Risks

• If you fail to have a meaningful, well-integrated communications strategy in place, you risk losing top talent to competitors who are seen to be more enlightened, more relevant, or as having more potential social impact.
  
• If you try to launch a new strategy without a sound communications plan in place, you risk hitting a wall and wasting resources because of poor implementation.
  
• If your communications aren't authentic, you risk damage to your entity's reputation. Protect your reputation at all costs, and invest in goodwill so that your company or nonprofit can withstand bad news in the marketplace or in the court of public opinion.
  
• If you don't have an integrated communications strategy in place, your business is at risk of being undervalued and not judged as a leader, best-in-class, or top-tier performer. You can have a terrific balance sheet, great product reviews, and be a top performer on any number of indicators, but if you don't have a great communications strategy in place, you're not going to be rewarded for those successes in the stock market or on periodic trade press evaluations. 

Opportunities

• With a well-aligned and authentic communications strategy, you can create brand distinction that differentiates your enterprise.
• If your company or nonprofit is in a "category of one," it will be more memorable, and you'll be more apt to be successful in everything from recruiting to charging a premium for your services.
• A sound communications strategy will increase your engagement with employees and customers. Trust and consumer loyalty depends on good communications that are transparent, memorable, and constantly refreshed.
• Good communications will leverage your existing resources and create greater returns. You will need to continually evaluate what's not working, and invest more in what is. By doing fewer things better, you'll get greater impact without having to increase your budget or your staff.