Create a Communication Plan

Promotion: aligning teams, scope and measurable objectives to meet company objectives and priorities

Organizing a communication plan involves managing various components and dimensions. It can be approached as a one-time, isolated effort or as a complex coordination across multiple teams and communication channels, always aligned with the company’s objectives and priorities.

The process begins with identifying the key elements of the program and, most importantly, understanding why the program is needed. The “why” is essential to ensure the communication plan aligns with the company’s mission and objectives. Asking “what success looks like?” is a practical way to create a plan that delivers results.

What does success look like for a communication plan?

Before developing a communication plan, take time to clarify the reasons behind its need and determine the factors that will measure its success. Address the “Why” before moving on to the “What” and “How” of communication.

Key questions to explore include:

Ensuring the “Why” is well-articulated and visible to participants, stakeholders, and sponsors will create a strong foundation.

How can we increase brand visibility?
What communication channels should we consider?
What is our current customer experience, and how can we improve it?
How can we enhance profitability?
What other needs or priorities must we address?

These questions act as a guiding light throughout the development of the communication plan. By keeping these questions front and center, you can maintain alignment among teams and ensure that the plan is executed effectively to achieve shared objectives.

Communication program dimensions

When implementing a communication program, it is essential to capture and build the following dimensions early on:

Teams

Ensure alignment among teams, stakeholders, and sponsors on the communication plan and its execution. Strong connections across teams are vital for smooth coordination and fluid execution. Team success is crucial at all phases, so focus on aligning objectives and defining shared success metrics.

Program Scope

Clearly define the scope and timeline of the program. Break down complex projects into smaller, manageable components that fit within the overall communication plan. This approach provides a bird’s-eye view and facilitates the efficient use of multiple channels. Consider long-term, medium-term, and short-term goals.

Changes to the agreed-upon scope can significantly derail a project, so it’s essential to maintain the original scope and avoid overcommitments.

Measurable Objectives

Establish measurable objectives for each project and ensure they are visible across teams. Visibility promotes motivation and cross-team collaboration. Regularly evaluate communication performance to guide execution and extract insights for future program development.

These dimensions are critical for the success of communication programs. They help identify gaps between expectations and results, ensure smooth execution, enhance collaboration, and maintain control over budgets. By addressing these dimensions early on, you can set realistic objectives and develop ongoing projects with confidence.

Communication program creation

Creating a communication program involves multiple steps and iterative cycles. While budgets are often predetermined, they may allow room for negotiation and additional allocation. The development process typically evolves through several versions until a final program is selected for execution.

The dimensions of Teams, Program Scope, and Measurable Objectives should always remain in focus. Over time, develop detailed activities required for the communication program:

Step 1: Detailed needs – Purpose of communication activity

Objective: Understand the purpose and goals of the activity. Align the project with company objectives and ensure it is SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound). Motivate the communication team, sponsors, and stakeholders.

Step 2: Status/History of communication

Objective: Review all components of the marketing mix to understand the context and motivations. Share and discuss past efforts to articulate the project’s context and challenges.

Step 3: Understand and profile your targeted audiences

Objective: Define the market segments targeted and identify other segments impacted by the communication. Ensure all profiles are clear and communicated effectively.

Step 4: Determine messages to be communicated

Objective: Identify impactful messages for your market environment. Use the “copy” strategy to craft messages, focusing on the promise, proof, benefit, tone, and residual message. Evaluate their impact on all relevant segments.

For more on copy strategy, check this resource: Sortlist – Copy Strategy

Step 5: Select means of communication

Objective: Choose appropriate communication channels (e.g., PR, advertising, digital media). Assess costs and evaluate the return on investment (ROI).

Step 6: Develop the communication plan details

Objective: Construct a detailed communication plan specifying who does what, when, and how. Plan for deployment activities and potential responses during the program’s launch.

Step 7: Set launch date and activate the plan

Objective: Validate the communication program, set launch dates, and ensure teams are prepared. Activate the program and engage teams for a successful rollout.

In summary

There are countless online resources with valuable advice on communication planning. When exploring these recommendations, compare them against your specific communication needs and the three critical dimensions: Teams, Program Scope, and Measurable Objectives.

A well-orchestrated communication plan enables companies to succeed across various market segments by leveraging multiple communication channels. Regular monitoring and adaptation of the plan are essential to address evolving needs and priorities effectively.

Tools

As mentioned in this chapter, many tools can help determine communication or promotional projects. SMART is one such tool that works well for small, targeted projects.

For more complex initiatives involving multiple actions, be sure to follow a clear process—such as the one proposed here—to ensure the communication plan is aligned with company objectives and fully supports the initiative under development.

The following section may include tools, some free, some with a fee to support this site development. If you consider a tool should be presented in this section and is missing, please let us know at: contact@marketingdecision.org

Communication Plan