A strong executive communications strategy is the difference between clear, confident leadership and chaos on the mic. When your C-suite speaks without alignment, you risk confusion, mixed messages, and reputational fallout.
Why this matters: Executive communication sets the tone for your entire organization. It shapes how investors, employees, and media perceive your brand. A well-executed executive communications plan builds trust, drives credibility, and reinforces company values.
What is Executive Communications?
- 91% of employees believe communication issues can drag executives down (Harris).
- Companies with strong communication from their executive team are 2.5 times more likely to be considered high-performing than those with weak communication (McKinsey).
- 60% of employees want to hear more from their company’s leadership (PwC).
- Engaged employees are 87% less likely to leave the organization when engaged with their company’s leadership (Gallup).
Executive communications is the strategic planning and delivery of messaging from company leadership. It includes internal memos, external media appearances, thought leadership content, speeches, social media posts, and more. The goal is to ensure every executive message reflects the business’s mission, vision, and tone.
An executive communications plan ensures consistency across all these channels. It supports your executive visibility strategy, helping leaders show up with purpose and presence in every setting, from earnings calls to LinkedIn posts.
When executive messaging is consistent and authentic, it resonates. It shows stakeholders that your leadership is aligned, confident, and informed. That’s where executive communication skills come into play—balancing tone, clarity, and delivery across high-pressure and high-opportunity moments. Remember, the media are always watching, and everyone has a mobile phone, too.
5 Tactics to Improve Executive Media Strategy
Table: Quick View Exec Comms
Step | Key Points | Context | Examples | Challenges |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Objectives & Audience | Define objectives, understand audience | Establishing the purpose and target for communication | Setting a goal to boost employee morale, identifying audience as internal staff | Misalignment of objectives with audience interests |
Research-Based Strategy | Utilize data for strategy formation | Using analytics to guide communication efforts | Identifying influential journalists for brand exposure | Keeping up with rapidly changing media trends |
Storytelling | Engage audience with compelling stories | Using narratives to make messages memorable | CEO sharing company origins in a relatable way | Balancing authenticity with corporate messaging |
Social Media Engagement | Active presence on relevant platforms | Building brand and thought leadership online | Regular insightful posts on LinkedIn | Choosing the right platform for the target audience |
Thought Leadership | Align communication with company goals | Establishing executives as industry leaders | Executives participating in industry conferences | Staying current with industry trends and insights |
1. Define Clear Objectives for Executive Communication
Start by identifying the purpose behind your communication. Are you trying to inspire employees, reassure investors, or grab attention in the press? Your executive communications strategy only works if it aligns with real goals.
Clarify what success looks like. Do you want your CEO seen as a thought leader? Are you trying to position your CMO as a voice of authority in retail media? Once you define those goals, you can craft messaging that supports them.
And don’t skip audience research. Different audiences care about other things. Investors want numbers. Employees want clarity. Reporters want quotes. A good executive communication plan is rooted in audience understanding, not assumptions.
1. Position the CEO as a trusted voice on healthcare innovation: Build executive messaging that highlights the CEO’s expertise in healthcare trends, regulatory insight, and patient outcomes. Focus on thought leadership opportunities—LinkedIn posts, earned media interviews, and industry events—to establish credibility and drive visibility with key stakeholders.
2. Strengthen internal trust and alignment during organizational change: Develop a consistent executive communication plan that provides employees with transparency around company shifts. Use video messages, live Q&As, and regular internal updates to reinforce executive presence, clarify decisions, and maintain morale across all levels of the business.
2. Use Research to Shape Your Executive Communications Strategy
Your exec communications strategy should be built on data, not just instinct. Media landscape audits, influencer tracking, and competitive monitoring can all inform how your execs show up.
Start by identifying the top journalists and industry influencers. Who’s shaping the conversation? Who’s getting quoted? From there, you can tailor your executive media strategy to reach the right people at the right time.
Don’t forget social listening. Tools like Talkwalker or Brandwatch can reveal trends in real time. Add text analysis to identify emerging topics, sentiments, and narratives. These insights help you craft messaging that’s relevant, timely, and authentic, and also uncover hidden insights and company blind spots.
