📢 Feeling bombarded by messages? You are not alone. In a noisy world, how do you make your communications stick?

💡 Hayley Maisey shares how L&D, HR, and internal comms can use integrated marketing strategies to cut through the clutter, boost engagement, and drive action. 🚀 Make your messages count!

Raise a hand if you feel bombarded – most days – with different information from all angles. I’m with you! Let me break this down. In our personal lives, messaging is everywhere, delivered via phones, laptops, televisions, and AI smart speakers, to name but a few.

In addition, the enormity of information in our workplaces and professional lives, from work emails to social media updates and news alerts, means we never stop deciphering messages.

Our brains process a massive amount of data everyday, about 74GB. However, there isn’t evidence to suggest that our brains “fill up” in the way a hard drive might. Sweller’s Cognitive Load Theory highlights how we forget and filter information that isn’t deemed necessary; our brains adapt to what information we need at that time to manage cognitive load.

So, when we’re bombarded with different information from all angles and everything is noisy, we retain data we deem necessary and discard what we feel we don’t need. When flooded with messaging from all directions, it’s easy to overlook what doesn’t feel relevant. This is where integrated communications can cut through this noise

Integrated communication

Integrated communications are clear, targeted messages sent across multiple touchpoints – the same messaging but in different formats. Marketers adopt this approach to drive engagement and ultimately drive action.

The same approach can work for internal communication teams and those in L&D and HR – getting a succinct message across using various channels to ensure employees engage and take action.

Integrated Marketing

Integrated Marketing involves reaching customers through multiple touchpoints. It’s about ensuring the same message is seen and heard across various channels. It’s not about overwhelming an audience but ensuring that the message sticks.

Marketers reinforce key points using multiple content formats and communication channels without bombarding their audience. One-off communications don’t cut it. Don’t rely on one method of communicating a message; your efforts will likely get lost in the noise. Communicating the same message through multiple channels will grab attention and reinforce its importance. Consistency is your BFF – repeated exposure in different formats ensures the message isn’t easily ignored or forgotten.

Implementing an integrated approach to communication

You’ll need to use a full range of channels and touchpoints to make this work. Let’s look at content and key communication channels that, when used together, can make a big difference.

Email marketing

Email remains the foundation of communication in the workplace. Direct marketing can’t be beaten. However, ensure you get the best out of your email comms and the best out of the people you’re emailing. Creating compelling, personalised subject lines and including clear calls to action (CTAs) that empower the reader to do what you want them to do.

Social Media and internal platforms

Social channels (Slack, Microsoft Teams, LinkedIn etc) can transform communication into a collaborative experience. You create openings for peer-to-peer engagement, conversations and idea-sharing. This makes your reason for communicating more interactive and relevant. When staff see their colleagues engaging with the messaging, it reinforces it and encourages more participation.

Push notifications

Push notifications can be a valuable tool to update staff without overwhelming them. These timely, concise messages serve as gentle reminders, reinforcing other communications or nudging staff to take action.

A “bite-sized” approach that maintains consistent messaging ensures information is delivered in manageable chunks, meaning that individuals will likely remain engaged without feeling burdened. Equally, delivering short, sharp bursts of the same information increases the likelihood of the message sticking.

Intranet and LMS

Your company intranet or LMS are ideal platforms for delivering ongoing communication. Regularly refreshed landing pages, curated content sections and resources reinforce your messaging within your employees’ daily workflow.

Video content

Video content is a highly effective communication tool in Marketing. Think Insta and Tik-Tok – videos are engaging, easy to digest and offer a dynamic way to convey key messages. They are handy for providing informal updates or announcements that integrate well with other channels like email. Using video helps build a connection with employees, making your messages more personal and relatable.

Employee advocacy

In Marketing, client advocacy is a powerful tool for building trust and credibility by showcasing real experiences. The same principle applies to employee advocacy in internal communications.

When employees who are already engaged and bought into ‘it’ share their experiences, it reinforces key messages. It encourages broader participation, which is how marketing leverages satisfied customers to attract new ones. Consider creating testimonials, talking head videos or mini-case studies as part of your communications.

Measuring success

Marketers track campaigns using metrics such as email open rates, click-throughs, participation in social media discussions and overall engagement.

While they are vanity metrics, the data provides valuable insights into the most effective communication channels. You can adjust and optimise your approach over time, ensuring key messages are delivered across the channels your staff interacts with most.

How can Integrated Marketing support L&D, HR and Internal Communications?

Keep your messaging front and centre by delivering the same communication in various formats across different channels – you’ll make it difficult for staff to ignore or forget.

In Marketing, the goal is to maintain an ongoing, integrated flow of communication that doesn’t get lost in the day-to-day noise. A similar approach to your communication will boost visibility and increase the likelihood that your message will stick, drive engagement and be acted upon.

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