1. How to select the proper communication plan?
• Types of communication plans
• Steps of the different communication plans
• Target audiences
2. How to implement a communication plan successfully? Case studies
3. Measuring and monitoring
• Different types of measuring
• Effectiveness of different types of measuring and monitoring
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1 How to select the proper communication plan?
1.1 Types of communication plans
Three main types of communication plans are: internal, external, crisis communication plan which sort of mix of internal and external => constant flow of information among all stakeholders.
Internal business communication plans represent messages intended only for those stakeholders (owners, managers, and employees) inside a business.
Different types of communication methods such as telephone, e-mail, conferences, or face-to-face meetings and reviews.
Outside users are rarely active in this communication plan as message content may be highly secretive and contain sensitive business information.
External business communication plans are simply the opposite of the above plan; external stakeholders needing information use it.
Owners and executives are often highly involved with these plans to ensure no negative messages or tones are sent to outside stakeholders.
A crisis communication plan is a special form that works only during a crisis experienced by the business.
Having crisis business communication plans in place allows a company to create a mixed communication channel.
This ensures that a company can communicate its responses to crises to both internal and external stakeholders effectively (wiseGEEK)
Internal business communication plans represent messages intended only for those stakeholders (owners, managers, and employees) inside a business.
Different types of communication methods such as telephone, e-mail, conferences, or face-to-face meetings and reviews.
Outside users are rarely active in this communication plan as message content may be highly secretive and contain sensitive business information.
External business communication plans are simply the opposite of the above plan; external stakeholders needing information use it.
Owners and executives are often highly involved with these plans to ensure no negative messages or tones are sent to outside stakeholders.
A crisis communication plan is a special form that works only during a crisis experienced by the business.
Having crisis business communication plans in place allows a company to create a mixed communication channel.
This ensures that a company can communicate its responses to crises to both internal and external stakeholders effectively (wiseGEEK)
1.2 Steps of a communication plan
Deciding Whether or Not to Outsource Communications Planning : decide who to hire? what to look for? where to find vendors? what is the expected budget?
Steps Involved in Creating a Communications Plan:
Deciding Whether or Not to Outsource Communications Planning : decide who to hire? what to look for? where to find vendors? what is the expected budget?
Steps Involved in Creating a Communications Plan:
Provide the situational analysis: give a reason for the implementation of the communication plan, look at the previous plan and compare its impact, show the realistic situation.
Determine objectives: what is the possible outcomes and how to meet them. use SMART elements during the process which are
- Specific
- Measurable
- Achievable
- Realistic
- Timely
Identify target audiences: To profile target audiences, it is necessary to understand how audience evaluates the benefits and understand the sociodemographic profile of the target audiences to estimate the purchasing power
Develop key messages: carefully consider the communication channels and select the most important messages to deliver and develop. Messages should be understandable, simple, memorable. Messages can be testing on target audiences.
Choose strategies and tactics: a strategy refers to the overall picture of how to achieve objectives and tactics refer to exactly how your strategy will be implemented.
Select communication channels: should be applicable to the key messages the company wants to communicate including social media, the press, television, radio and face-to-face communication.
Estimate the budget
Establish partnerships: consider who the partners (e.g. organisations or businesses) to help with the provision of additional resources or advice
Assign responsibility and accountability: determine who is going to take responsibility for implementing each part of the communication plan
Implement the plan: determine all the steps which need to be taken to ensure an objective is met. and assign resources, staffing needs and deadlines to each step to ensure its completion
Evaluation and mid-course correction: e.g. to see whether the chosen targets, channels, etc. are right (Connect4action)
Source: https://bch.cbd.int/protocol/outreach/wallacefoundation.pdf
Who to reach? Knowing the audience makes it possible to plan communication logically. Different messages for different groups, and different channels and methods to reach each of those groups.
Demographics: are simply basic statistical information about people, such as gender, age, ethnic and racial background, income, etc.
Geography: might focus on a whole town or region, on one or more neighborhoods, or on people who live near a particular geographic or man-made feature.
Employment: people in a particular line of work, or in people who are unemployed.
Health: people at risk for or experiencing a particular condition – high blood pressure, perhaps, or diabetes – or might be a health promotion effort – “Eat healthy, exercise regularly” – at the whole community.
Behavior: target message to smokers, for example, or to youth engaged in violence.
Attitudes: trying to change people’s minds, or bring them to the next level of understanding?
Another aspect of the audience to consider: direct communication (affects behavior, knowledge, or condition); or indirect communication in order to influence a population, it has to aim your message at those to whom they listen – clergy, community leaders, politicians, etc. (Community Tool Box)
Demographics: are simply basic statistical information about people, such as gender, age, ethnic and racial background, income, etc.
Geography: might focus on a whole town or region, on one or more neighborhoods, or on people who live near a particular geographic or man-made feature.
Employment: people in a particular line of work, or in people who are unemployed.
Health: people at risk for or experiencing a particular condition – high blood pressure, perhaps, or diabetes – or might be a health promotion effort – “Eat healthy, exercise regularly” – at the whole community.
Behavior: target message to smokers, for example, or to youth engaged in violence.
Attitudes: trying to change people’s minds, or bring them to the next level of understanding?
