Diagnose
Understand where things stand.
I help organisations understand how their communications are performing, what's already working and where there's room to improve.
That means examining PR foundations, existing messages and evidence, as well as expertise and material that could create new opportunities.
The result is a clearer picture of your current position and practical priorities for what comes next.
When is Diagnose useful?
You might be starting PR for the first time, preparing to enter a new market or reviewing a programme that's already running.
Perhaps you're generating coverage but aren't sure whether it's building the reputation you want. Or your organisation has valuable research and specialist knowledge that rarely makes its way into external communications.
An assessment helps establish where to focus your resources. It can reveal gaps worth addressing, identify opportunities you've overlooked or confirm that the existing approach is working well.
Two ways to examine your communications
PR Readiness
Are you ready for the visibility you want?
PR Readiness examines the foundations supporting your communications objectives.
It looks at positioning, message clarity, supporting evidence, spokesperson readiness, media presence and digital infrastructure. Depending on your objectives, the assessment can also examine how your organisation appears in AI-generated answers.
You'll understand which foundations are strong, what needs attention and where improvements could make the greatest difference.
Communication Vitality
Are you making the most of what your organisation already has?
Your organisation may have useful research, knowledgeable experts and compelling stories that never become communication opportunities.
Communication Vitality examines how that material is discovered, developed and used. It also looks at what happens to ideas as they move through drafting, approvals and publication, and whether valuable insights reach the audiences that would benefit from them.
The assessment identifies opportunities to strengthen media stories, thought leadership and corporate communications using the knowledge and resources already available.
A more focused review
You don't always need a broad assessment. If you're evaluating an existing campaign, preparing a launch or examining how your organisation appears in AI-generated answers, we can focus on that specific question.
The scope follows the task.
What does the work involve?
I review the communications materials and evidence relevant to your objectives. Depending on the assignment, this can include messaging, website content, media coverage, research, campaign materials and existing communications processes.
For more detailed assessments, I also speak with executives, communications teams and subject-matter experts to understand what is available inside the organisation and how communication decisions are made.
We agree on the scope before the work begins, so the assessment focuses on information that can support useful decisions.
What will you receive?
The exact deliverables depend on the assignment, but the work typically concludes with a written assessment and a discussion of the findings.
This can include:
- An evidence-based view of current strengths, gaps and opportunities
- Specific findings about messaging, PR readiness or the use of existing communications assets
- Recommended changes, with priorities and supporting rationale
- A practical action plan identifying what should happen next
I can also help develop and implement the recommendations where that forms part of the agreed work.
An example from practice
One research project. Several PR opportunities.
At Quest Software, I discovered that another department had commissioned research into identity security among European manufacturing organisations.
The research was intended primarily for marketing activities, but its findings also offered opportunities for media coverage and expert commentary.
I developed a press release and several thought-leadership materials from the existing research, extending its value beyond the original marketing use.
This work predates the current Communication Vitality methodology, but illustrates the kind of opportunity it is designed to identify.
What comes next?
The purpose of Diagnose is to help you make informed decisions about your communications.
That could mean improving an existing programme, developing a stronger story, making better use of internal expertise or preparing for a new initiative.
You'll know what deserves attention and have a practical basis for deciding what to do next.