MESSAGE CREATION AND DEVELOPMENT

ReadDillon will help you develop clear and compelling messaging that connects with consumers, the media, politicians and other crucial stakeholders. We work with clients to create a persuasive story that has resonance, credibility and reflects how your organisation wants to be seen by the outside world.

STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT

Being in touch with your market means being in touch with the people who will shape and influence its future: consumer groups, non-governmental organisations, the media, academics and politicians. ReadDillon can help you map and prioritise the full spectrum of your stakeholders, and then advise on the most effective communication channels for each of your core stakeholder groups.

POLITICAL INSIGHT & NETWORKING

As highly experienced political advisors, ReadDillon is able to identify and devise political networking programmes so that clients meet - and get the opportunity to deliver their messages to - influential politicians, policy-makers, journalists and civil servants. Our insights are founded on many years of accumulated ‘frontline’ political involvement and operating at the most senior executive levels.

(Picture) Tim Hughes standing with Barack Obama after discussing key African issues

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA CAMPAIGNS

ReadDillon has extensive experience of devising and running major national and international media campaigns. These are designed either to achieve a specific ‘binary’ outcome – such as winning an election. Alternatively, they may be aimed at changing or reinforcing public opinion about an issue, product, service or even country.

BUSINESS RISK ANALYSIS

Increasingly, international companies are looking towards Africa’s growing markets for expansion. In addition, there is global demand for and competition over natural resources such as oil, gas, cobalt, uranium, manganese, gold and diamonds, all of which are abundant on the African continent. However, many of Africa’s 54 countries have unstable political, regulatory and legal frameworks that expose companies to even greater business risk. ReadDillon helps clients quantify and mitigate this risk, and provides a hard-nosed assessment of inward investment opportunities and threats.

INWARD INVESTMENT TOURS

We help African business organisations and governments to undertake investment tours to countries such as Britain and the UAE, in order to make a powerful case for foreign direct investment (FDI). This involves creating a programme of meetings/events with decision-makers (industrialists, politicians and civil servants), and key influencers (‘Think Tanks’, journalists and academics).

ISSUES & CRISIS MANAGEMENT

ReadDillon will help you prepare and plan for a major ‘foreseen’ issue (eg. plant/office closure, or a critical parliamentary report) and, in particular, its media and political implications. In addition, we provide a comprehensive crisis management service, helping clients to deal with sensitive, controversial and unexpected situations that have the capacity to seriously undermine stakeholder confidence if not handled well.

CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY CONSULTANCY & ACTIVATION

Today, it is increasingly acknowledged that businesses affect the world through not only what they avoid doing, but also through what they choose to do when it comes to environmental and social issues - actions that, in turn, can influence business performance. ReadDillon, using our own ‘CSR continuum’ model, helps companies create an appropriate strategic framework for their CSR activity, and then an effective activation plan.

HUMANITARIAN INTERVENTION PROGRAMMES

ReadDillon has significant experience of working with individuals and organisations to devise a donor-strategy and intervention programme to help alleviate severe humanitarian problems - such as malaria, conflict, illiteracy, poverty and unemployment - in specific parts of Africa. These programmes are either run as ‘stand-alone’ and bespoke programmes, or conducted on a collaborative basis.

MEDIA TRAINING & SPEECH-WRITING

Strong communication skills are essential for senior executives in any organisation to convey key messages to their array of stakeholders. ReadDillon can help ensure your voice is heard by the right audiences, in the most compelling way. We do this by coaching you in presenting skills, television and radio interview techniques and message development. We have also written many speeches for the most senior politicians, industrialists and sportspeople.