Another aspect of the audience to consider: direct communication (affects behavior, knowledge, or condition); or indirect communication in order to influence a population, it has to aim your message at those to whom they listen – clergy, community leaders, politicians, etc. (Community Tool Box)
2. How to implement a communication plan successfully and how to measure it?
Set goals with specific strategy: make goals clear, concise, and concrete. Goals have to be shared, refined, and communicated, to all interested parties. Collaboration at the initial planning stage means more creativity and ultimately more success.
E.g. Not: "Increase participation of the employee annual survey," but, "Increase the annual employee survey participation by 50 percent and create and execute action plans by all organizations to address any issues that rank at two or below by May 30, with the overall goal of reducing turnover by 7 percent in 2014."
Be proactive, not reactive: Do the research, find captivating stories, understand the data, create compelling and targeted messages, and then successfully execute the plan.
Announcing an event date is fine, but explaining what you'll learn and why it's a "must attend" for your audience is considerably better.
Having a plan in place for crisis communications can save your reputation and your bottom line.
Choose metrics that matter: What's important is to have your marketing or social media efforts move the needle in relation to your overall goals.
Increasing the number of followers is nice, but selling more products or services, growing membership, or increasing donations for your nonprofit shows tangible results. Think conversions, not conversation.
Turn ideas into action: An implementation plan explores audience needs and interests, understands the competitive landscape, creates targeted messaging, establishes timelines, determines communication vehicles and activities, works within financial guidelines, establishes benchmarks and metrics, and outlines the staffing plan with clearly defined roles and responsibilities.
Consider an annual theme: This approach resulted in numerous impressions and increased the awareness of the company's products, as well as the personal brand of the top executive. Every event was tweeted (pre-event, during the event, and post-event), blogged about, re-presented on YouTube, and re-messaged for new audiences.
Each week a short "good news" story was told on various social media channels. People knew Friday was the day they could look forward to being inspired. People were engaged, stories were shared, followers greatly enhanced, and, most important, and donations doubled.
Don't file and forget: An effective communications plan is reviewed and refined weekly. Use it to start every weekly department meeting. Have only one version, and make it accessible—by way of a shared drive or in the cloud—to everyone responsible for implementation. As new events, products or services occur, add to the plan and determine new approaches and strategies (Denman, 2013).
Set goals with specific strategy: make goals clear, concise, and concrete. Goals have to be shared, refined, and communicated, to all interested parties. Collaboration at the initial planning stage means more creativity and ultimately more success.
E.g. Not: "Increase participation of the employee annual survey," but, "Increase the annual employee survey participation by 50 percent and create and execute action plans by all organizations to address any issues that rank at two or below by May 30, with the overall goal of reducing turnover by 7 percent in 2014."
Be proactive, not reactive: Do the research, find captivating stories, understand the data, create compelling and targeted messages, and then successfully execute the plan.
Announcing an event date is fine, but explaining what you'll learn and why it's a "must attend" for your audience is considerably better.
Having a plan in place for crisis communications can save your reputation and your bottom line.
Choose metrics that matter: What's important is to have your marketing or social media efforts move the needle in relation to your overall goals.
Increasing the number of followers is nice, but selling more products or services, growing membership, or increasing donations for your nonprofit shows tangible results. Think conversions, not conversation.
Turn ideas into action: An implementation plan explores audience needs and interests, understands the competitive landscape, creates targeted messaging, establishes timelines, determines communication vehicles and activities, works within financial guidelines, establishes benchmarks and metrics, and outlines the staffing plan with clearly defined roles and responsibilities.
Consider an annual theme: This approach resulted in numerous impressions and increased the awareness of the company's products, as well as the personal brand of the top executive. Every event was tweeted (pre-event, during the event, and post-event), blogged about, re-presented on YouTube, and re-messaged for new audiences.
Each week a short "good news" story was told on various social media channels. People knew Friday was the day they could look forward to being inspired. People were engaged, stories were shared, followers greatly enhanced, and, most important, and donations doubled.
Don't file and forget: An effective communications plan is reviewed and refined weekly. Use it to start every weekly department meeting. Have only one version, and make it accessible—by way of a shared drive or in the cloud—to everyone responsible for implementation. As new events, products or services occur, add to the plan and determine new approaches and strategies (Denman, 2013).
References:
Steps for an effective communication plan, Connect4action, http://www.connect4action.eu/toolbox/steps-for-an-effective-communication-plan#faqnoanchor. Accessed: 26.10.2015
Developing a Plan for Communication,Community Tool Box, http://ctb.ku.edu/en/table-of-contents/participation/promoting-interest/communication-plan/main. Accessed: 26.10.2015
What Are the Different Types of Business Communication Plans, WiseGEEK, http://www.wisegeek.com/what-are-the-different-types-of-business-communication-plans.htm. Accessed: 26.10.2015
Denman, M., G., 2013. 6 must-haves for an effective communication plan, http://www.ragan.com/Main/Articles/6_musthaves_for_an_effective_communication_plan_46393.aspx. Accessed: 26.10.2015
What Are the Different Types of Business Communication Plans, WiseGEEK, http://www.wisegeek.com/what-are-the-different-types-of-business-communication-plans.htm. Accessed: 26.10.2015
Denman, M., G., 2013. 6 must-haves for an effective communication plan, http://www.ragan.com/Main/Articles/6_musthaves_for_an_effective_communication_plan_46393.aspx. Accessed: 26.10.2015
