Start with the change
Before choosing a channel or deliverable, define the change the work is meant to create. That may be understanding, confidence, preference, action, adoption, response quality or a business outcome that communications can reasonably influence.
Use a measurement ladder
We separate activity from reach, reach from understanding, understanding from attitude, attitude from behaviour and behaviour from organisational outcome. Not every brief can credibly reach the final rung. The point is to know which rung matters before production begins.
Measure what the brief can influence
A press release cannot guarantee revenue. A leadership narrative cannot guarantee retention. Communications can, however, improve message comprehension, quality of media coverage, stakeholder response, conversion behaviour, employee understanding, approval speed and the consistency of evidence across channels. Those are useful signals when they are connected to the intended change.
Build learning into the brief
The measurement plan should tell us what to do next. If a metric cannot change a decision, it may be reporting theatre rather than management information. Results first means measurement exists to improve the next choice, not decorate the last one.