Handling the news isn’t the same as shaping it

Are your comms tactical or strategic? How about letting the tactical work for your strategy?

Tactical communications asks ‘how do we say this?’ But strategic communications ask a tougher question: ‘What are we trying to achieve and how does every message we send move us toward that?’

Handling the news includes:

• Drafting and distributing press releases on deadline

• Managing social media

• Coordinating media calls and organizational statements

• Writing newsletters, event promotions, and notices.

• Maintaining consistent tone across day-to-day channels

• Keeping the public informed about decisions

It’s the foundational work that keeps trust intact and maintains organizational reputation, usually specific, short-term actions and messages. Your organization may have someone employed in this capacity, or someone designated to handle it, but a strategic mindset requires a different skill set, a different vantage point, and critically someone whose entire job is to hold the long view — long-term, goal-oriented planning that aligns communication efforts with the organization’s overall mission, vision, and objectives — while everyone else is reacting to the immediate. It might focus on building community trust, fostering local partnerships, or promoting sustainable practices. Both are essential but serve different roles within the overall communication effort. Strategy is the bridge that transforms short-term, specific actions into meaningful progress toward an organization’s long-term vision, within its mission, and aligned to its values.