The Comms Audit process

The Comms Audit 360° process

Comms Audit 360° was created specifically for the social housing sector but the principles are relevant to all organisations.

This is because regularly reviewing your communications is crucial to making sure you are informing and engaging customers in the best ways possible.

For the housing sector in particular, this has never been more important than in today’s heavily regulated consumer world.

Comms Audit 360° systematically analyses all your marcomms to make sure every strand is relevant and aligned.

The process follows five key principles that we work through alongside you in a methodical way to give you a joined up communications plan that meets your corporate objectives

1. Audit workshop

We spend time getting to know you and your organisation by meeting all your key personnel:

Executive and senior management teams
Communications team
Board representatives
Key stakeholder partners

We learn what you are currently doing, ask pertinent questions, respectfully challenge and clearly define what you are trying to achieve and the role your communications can play.

This gives us a comprehensive understanding of your organisation’s strategy, systems, protocols and procedures.

2. Collate and review

We collate all internal and external marcomms materials and ask you to demonstrate all your communications processes, protocols and how you operate on a daily basis.

This includes your content planning, key messaging, tone of voice, editorial approach, audience identification and use of brand, website and social media – to name but a few.

These elements are then scrutinised considering how they align with your corporate plan.

3. Research and analysis

We complement the information you provide with our own extensive experience and additional research of your:

Sector as a whole
Peers and competition
Best practice methods such as evaluating how your customers receive and engage with your information

We operate practically, always looking to outthink instead of outspend by analysing your marcomms finances to offer value for money and avoid duplication.

4. Strategy development

Our analytical approach means we can consider your strategy based on meaningful information, insight and data.

This allows us to develop and improve your strategy by making sure it reflects your organisation’s ambitions with the most suitable tactics applied.

Central to this is driving efficiencies by identifying what gets the best results.

5. Recommendations report

We present a comprehensive and highly detailed report featuring practical, financial and strategically-informed recommendations to be implemented in-house or with our support.

The report also guides your activity and can be used as a future point of reference to ensure all communications align and work to the common purpose of informing and engaging customers.