The visual below is an example of what text analysis can uncover. It maps out AI-related narratives currently dominating industry conversation—from agentic AI and software development to business transformation and ChatGPT hacks. Each cluster represents a topic community based on shared language and semantic proximity. These insights help you spot where your executive messaging can lead, contribute, or offer clarity. It’s a practical way to shape narrative strategy with precision and authority.
Executive communications training should also include competitive benchmarking. How are other executives gaining traction? Study their social feeds, media placements, and speaking appearances. The goal isn’t to copy—it’s to see what’s working and raise the bar.
3. Build Stories into Your Executive Messaging
Facts don’t move people. Stories do. That’s why storytelling is at the core of every successful executive communications strategy.
Great stories are easy to remember and emotionally resonant. They make ideas stick. And when executives use them well, they go from talking heads to human leaders.
Take Brian Chesky at Airbnb. His storytelling is tight, clear, and values-driven. When he talks about creating a world where anyone can belong anywhere, it’s not just brand fluff, it’s personal. That’s executive presence with tailored messaging in action.
Help your leaders find their stories. Tie them to strategy. Make sure they speak to shared values and priorities. And above all, keep them real.
4. Put Executives on Social Media with Purpose
Social media isn’t optional. It’s a core part of any modern executive communications plan.
Platforms like LinkedIn offer direct access to key stakeholders, from future employees to potential investors. When executives show up consistently, they amplify brand visibility and credibility.
Substack is also emerging as a valuable channel. Known originally for long-form newsletters, it recently launched a newsfeed format that mirrors the real-time feel of X (formerly Twitter). Executives can now use Substack to share short-form content, video clips, and updates, making it another platform to consider when building a flexible and dynamic executive communications strategy.
Several high-profile CEOs have already embraced these platforms to boost their executive visibility strategy. Satya Nadella (Microsoft), Jamie Dimon (JPMorgan Chase), and David Solomon (Goldman Sachs) regularly publish thought leadership on LinkedIn. Bernard Looney (bp) and Alan Jope (Unilever) have used the platform to share company updates and engage in public discussion. These executive communication examples show how consistent, high-quality publishing can influence perception and shape conversation.
But don’t post just to post. Focus on quality over quantity. Share meaningful content, comment thoughtfully, and engage with others. Think of it as a long-term executive visibility strategy, not a performance metric. Prioritize platforms based on your audience. LinkedIn and Twitter are typically the most effective for B2B and corporate leaders.
Skip the rest unless there’s a strategic reason to be there.
And yes, some execs aren’t natural online. That’s where executive communications training comes in. Help them find their voice, practice their tone, and engage with confidence.
5. Turn Executives Into Industry Thought Leaders
Thought leadership doesn’t happen overnight. But with the right executive communication strategy, it becomes a realistic goal, not a pipe dream.
Encourage executives to share opinions, insights, and experiences. Make space for them to speak at events, publish op-eds, and weigh in on trending topics. Every touchpoint adds to their credibility.
Research plays a central role here. Use media monitoring and social analytics to guide your efforts. What are others talking about? What’s missing from the conversation? How can your executive fill that gap?
Don’t underestimate the power of personal storytelling, either. Sharing lessons from failure, risks taken, or behind-the-scenes moments builds connection. And connection builds influence.
Stay consistent. Stay strategic. Keep your executive communications aligned with business goals. That’s how you turn a good speaker into a respected voice—and a C-suite into a leadership brand.
FAQ
What is an executive communications strategy?
An executive communications strategy is a plan that outlines how executives communicate with internal and external stakeholders, ensuring key messages are delivered concisely and consistently in alignment with the brand’s values and goals.
What is an example of executive communication?
What is an example of executive communication?
What makes good executive communication?
Good executive communication is clear, consistent, and aligns with the brand’s values and goals. It effectively builds trust, establishes credibility, and strengthens relationships with stakeholders.
How should a CEO communicate with employees?
A CEO should communicate with employees in a transparent, authentic, and consistent manner. This can be through regular town hall meetings, internal memos, or digital platforms, ensuring that the messaging aligns with the company’s objectives and values.
How can social media enhance executive communication?
Active engagement on social media platforms, like LinkedIn and Twitter, can help build an executive’s brand, establish them as thought leaders, and create a more personal connection with stakeholders.
