A communications audit is a management tool that ad agencies can use to help clients understand how effectively they are communicating with various audiences. It involves the collection and analysis of in-depth information about perceptions individuals have about an organization. In essence, a communications audit is a snapshot of an organization at a given time.

An audit may be broad or narrow, focusing on a particular audience or a variety of audiences. Likewise, the audit may address a single issue or a wide range of issues affecting an organization. The bottom-line objective for any audit, however, should be to improve the effectiveness of an organization’s communication.

Don Beehler provides public relations consulting services to small- and medium-sized advertising agencies and businesses.