Featured Interview: Corporate Communications

Hi everyone,

I hope holiday time is proving to be full of good business prospects. I know the economy is hard right now, but you have to come up with creative ways to get new clients. Be consistent with your networking and you will persevere!

Take the time to help and give to others. And don’t just do it for the holidays, do it throughout the year. It makes the heart feel good!! I do charity work year round and I am getting ready to launch a non-profit group for writers. Yeah! I am a writer and other writers are some of my favorite people.

I just got through volunteering for We Care, at the Boys and Girls Club, in Atlanta, Ga. I will post some pictures later. I will be doing some work with Cancer Warriors next week.

I put on my reporters hat and interviewed Carey Adams, a corporate communications specialist at Georgia Power. We discussed how communications is important for corporations to keep in sync with customer needs.

Q. Explain what you do at Georgia Power.
A. I’m a communications specialist in the internal communications department for Georgia Power. I write articles for the internal newsletter, write for the online news division, help develop communication plans for different departments, and write external communications.

Q. What sort of external communications? Do you communicate directly with customers?
A. I manage the copy content for the bill insert that customers receive.

Q. Oh, so do you write that letter that comes with my power bill?
A. Well, it is more than a letter; it is an educational newsletter for customers to learn about energy efficiency and energy related issues.

Q. So you are the one that writes that ... I wonder if I write a letter to you and send it with my payment, if you will answer me back? Ha, ha. You don’t have to answer that question.
Is the bill insert is a good customer service tool?
A. Definitely.It increases enrollment in certain programs we offer, such as online billing.

Q. It sounds like having a good communications department makes it easier to service your customers.
A. That is true. It makes it easier to serve our customers and makes it easier for the employees to understand how the company functions.



Q. That sounds like a win, win situation for customers and employees.
How does corporate communications writing differ from other types of writing?
A. It is more technical and more specific to that business, you stay within the context of the business. In my position, I generally talk to company employees. There is not a lot of external interviewing.

Q. What is the most challenging thing about your position?
A. Learning the different technical aspects about my company. I have to understand my company. I’m constantly learning new phrases and jargons and putting them into layman’s terms.

Q. You touched upon what I tell my clients all the time. Defining a business’ core is essential before you can communicate, write, and conduct business. Then you can tend to your customer base and grow your business. It sounds like you have a lot of work to do every day and you are good at what you do.

Many thanks to Carey Adams for this interview.
As always, I welcome all comments.

If you have a question or would like to be interviewed please feel free to e-mail me.

Dee Doanes
Jigsaw Marketing
www.jig-sawmarketing.com