HOW TO MAKE A STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS PLAN WORK FOR YOU

A communications plan is a crucial tool for any business looking to build a solid, comprehensive marketing plan that can be followed by all of a company’s stakeholders. An effective communications plan acts as a blueprint for your business. It helps clearly define your brand message, create a strategy, hone in on your true audience, and set a timeline.

If you are just starting out, a communications plan can help guide your marketing efforts. A communications plan will define the most effective channels and strategy to reach your target market(s) with the right message. If you are an existing business that has experience marketing your product or service, a communications plan is an essential piece of your marketing puzzle. A communications plan will align all of your efforts and lay out a clear plan for now and moving forward. The elements of a communications plan are:

ORGANIZATIONAL OVERVIEW

• Clearly defined set of key messages about the brand
• Prioritized list of target audiences
• A list of communication vehicles and creative assets. Social, traditional, and any other forms of marketing that are relevant to your brand

MARKETING OBJECTIVE

• A detailed list of the organization’s marketing goals
• A map of various channels that you can use to achieve those goals, including details on how to use those channels

DETAILED MARKETING STRATEGY

• Recommendations for additional materials and tactics
• Implementation schedule for campaign(s)
• Calendar that defines key actions week by week to keep the campaign(s) moving forward quickly and effectively

A well-written communications plan will help you align your marketing with your business strategy. Ultimately the plan will save you time and money that may have been otherwise invested in marketing efforts that won’t garner a return on investment. A communications plan helps you focus on what’s important – reaching your target audience with the right message that will encourage them to take action.