Most organisations possess plans for their business operations to run essential functions. However, what separates a standard organisation, and a successful organisation is a well-thought-out strategic communication plan that delivers results and drives the business towards a successful path.
The breakdown of a strategic communications plan is that it is detailed, with clear and concise objectives, has strict deadlines for everyone to achieve, specific & regularly scheduled deliverables, measurable steps & results with analysis, and, most importantly, a leader who can delegate and provide feedback throughout the project.
While the above is much easier said rather than done, Koukash Consultancy has come up with five ways to create a strategic communications plan that will help you achieve your organisational objectives:
- Objectives: Planned objectives are imperative for any strategic communications plan. Without objectives, projects cannot be measured or delivered. Therefore, when reviewing results at the end of a project or campaign, your question should be, “was the objective achieved?”
Pro-tip: Dreaming big is good, but your objectives should be realistic and achievable.
- Audience: Your plan should be specific for your target person yet tailored to the same objective. For example, someone on the marketing team will have a different strategy than someone on the executive team, but both will be working towards the same shared purpose. At the end of the project, other teams will have worked together to reach the same result.
Pro-tip: Create a broader plan for the organisation, but different yet specific measurables for each team in the organisation.
- Measurables: To promote the objectives of a strategic communication plan, results must be measured throughout the project. Whether through an increase in conversions or increased engagement, your team will not perform if there are no numerical goals to react adequately.
Pro-tip: Use last year’s results as a basis for this year. Part of a strategic plan is to increase those results by a fraction and perform better for the future.
- Feedback: Feedback is essential for all levels of planning. Your organisation relies on you to let them know how they are performing. Therefore, regular feedback should be implemented in the planning process. Feedback can come from you and your organisation; they can inform you of any upcoming or unforeseen challenges during this time.
Pro-tip: Space the feedback meetings further for your employees to work on the projects confidently but short enough to minimise running into complex challenges.
- Wins: Remember to celebrate all wins throughout the project! Strategic communications begin with communication, so for any ‘small’ success, celebrate with the team or team lead. Your organisation will be happy to know that their work has not gone unnoticed, even through difficult times, and they will be able to support you in the future with other projects confidently.
With these five points, creating a strategic communication plan certainly takes dedication and constant communication with the entire team to achieve success.
KC Academy’s 5-day intensive course on Strategic Communication: Thinking, Planning, and Execution trains leaders and professionals on how to define the aim, tactics and objectives of a strategic plan; how to identify the audiences for a strategic plan; and how to plan for various levels of potential risks and how to manage them. For more information on this course, please contact info@koukashconsultancy.com.
Koukash Consultancy
We advise global brands, business and organisations on reputation, communications and public affairs and partner with them to create impactful communication through our beskpoke solutions.
We specialise in protecting and promoting business, brands and individuals through public relations & strategy development, reputation management, media relations and through leadership, learning & development and executive coaching.
