Dr. Jamal Browne
A results-oriented communicator and people-manager, with over 15 years of professional experience and an impeccable track-record in Strategic Communications, Digital Marketing and Social Science Research, Dr. Jamal Browne is best known for his strong leadership, mentorship, critical thinking and problem solving skills.
His career progression has seen him navigate the ranks of academia, the private sector, international development, and development cooperation, thereby lending to his rich and diverse insights on key considerations for effective marketing and communications in a constantly changing global landscape.
A staunch advocate for continued professional development, Dr. Browne is currently enrolled in the prestigious Executive Masters in Marketing & Strategic Communications at New York University (NYU), where his areas of interest and research include the application of data science and generative AI in marketing and communications, communicating "high stakes" narratives, market analysis, and re-engineering the customer journey for resonance/ brand loyalty.
Strategic Communications
Effective strategic communications serves the dual purpose of making messages visible to specific audiences, while building and sustaining strong relationships with customers/ stakeholders, promoting reliability, responsibility and accountability.
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By carefully crafting key messages, selecting the right channels, and targeting very specific audience segments and/or cohorts (all in-keeping with the organisation's mission and values), we can influence their perceptions and/or behaviours.
Strategic Communications is about communicating the right message, at the right time, through the right channels, to the right people to achieve a desired outcome.
Key aspects of this branch of communications include: Audience analysis; channel/ touch-point selection; timing and consistency; the feedback loop (using social listening, surveys, etc.); change mapping; and intentional message design; and communications product(s) design.
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My experience in this regard has included project and social product launches – complemented by multi- and omni-channel marketing campaigns; the development and deployment of crisis management plans to stymie the effects of and avert negative publicity; and the rollout of social media media campaigns for corporate, social good and other related initiatives.
External Relations
Having the spent the last 16 years of my career building and maintaining strategic relationships with various stakeholder groups and individuals across government, the public service, civil society, the media, the private sector, and other special interest groups, I have forged an unfailing approach to external relations - one grounded in research, data and analytics, personalisation, and consistent and well-timed follow-up.
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An effective external engagement strategy is typically denoted by enhanced reputation management; access to new markets, related information, and increased opportunities for collaboration; potential for innovation and improved market performance through partnerships; improved stakeholder engagement; and a plethora of competitive advantages afforded solely through strong relationships with government, local authorities, the media, industry associations, influential figures within the public and private sector; and ultimately customers/ stakeholders.
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Here are a few key building-blocks of external engagement strategies that continue to yield good results for organisations - irrespective of size and business configuration:
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Identifying Key Stakeholders: Understanding which external groups have the most significant impact on your organization and prioritizing interactions with them.
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Building Trust and Rapport: Establishing open communication channels, actively listening to concerns, and demonstrating a genuine interest in stakeholder needs.
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Strategic Communication: Developing targeted messaging and communication plans to effectively convey your organisation's goals, values, and achievements to relevant audiences.
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Community Engagement: Participating in community events, volunteering, and supporting local initiatives to build positive associations with the wider public.
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Public Policy Advocacy: Engaging with policymakers to influence legislation and regulations that align with your organisation's interests.
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Media Relations: Proactively managing media inquiries, issuing press releases, and cultivating relationships with journalists to maintain a positive public image.
Marketing
An effective and impactful nameplate hinges largely on what your ideal customer or stakeholder knows about your brand – who you are, what you offer, what you stand for, and the value you bring to them. The more successful you are at establishing this (your brand identity) within a customer’s psyche – making it truly identifiable – the greater your chances of converting and retaining that customer (ideally within an acceptable average time to, and cost per conversion).
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My work today is largely about helping brands and organisations develop and deploy impactful nameplates, and to further optimise the various channels and touch-points that underpin their engagement – and ultimately their conversion and retention – of prospective customers and/or other stakeholder groups.
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As companies and organisations grapple with market volatility – making every effort to retain customers/ stakeholders, better engage long-standing and high-value clients, and improve the overall customer journey (covering both digital and physical touch-points) – digital technology will be critical to achieving these goals.
Through the use of various digital tools, companies and organisations can now be better positioned to assess the impulses, triggers, needs and desires of customers/ stakeholders, hence devising recommendations, content, and offers that are more likely to resonate with and prompt them into a desired action.
