Communications strategy for research

We don’t just do communications - we help researchers to define what impact is and how to make it credible to others.

We approach every brief through the lens of impact, mapping audiences, pathways and outcomes before we think about channels or content.

We’ll use this guiding principle to uncover what you want to achieve, identify the best routes to reach the audiences you want to target, and the most effective mechanisms to use – whether you’re looking to attract new funding, collaborations or showcase how your work makes a difference.

1. Purpose and impact

We start by understanding what your research aims to achieve and the changes you want to see. We’ll identify how your work, and communications, can help deliver real-world impact in policy, practice or public understanding.

2. Map and understand your audiences

Through stakeholder mapping and insight-gathering, we identify who your audiences are, what matters most to them, and what motivates them to engage.

3. Audit current activity

We benchmark your existing communications against peers and best practice. We’ll analyse your websites, publications, and engagement channels and wider networks to see what’s working and where the gaps lie.

4. Develop strategy and key messages

Using established communications frameworks, like a Theory of Change, we co-create a practical strategy with clear objectives, messages, and routes to reach each audience effectively. Crucially for small teams, we focus on what can realistically be delivered.

5. Plan pathways to impact

We outline the communications activities that will make the biggest difference, helping to ensure your future work connects and endures.

6. Delivery and evaluation

Finally, we can help you put the strategy into action and measure results - we can either work in partnership with you to deliver your communications, or, we’ll show you how to set up tools, templates and evaluation frameworks to track engagement and demonstrate impact over time.

7. Check in

Research evolves, and so should your strategy. So, after we’ve delivered your strategy document, we won’t disappear. We’ll arrange a check-in call a few weeks or months later to see how you’re getting on - we’ll discuss whether your strategy needs any tweaks to make sure it’s still doing what it needs to do.