Archive for February, 2011

Measurement has been one of the main themes of this blog since we started it and this time we’re using it to explain some of the background to ICEmarq™, our brand new internal communication service.

With spending in many organisations under the microscope, demonstrating return on investment has never been more important.  Our goal with ICEmarq™ is to help organisations measure that return by providing them with what they need to run an effective measurement programme. We explain how ICEmarq™ works on the ICEmarq™ site but here I’d like to share some of our observations about measurement and how they have influenced our approach to ICEmarq™.

• No single ‘right’ way. If you ask an organisation what aspects of internal communication it would like to measure you will get many answers. Some will focus on cut-through of key messages, others on the performance of key channels and a few will focus on the wider of benefits of good communication such as advocacy or higher discretionary effort. There is no ‘one way’ of approaching the measurement challenge and what an organisation measures will ultimately come down to what it really wants to achieve with its communication. 
• In-house tools and expertise. We’ve observed an increase in the number of internal surveys in recent years thanks largely to the availability of easy-to-use tools such as Survey Monkey™.  The existence of such tools and the expertise to use them means that organisations no longer require the full-service approach to research and instead prefer the opportunity to buy only those components it actually needs. At the top of that list sits establishing the right questions to ask and interpreting results effectively.
• Placing results into context. Whilst we believe an organisation can always draw conclusions from a set of survey results, we also believe those results are more meaningful if they can be compared to an external benchmark. We tested this point repeatedly with those we’ve researched ICEmarq™ with which is why we’ve made the availability of statistically reliable and representative data a cornerstone of the service. We’ve also sought to extend the principle by offering ICEmarq™ Unique for any organisation wanting a precise benchmark sourced from a panel made up exclusively of people working in its industry sector and/or countries in which it operates.

We’re very excited about ICEmarq™ and over the next few weeks we intend to share some of the most interesting ICEmarqs™ via this blog. But for now, we’d love to hear any feedback you have about internal communication measurement in your organisation!