together various communication channels to provide a unified approach to advertising and marketing. Integrated communication ensures uniformity and consistency, two very important factors to consider when you’re trying to market your brand.

Where does Avant Communication fit in?

Adept in all mediums, Avant Communication will help you to devise strategic communication that’s tailor-made for your requirements, ensuring you penetrate the market effectively. We believe in offering a client-specific, integrated approach that caters to your individual needs, delivers results and allows you to meet your objectives. Depending on a number of criteria, including the intended message, the target market and the budget, our knowledgeable and experienced team will sit down with you and formulate a plan that’s sure to be a perfect fit for your business.

The brief

The first step in the process is to put together some kind of brief. This will entail getting to know you and your business and establishing what it is that you wish to achieve through your communication. While many agencies choose to send only one or two representatives to this very important first meeting, often resulting in briefs that are vague or unclear, Avant Communication believes it really is a team effort and that all parties should be directly involved from the outset. This generally prevents any misunderstandings or gaps in communication, only serving to strengthen the concept and, ultimately, the final product.

The strategy

The development of a good strategy is all about research, assessment, insight and, finally, taking action. A basic SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats) analysis is always a good preliminary step, as it will give you a better idea of where you currently stand. The first part of a strategy incorporates two aspects, namely assessment and action.

1) Assessment
In short, this is an investigation into the market and should cover the following questions: what is the history, the current situation; what are the trends and future predictions?

2) Action
This is all about using the insights and answers from your assessment and putting them into practice developing a tentative “solution” to the challenge. The second part is about fine-tuning this solution by delving a bit deeper into the brand – researching its values, its context in the market place, the psycho-dynamics of its potential consumers, and finally, the goals and marketing objectives of the business involved. At this point, you should have a pretty good idea of where you currently stand, and in which direction you should be heading. Effectively, the strategy will become a kind of blueprint or map for the entire campaign.

The SMP

One of the most important aspects to come out of the strategy phase is a relevant and powerful single-minded proposition (SMP). This, in essence, is the central idea that the communication should convey. A good SMP ensures the message is simple, clear and effective and ensures your campaign has a competitive edge that sets it apart from the rest.

The media strategy

The next phase is to prepare a media strategy: a document, or plan, outlining the types of media that will be employed throughout the communication process. A considerable amount of time and research goes into establishing which media will be most compatible with your message. For a long-term communication plan especially, the timing and sequence can also play a crucial role. Once again, the experienced team at Avant Communication will make sure we find a solution that promises to deliver results.

Our twelve divisions

This is the area in which we really feel heads and shoulders above other agencies. We have all the expertise, experience and facilities to offer you a full spectrum of communication services and options and we’re directly involved, every step of the way. This eliminates any red tape, as well as unnecessary costs, and ensures we (and you) can keep a close eye on the work throughout the process.

To find out more about the specific services we have on offer at Avant Communication, feel free to browse our other eleven divisions.