What Are The Basic Principles and Concepts of Communications

The concept of communications is both a science and an art. It deals with how messaging is used to advocate, influence, inform and create awareness. Many people in the corporate world today have the thinking that once a person has an ability to speak, articulate words or write clearly, such a person has a flair for communications. What is described as a flair for communication is the ability to speak without necessarily learning the science of communications.

In the professional practice, every good communications professional must know the art and the science of communications. This requires undergoing professional training to learn the theories, communications concepts and principles of communications. In this article, we will provide insight into the basic principles and concepts of communications. This video provides more insight on The Theory and Practice of Strategic Communications.

Communications is a process that has structures and it is regulated by some standards. The end goal of communications is to be able to influence, inform or advocate for a concept with a well-tailored and ethical messaging. It is in moving beyond the thinking that we can practice communications with just a flair for communications to learning the science of it that we can understand ethical practices.

Some Principles of Communications

• Understand the business context: It is important to be clear on what the business, organizational or brand context/objective is, the industry they operate in, their unique selling point and what problems they are trying to solve. Brands differ from one another making it unwise to adopt a one-size-fits all approach to communications.
• Identify your target audience: Communication is possible when you know and understand the receiver of your message. What are their value drivers, what common interests do they have? What is their demography? Catch up on our previous article to learn how you can identify your target audience, profile and segment them for any brand.
• What is your message?  In the practice of communications, you must clearly outline your message to align with the brand’s objective and communications strategy. It should be clear what you want your target audience to KNOW, FEEL and DO from every communications effort. This determines the language and tone to be used. We wrote a more detailed article on how to craft an effective corporate messaging in 3 steps. Please click here to read it. If you need to develop a social media strategy, you will find useful tips on messaging in this guide.
• Communications channels: There is a need to reiterate that communications is not effective with a one-size-fits all approach. It rather shows a lack of theoretical knowledge on its science.This type of communication can be described as tactical. The communications channel to use is always dependent on the brand involved. If one brand is targeted at Generation-Z Africans interested in fashion, it is okay to use communications channels like TikTok, Instagram, etc. However, another brand in the development sector that has interests in providing equal opportunities for women and children in rural communities, the communication channels will be both digital and traditional. Communications channels are largely dependent on the business, organizational or institutional context and target audience.

Communications contents may vary but the same principles are applied in the different expertise areas. This emphasizes why communications professionals need to balance the art of communications with learning the science of it which involves understanding basic concepts and principles. You can download our resource on “How to Be a Strategic Communicator” here.

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Sola Abulu & Associates is a strategy and communications consulting and training firm committed to enabling businesses, brands and organizations to achieve their objectives through strategic communications, organizational effectiveness and reputation risk management

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