• Hello there
    I’m Natalie Staaks

    Communication Strategist and Director of
    “The Art of Why”

  • Hello there I’m
    Natalie Staaks

    Communication Strategist
    and Director of
    “The Art of Why”

About Me

I listen. I take the time to understand you and your organisation. I write for you and your people and help you tell your story. I’ll get you out of trouble or better yet, steer you away from it in the first place. I have years of experience supporting organisations and leaders in local and state government, emergency management and small business.

Learn more about me
Natalie Staaks

My Services

I specialise in supporting small and medium-sized businesses and enjoy working with leaders, start-ups and organisations that make a difference.

  • Strategic Communication Planning

  • Issues Management

  • Positioning and reputation management

  • Social Media Marketing

  • Brand building

  • Storytelling through content writing

Communication
Planning

I’ll listen to your communication issues and needs, analyse what you’ve already got, and develop a holistic communication strategy that integrates all relevant tactics and channels. Use my skills and knowledge to re-position, refresh or build. I’m a planner at heart and love a good strategy session.

Strategic
Positioning

I take the time to get to know each client’s business and personality. That way I can create a solid brand building strategy and write clear and engaging content for a range of mediums including website, social media, stakeholder and media that sounds like you, authentically and effectively.

Communicating
Through Crisis

As an external, fearlessly truthful adviser I support organisations and leaders through crisis. I can develop clear messaging and a stakeholder and media strategy designed to lessen the impact and consequences of any crisis. I am a complex problem solver with an agile and calm approach under fire.

“Natalie is a master of communications with knowledge, experience and an eye to the future. Strategic communications, media management and understanding community are only some of the skills that are underpinned by personal commitment to excellence. An excellent writer, a prolific reader and master of the English language all goes to a very successful past and future.”

Craig LapsleyInnovation Pro and former Emergency Management Commissioner

“Natalie has been instrumental in driving key communications for our company. With an innovative product that introduces completely new technology, the challenge has been to determine the right message for the right audience at the right moment, ranging anywhere from explainer content, through education, to why this product is a good fit. Natalie’s strategic approach was impressive and her aptitude for challenging the status quo –  timely.  The outcome was the development of an excellent communication strategy, delivering targeted stakeholder engagement and keenly constructed (and successful) customer journeys.”

Dave ChaffeyManaging Director | Winerytale

“If you have a strategy to be crafted that reflects the essence of your business, Natalie Staaks is your person.   Natalie has the envied skill of being able to observe your business from the outside, listen to you needs from the inside and process the two with a practical plan to achieve a desired outcome. Natalie is incredibly easy to work with. She is calm and always professional. I can’t recommend Natalie more thoroughly as a social media and publicity strategist with business planning and HR skills as an added extra.”

Marisa LawlorOwner | Just Believe Fit

“I have known Natalie Staaks for the past 16 months after opening my wine shop in Thornbury. She is an important and integral part of my business now and in the future. For the past 12 months she has become responsible for writing, marketing, editing articles for my social media plus redesigning my website to new levels which I am extremely excited by. Natalie is efficient, detail oriented and competent. She successfully finishes all tasks professionally and well before deadlines. She is well organised and never misses a beat. I would highly recommend Natalie as a valuable asset for any organisation.”

Phil GrayDirector | Bespoke Wines and Spirits
Risk communication

The risk of risk communication

Government and public health officials are coming up against a universal truth in risk communications and awareness raising - people will make their own determinations about risk using a range of information, feelings, rationalisation and historic…
The name of

Talking in the name of.....

Wow I’ve had a good time talking to people lately.  In the name of work I mean 😊 For the past few months, I’ve been focusing on writing content for a range of clients based on interviews - both employees and product supporters.  Harking…
Covid19Comms

Examples of good and bad COVID19 comms – discuss

I had a doozy of a topic to facilitate at the IABC  #converge21 communications conference last night - ‘what has your government done well or badly in covid communications?’  Starting with ‘the good’ there was a crazy silence. For…
Culture Keep Up

Culture – keep up

This article about how to keep/instill/grow a corporate culture in a distributed work model made me do a happy dance.  https://www-entrepreneur-com.cdn.ampproject.org/c/s/www.entrepreneur.com/amphtml/364250 A combination of forced work…
Business travel

How to air travel (for business)

I’ve forgotten how to travel. On a plane. Between States. I can travel 5 kms from my home, or I can drive around regional Victoria. But 12 months of home-time has dulled my air travel knowledge. I forgot to book parking; failed…
In an increasingly digital world, who have we left behind?

In an increasingly digital world, who have we left behind?

When I corrected an (incorrect) belief my more than 70 year-old Dad had about easing restrictions and what we could do, my irritation was obvious to him. Why was he not taking responsibility for himself and his own knowledge and reading the…
Teamwork makes the dreamwork

Teamwork makes the dreamwork

Teamwork makes the dream work. Such a cliche. But I’ll take it any day. Next week I finish up with Brimbank City Council after almost 18 months as the Communications Manager of a bloody awesome team. It’s a team that together we’ve…
Connectivity and community
,

Connectivity and community

Last week I flippantly said to someone “honestly, if you have to do a pandemic, this is the team you want to do it with”. And I laughed. Then I stopped. Because hells yeah, I’ve been through a pandemic with the best bunch of people…
Back in lockdown

Back in lockdown

Thinking tonight of all those small businesses back in lockdown and many restricted again to providing takeaway services. I can’t imagine the challenge they are facing the second time around, having only just started to emerge from the…

How I Work | No Surprises

  • If working with a communications consultant or content writer is new to you, I can take you through every step of the way.

  • I’ll work with you to understand your communication needs and objectives as well as your key drivers.

  • I’ll draft a project proposal outlining the pieces of work and the considered outcomes.

  • You need to get to know me, and I want to get to know you. The first consultation is free; a half hour window where we can chat and I can start to find out what it is you need.