COMMUNICATIONS SERVICES

How do we approach communications at Tanck?

A number of features characterise our not-for-profit communications services and broader approach at Tanck. We’ve included a quick summary of each below.

We’re proactive and strategic. With everyone going on, it’s easy to fall into a rhythm of reacting and responding. Constantly putting out fires is stressful and exhausting, and rarely gets the best outcome. We help our clients think ahead and think strategically. Key here is developing a not-for-profit communications strategy with clearly defined direction and priorities. Having this communications strategy in place helps get everyone on the same page to drive the greatest possible impact.

We have an unwavering focus on outcomes and impact. As noted above, the vast majority of our clients are not-for-profits and all of the work we do is for-purpose. This means all of our clients exist to make the world a better place – on that’s more just and sustainable. This really matters, both to our clients and to our team. That’s why we make sure to keep focussed on the outcomes and impact our clients are working towards at all times.

We apply a political lens. Our team know the machinations, challenges and aspirations of government… because we’ve been on the inside. That’s why we adopt a political lens when helping our clients with their communications. While we recognise that not-for-profit communications aren’t always directly about government engagement, we’re cognisant that a careless decision here or there can jeopardise meaningful government relationships in the blink of an eye.

We take your resource reality into account. Many of our clients are not-for-profits. They range in size from small organisations to big, high profile entities. Many have significant resource constraints and all have some form of resource limitation. When developing not-for-profit communications strategies and associated action plans, we factor in the available resources to enable progress that doesn’t burn the team out.

We transfer knowledge to build capacity and capability. You’ve probably had the experience of working with a consultant who squirreled away behind closed doors and provided you with a shiny report. At Tanck, that’s not our style at all. We collaborate with our clients to build skills, knowledge and confidence. That means when we part ways, the expertise and experience continues on.

We deploy a whole-of-organisation approach. We talk a lot at Tanck about structural and systemic approaches. What do we mean by this? Well, for us, this is about breaking down siloes and stereotypes to maximise all of the people and resources in your organisation. Our communications strategies tap into the collective capacity, talent and connections of your whole organisation, rather than just one or two high profile leaders.

We bring it back to the people. Great communications are ultimately all about effective messaging and interactions with people. While data, number crunching and strategies all have a role to play, we make sure to put people at the centre of all our communications strategies. (This includes reminding our clients that politicians are humans with feelings too!) We’re also friendly and responsive to work with, both helping our clients navigate the crises and challenges as well as celebrate and bask in their wins.