What we do

QCCN’s extensive local knowledge, coupled with our high-level communication expertise, means we are uniquely positioned to provide targeted, effective programs and strategies that match our client’s specific requirements.

We consistently make use of our strong relationships, key regional stakeholder groups, communities and opinion leaders to ensure positive outcomes for our clients.

Most importantly, our senior team live and work in the regions they serve, creating an intimate understanding of the issues affecting their local communities and triggers for action and outrage.

Our programs have been shown to work particularly well in regional and rural Queensland, where on-the-ground knowledge and strong relationships are vital to developing and implementing successful projects.

We focus on:

Stakeholder relations and community engagement

Clear, consistent communication with stakeholders is a critical part of any significant project and QCCN recognises the growing need for high levels of communication with individuals and groups within the community to practice workable solutions to diverse issues and challenges.

We have worked to maintain a strong focus on developing and honing our expertise and approach to stakeholder relations and community engagement.

QCCN works to identify all stakeholders, understand their positions, and devise strategies to keep them appropriately informed and convey their input effectively to our clients. We work with and integrate stakeholders into projects to achieve a better understanding between our clients and those in their operating environment.

QCCN’s award-winning stakeholder relations strategies inform, educate, engage and integrate individual stakeholders as well as whole communities to achieve the best outcome for all concerned.

We develop and implement stakeholder engagement and consultation plans to suit projects ranging from simple information programs through to complete Environmental Impact Statement projects.

Through processes including briefings and meetings of all types, surveys, advertising, displays, and direct negotiations, we seek to develop a meaningful working relationship between our clients and their stakeholders. Recognition of the rights and responsibilities of all parties in developing shared solutions is a feature of our work.

Whether the brief is to find out what a group or community thinks or wants, engage the community about a specific issue or project, or promote a concept to a community; our specialists work to develop tailored solutions which meet the needs of both clients and their stakeholders.

In addition to traditional consultation strategies, our teams have worked extensively with indigenous and other marginalised groups in society to redefine the consultation process and provide culturally appropriate outcomes for all stakeholders.

Strategic communication planning

One of our main strengths is our ability to create the appropriate conceptual and strategic planning model needed to select the right tools at the right time, to target the right stakeholders for the right reasons, and build the desired results.

While we have access to a comprehensive range of communication tools, our strength lies in the way in which we select and modify the tools most appropriate to our client’s particular requirements rather than the all encompassing “take-away menu” approach becoming common with some in our industry.

Through a process of direct observation, desk research and strategic assessment, we gain a solid understanding of our client needs, what needs to be done, what resources are available, and then deploy our detailed local “how to” knowledge to get it done.

Issues and crisis management

Corporate communication is most effective when based on a proactive issues management program which monitors relevant issues and public attitudes including emergent “micro issues” not yet on mainstream radar.

We have wide experience in the development and maintenance of issues management plans both for specific projects and long-term client relationships.

Crisis management is a highly sensitive and little publicised but successful area of our operations, with our senior staff serving on the Crisis Management Teams of a number of high-profile organisations.

While proactive issues management is our preferred model, we are ready to quickly analyse the facts and perceptions of any crisis situation, formulate appropriate messages, and determine the most effective way to engage with all stakeholder groups, the broader community and media.

We work hard to identify and build the most appropriate strategies – based on the facts of the situation, the public perception of the client and the relevant issues – before implementing them to steer our clients successfully through their issues.

When possible, we seek to positively reposition the image of our clients through their open, transparent and appropriate response to the situation.

Stakeholder and communication audit

The seniority and experience of the QCCN team means we are increasingly called upon to audit and support the work of other professionals.

We regularly undertake stakeholder audits for clients to help them better understand their operating environment and identify any disconnect between their communication programs and the real world.

QCCN also provides a client-side service to help assess the effectiveness of either in-house or contracted communication teams, working in a collaborative model to quantify success and support for continuous improvement.

One notable project in this area is our annual review for a major Government agency which focusses on gaining and assessing the needs and perceptions of a range of key stakeholders ranging from the shareholding Ministers through to customers and industry peers. This review feeds into the executive planning process for the organisation.

Media relations

Due to our local/regional presences, QCCN enjoys strong relationships with regional media organisations across the state and around the country. Because we understand their requirements, we are able to package key messages and communication into formats suitable for different media outlets and communities.

Depending on client requirements, media relations activities may include individual journalist briefings and interviews, press conferences, photo opportunities, simple media releases and detailed familiarisation visits.

We have a long-held policy of always being honest and open with journalists – something that has helped ensure we retain strong links and a level of mutual respect.

We are in regular contact with the local representatives of metropolitan and national media, and if required, can directly target individual journalists to place stories of metropolitan or national interest, which may not otherwise survive the network journey.

We ensure that the nominated spokespeople are ready to convey key messages in an authoritative and timely manner and engage with key media stakeholders in the most appropriate way.

As distributed social media changes the way people consume news, we continue to work to ensure that our clients’ messages are relevant and presented authentically and meaningfully in the places they need to be. 

Supporting activities

In support of our core practice areas, we provide:

Media and crisis training

QCCN is the only communication consultancy offering a media training package developed with a focus on real-world regional media operations. Our “Feeding the Chooks” course is further tailored to fit each client’s industry, location, issues and specific needs.

To help our clients ensure they are prepared to face public crises, QCCN also offers training in crisis management, and works to establish crisis management procedures for clients.

Internal corporate communication

Organisations sometimes neglect their own staff and internal stakeholders when considering communication strategies. One of QCCN’s strengths lies in our ability to involve internal audiences in communication processes and develop their ownership of the outcomes.

Market and social research

As markets become more sophisticated, so the need for sound market information grows. QCCN has a sound track record of working with clients to develop market intelligence and strategies through online research, focus groups, data mining, and monitoring activities.

Social media

The world is an increasingly online community, and online engagement has become a major part of our activity. Our dedicated team are adept at developing social media marketing and communication campaigns, monitoring online issues, and directly engaging in online discussion with stakeholders.

Design and digital

Our dedicated in-house design studio provides clients with the final link in one-stop communication shopping. Our service extends from design and production of traditional brochures, flyers and booklets, right through to full web e-commerce systems.

We also maintain links to world-class specialist providers across QCCN in the fields of photographic services, videography, learning systems design and multi-media to further broaden our offering.

REPUTATION STAKEHOLDERS ENGAGEMENT

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