Strategic Communications Diagnostic
Find the problem worth solving before you invest in the solution
The visible symptom doesn't necessarily tell you what needs fixing.
The Strategic Communications Diagnostic provides an independent senior assessment before you invest in repositioning, messaging, GTM, content or a larger strategic intervention.
Choose the level of investigation
| Focused Diagnostic | Full Diagnostic | |
|---|---|---|
| Best when | You know where the problem is showing up | You see several symptoms or don't know where the problem starts |
| Purpose | Find the highest-leverage problem within a defined area | Find where the broader problem actually sits |
| Core question | What is most worth addressing here? | Where does this problem originate? |
| Scope | One defined strategic area | Relevant connected areas |
| You leave with | Priority finding + rationale + recommended action | Problem-location assessment + dependencies + priorities + action sequence |
| Decision supported | What deserves intervention—and what doesn't | Where to intervene first, in what order, and what to leave alone |
Focused Diagnostic
Find the highest-leverage problem within a defined area.
The obvious response may be to rewrite the messaging, commission new content or rebuild the narrative.
The Focused Diagnostic tests whether that's actually where the leverage sits.
What we do
We define the problem area and decision, then review the evidence and materials needed to distinguish between the most plausible explanations within that scope.
You leave with
Priority finding
What appears to be the highest-leverage issue within the defined area.
Evidence & rationale
Why the available evidence points there—and how confident we can be.
What not to change
Where intervention is unlikely to solve the problem.
Recommended action
What should happen next, including further investigation if the evidence isn't sufficient.
We know where the problem is showing up. What is most worth fixing here?
Full Diagnostic
Find where the problem actually sits.
These may be separate problems. Or several may originate from the same upstream issue.
The Full Diagnostic traces the relevant dependencies to establish where the evidence indicates the problem originates and what should change first.
What we investigate
Who are we building for, and how do they decide?
What can the evidence credibly support—and what value does it establish?
What do different stakeholders need to evaluate, justify or act?
Does the value proposition reflect the buyer, evidence and differentiation?
Can the position travel through launch, Sales, Partnerships and market education?
Is communication reinforcing the strategy—or compensating for an upstream problem?
You leave with
Where the problem sits
The strongest evidence-supported explanation of where the problem originates.
Dependency map
What's upstream, what's downstream, and what depends on resolving what.
Intervention priorities
What deserves attention first, what can wait and what should remain unchanged.
Action sequence
What should happen next, in what order, and where internal or specialist expertise may be required.
Several things aren't working. Where does the problem actually start?
How the Diagnostic works
Define
Agree the problem, decision, scope and evidence required.
Investigate
Review the relevant evidence, research, market intelligence, positioning and communication materials.
Decide
Establish the findings, confidence level, priorities and recommended next action.
Designed to minimize internal workload.
We start with what your organization already knows and produces. Targeted stakeholder input or additional research is added only where the investigation requires it.
Why diagnose before changing?
| What you're seeing | Obvious response | What may actually need establishing |
|---|---|---|
| Buyers aren't responding | Rewrite the messaging | Buyer fit, differentiation, value—or proof? |
| New evidence isn't changing market perception | Communicate the evidence more | What does the evidence actually change about stakeholder value? |
| Launch communication feels fragmented | Produce better launch assets | Are buyer priorities, positioning and GTM communication actually aligned? |
What happens next?
The Diagnostic establishes what deserves attention. What happens next depends on what we find.
The problem is now clear.
If further strategic work is needed, move into a bounded intervention focused on the problem we've established.
The need will keep evolving.
If new evidence, markets, launches, partnerships or commercial priorities will keep creating strategic decisions, ongoing senior support may make more sense.
The Diagnostic may be enough.
Your team may be able to take the findings and recommendation forward internally.
Not sure where to start?
You don't need to choose the service or engagement before getting in touch.
Tell me what's happening, what decision is ahead and what you're considering changing.