
PowerPoint
PowerPoint is best used as a communications support tool to give your audience the headlines, but really you should be the star of the show.!
Purpose | Typical audience | Pros | Cons | Can you do it yourself? | Thinking points |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Great for rallying the troops and communicating big/important changes (usually via a senior leader) | This suits communications to specific audience groups (business, function, region) | It’s interactive with the ‘personal touch’ – along with the option of recording for later or wider use | You really need to be there to get the most from it, and it requires quite some organization | Yes – but you may need outside help, for example with the sound system | Make sure you follow and communicate safety instructions: if it’s a big event, contact DSM Meetings and Events |
This is a mass employee meeting, often in a bigger setting (eg, for all employees in a Business Group or cluster, a function, or at a DSM site). It’s mostly used for sharing important information with employees - usually via a senior leader, and often with the option of asking questions at the end. It can be face-to-face or in a virtual setting. So, if you have a strong message that justifies the time and expense of creating a townhall, this could be a good option.
Think about your audience; can you share your messages properly and reach them via this channel? Check out the comparison notes below and weigh your pros versus cons. This will help you decide how to spend your time/ money for the best result.
If you’re organizing a townhall:
Things to keep in mind
How will you know ‘what success looks like’? Measuring the response to this channel /tool could give you a better understanding of whether you’ve reached your communication objective. KPIs can be qualitative or quantitative. Here are some ideas:
If this a stand-alone initiative, then go ahead! However, if this is part of a wider initiative, you might want to take a step back and look at the broader communications perspective. A good starting point is our 9-step approach to creating your communication plan - which includes an overview of all the internal channels and tools.
PowerPoint is best used as a communications support tool to give your audience the headlines, but really you should be the star of the show.!
These regular meetings offer a great potential channel for reaching an already engaged audience.
Our Co-CEOs and other senior leaders send these regular (and well-read) communications to DSM colleagues.