How to create an awesome communication plan

So, full disclosure—I love creating communication plans! I find it really exciting to take an idea and help it come to life through a carefully constructed communication plan. I hope you’ll feel the same way by the time you’ve finished reading this blog.

Writing a great communication plan takes time up front but once you’ve got the basic framework in place, you can use it again and again whatever you’re communicating about. So let’s jump right in and get started.

1.      Communication objectives (Why)

First things first. Before you decide what you’re going to communicate, you need to get clear on your objectives and decide why you’re doing it. For example, do you want to:

• Raise awareness (of your new product, service, course)

• Sell more widgets

• Get more membership sign ups

• Prepare your team for a new system or process

When you’re clear on your objectives, you’ll need to put some parameters around them so you know exactly what you’re setting out to achieve and how you’ll make it happen. One easy and effective way of doing this is to create SMART objectives.

S = Specific: Generic objectives are the enemy of your success. Make them specific so you know exactly what you’re aiming for.

M = Measurable: Creating measurable objectives —such as selling 100 widgets—enables you to track progress and identify when you have reached your goal.

A = Achievable: Make your objectives achievable for the best chance of success—don’t set the bar so high it’s impossible to reach.

R = Realistic: No-one becomes a millionaire overnight. Keep your goals realistic. You might not be able to sell 100 widgets in 24 hours but it’s realistic to assume you could in three months.

T = Timebound: Set a deadline to achieve your objective so you don’t lose sight of the end goal.

Here’s an example of a SMART objective:

Increase widget sales by 10% over the next three months.

2.      Audience (Who)

Once you’re happy with your objectives, you need to identify your audience so you can create messages they will connect with. Segment your audience so you can tailor your message and use communication channels that make sense for them.

Here is an example of some audience segments. Think about your communication topic: Do all segments of your audience need to receive this communication? How will you tailor the communication for the audience segments you’re reaching out to?

•  New customers

• Returning customers

• Employees

• Partners

• Media

 3.      Channels (How)

Next, choose the channels you’ll use to distribute your messages. Focus on the needs of a particular audience segment and choose channels you know they like using.

Here are some standard channels to consider—you may use others—and remember one size doesn’t fit all when you’re communicating. While a returning customer might like to read your weekly email and company blog for your news, a media contact might prefer reading a press release and social media.

• Website update

• Blog

• Email

• Social media

• SMS marketing

• Press release

• Podcasts

• Traditional advertising

4.      Timeline

‘Buy now’, ‘register by X date’—plan your campaign to take place within a precise period of time for the best results. There’s nothing like a deadline to generate action!

5.      Responsible

If you’re a solopreneur, responsibility for delivering against your plan will lie with you. If you have employees, it’s important to agree up front who will be responsible for implementing the plan or who will be responsible for individual parts of it—such as content development, content distribution and monitoring.

6.      Measurement

As soon as your plan is rolling, you need to check progress against your communication objectives regularly. Keeping a close eye on your campaign’s performance gives you an opportunity to adjust your campaign in real time if you’re not getting the results you planned.

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If you’re ready to start planning your next awesome communication campaign, my free communication plan guidelines and template will get you off to a great start. Download it today and use it every time you want to create an effective campaign for your business.