Storytelling To Meet the Moment: Silverline+
“It’s not what you say, it’s how you say it.”
We’ve all heard this expression. And while it’s true that perception and presentation matter, telling your story in today’s super-charged and super-scrutinized climate environment is no longer just about how you show up. Along with the how, what you say matters – now more than ever.
Expectations are changing. Customers, investors, communities, and employees demand transparent, authentic, science-based action on ESG commitments. As a result, many companies find themselves at a crossroads: Now is the time to leverage data and insights to stand out from the field, shape market outcomes, or refine brand and message.
At Silverline, we believe in the power of storytelling. We are communicators at heart. Our work is built on articulating unique and compelling narratives to help our clients break through the most crowded and complex climate landscape in history.
Recognizing the demand for our unique domain expertise in storytelling at the nexus of climate, innovation, and policy led to the launch of Silverline+. The Silverline+ practice area is dedicated exclusively to strategic communications and executive thought leadership for Fortune 500 and market-moving organizations seeking a competitive edge in ESG, climate, and energy storytelling.
Silverline+ centers on executive leadership, message development, and content and creative strategy – and answers a need for specialized expertise to propel organizations seeking to gain or maintain a foothold that differentiates their brands in the ESG conversation.
To align with the launch of Silverline+, we’ve compiled the following principles to consider when embarking on an executive positioning, messaging, or content program.
Find What Makes Your Story Powerful
From LinkedIn posts and blogs to video scripts, factsheets, or a full-length TED Talk, without a compelling story, all these tactics fall flat. To articulate an ESG viewpoint that resonates with stakeholders, consider:
Does your story include people of color and all types of diverse communities? From extreme weather to energy access, the climate crisis disproportionately impacts these populations.
Does your brand offer a unique perspective on the climate crisis and a tangible action plan to address it in the near future? A 2050 time horizon is no longer considered credible or ambitious.
Are you authentically sharing your story, including successes AND failures? Sustainability is a journey, and today’s informed audiences connect more with progress than perfection.
Does your organization have unique data or access to proof points that back up your arguments and support your messaging? Make sure they are part of your story.
In what ways are you listening to stakeholders and crafting a position that responds to the majority while effectively addressing secondary audiences? What is your listening strategy and how will it create the connective tissue for the engagement platform? Only by hearing and filtering stakeholder ideas and reactions can you fully craft a story that will reach all of your target audiences.
Messaging Is the Foundation
Messaging flows through the alpha and omega of any successful strategic communications program. Our messaging programs start with deep industry research, analytical competitive positioning, and comprehensive stakeholder mapping. We dive into a company’s vision, mission, culture, brand, and voice, zeroing in on a message architecture that resonates with target audiences and drives external engagement. With nearly 14 years in business, we know what’s trending, what’s not, and where to find comparatives. After all, you can’t meet your audiences where they are if you don’t know where you are.
Audiences Are an Ecosystem
The key to unlocking a compelling narrative and messaging is knowing your audiences. We work alongside client teams to uncover critical audience types and their expectations. We unpack our relationships and connections along the way to create a holistic and specialized response. Our customized approach to positioning leverages proactive intelligence, policy acumen, and marketplace authority to build an engagement ecosystem for your most important audiences – whether employees, funders, partners, or Board members.
Content Still Reigns
It’s true that content is king – provided that content is built on a strong foundation with consistent, brand-aligned, disciplined messaging that is timed and targeted to the right audiences and promotes a consistent point of view. By putting together all the pieces outlined above into a timeline and program that aligns with company milestones, industry trends, and moments in time, a polished, cohesive content program is sure to leaving a lasting impact.
What Gets Measured Gets Managed
Any good plan includes key performance indicators to measure success: through Silverline+, we embed KPIs in our strategic approach defined at the start of a project.
Our team is purpose-built to be the specialized communications partner for organizations seeking a strategic approach to thought leadership and ESG storytelling for the decisive decade ahead. Silverline+ offers the edge that will brush the dust from existing programs and launch the thought leaders of the future.
