Book

Integrated Strategic Communication

By Robert J. Ristino

A Preview of What’s Inside

Integrated Strategic Communication (ISC) is a primer on how to influence and win the support of key constituencies and, when required, change public policy vital to an organization’s success. It presents a 10-step model for organizing and integrating communication strategies in support of strategic initiatives.
This field-tested integrated strategic communication model is the result of the author’s 40 years practicing and teaching public relations and marketing communications. It also draws on his vast experience in developing and implementing communication campaigns in support of major initiatives, such as mergers, acquisitions, divestitures and new product launches. The model is also strongly influenced by an array of communication theory and research that underpins the practice of organizational communications.
Simply stated, the ISC model is based on the five fundamental principles of sending the right message, using the right medium, to the right audience, at the right time and at the right place. Simple to say but difficult to do.
Two main themes flow through this book. The first is that organizations must be actively engaged in the public arena when managing issues and initiatives vital to their self-interest. The second theme emphasizes the strategic use of integrated communication to influence and win the support of key publics concerned with those issues and initiatives. The term integrated is key to this approach. It means that all organizational voices – public relations, marketing, human resources, public affairs, government relations – must be focused, collaborative and coordinated in communicating the organization’s overall message strategies.
Whether it’s a campaign to elect a political candidate or to earn stakeholder support for a merger, the issue always comes down to how effectively you make your case to your publics. We call these efforts the Big Sell because failure to sell your case to your publics can have dire consequences for the organization.
Using numerous case studies, examples, diagrams and charts, the author identifies communication strategies that work and those that don’t. Take for example the challenges that had confronted the Microsoft Corporation and Major League Baseball’s Boston Red Sox franchise, two case histories woven throughout the book. Both were addressing issues that could have seriously affected their long-term market viability. Microsoft was confronting an anti-trust lawsuit brought by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ). The Red Sox franchise was searching for a new home to ensure its financial competitiveness. Both would confront serious obstacles in successfully addressing these challenges requiring developing message strategies that would appeal to numerous diverse constituencies. To remain competitive both would have to make the Big Sell.
But even when you know what it is you want to say, you have to choose the medium that has the best chance of delivering the message. To select the right medium to deliver those messages you have to know who and where the target audience is. That is why understanding your target audience is a fundamental cornerstone of the ISC model.
Unfortunately, even when you have targeted accurately, getting audience members attention is difficult at best. To do so requires delivering the message at a time and place when audience members are most likely to attend to it. Naturally, there is both art and science to all of this.
That is what this book is all about – the art and the science of organizational communication practice in the context of a multi-step planning process that professionals can use to develop, implement, monitor and evaluate their communication efforts. Written in a lively and engaging style, Integrated Strategic Communication will prove as instructive to the experienced communications professional as it will be to the student of communication.

If you like organizational communication books, you are at the right place

If you like organizational communication books, you are at the right place

“Integrated Strategic Communication” (ISC) is a comprehensive guide to understanding and implementing effective communication strategies for organizations. Written by Robert J. Ristino, a veteran of over 40 years in public relations and marketing communications, this one of the most popular organizational communication books. It provides the reader wih a practical, field-proven 10-step model for integrating communication efforts to support critical oorganizational initiatives.

 

Organizational Communication and Coordination in Organizational Behavior Books

Auhoring one of th most impressive organizational behavior books, Ristino argued that at the core of the Integrated Communnication Model model, there are five fundamental principles:

  • Send the right message
  • Use the right medium;
  • Target the right audience;
  • At the right time;
  • And at the right place.

This approach emphasizes the importance of collaboration and coordination among all organizational voices, such as public relations, marketing, human resources, public affairs, and government relations, in communicating the organization’s overall message strategy.

 

Marketing Communications Books: Insights and Strategies from Real-Life Examples

This well-researched and well-writen marketing communications books is designed to be a helpful resource for professionals in the field of organizational communication, as well as students of communication and marketing. Ristino draws on his extensive experience in developing and implementing communication campaigns for significant initiatives, such as mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, and product launches, to provide real-life examples of communication strategies that work and those that don’t. He uses case studies, such as the challenges faced by Microsoft Corporation and Major League Baseball’s Boston Red Sox franchise, to illustrate the importance of making the “Big Sell” – successfully influencing and winning support from the critical public.

 

Strategic Communication Books: A Guide to Targeting Your Audience

Strategic communication books emphasize the importance of understanding the target audience to choose a suitable medium for delivering messages. However, even when the target audience is accurately targeted, getting their attention can still be challenging. This is why providing the message at the right time and place is critical to the success of organizational communication efforts.

 

Integrated Strategic Communication Books: Essential for Professionals in Marketing Communications and Organizational Behavior

Ristino’s writing style is lively and engaging, making integrated strategic communication books an enjoyable and instructive read for professionals in the field of organizational communication and those interested in marketing communications and organizational behavior. This book is an excellent addition to any library of strategic communication books, marketing communications books, organizational behavior books, and organizational communication books.

Integrated Strategic Communication: A Guide to Influencing Key Publics and Making the Big Sell

Integrated Strategic Communication is a must-read for anyone looking to effectively influence and win support from crucial publics and make the “Big Sell.” Robert J. Ristino’s expertise and experience in the field of public relations and marketing communications, combined with his passion for teaching and helping organizations succeed, make this an essential resource for professionals in the field of integrated strategic communication.

Reviews

Book

“Not mad at the book, just the classes that use it.”

William Reinier

 Five Stars

“Useful for classes.”

Amazon Customer

Excellent Resource

“This book is a very helpful guide for strategic communications. I especially liked that the author presented the communication strategy effort as a clear and easy to understand process. The book is a little heavy on the acronyms, but it’s a small complaint for an otherwise useful book. I bought the Kindle edition, but then I went back and bought the paperback edition, since I knew I’d be using this as a future resource.”

L. Mayo