Communications Planning
Clarifying the Business Topic and Target Audience
The most important thing is to understand what needs to be achieved from any communication activity: what is the desired outcome? We think through how a topic fits into a broader picture and get prepared to explain this. We also think through at the outset how success will be measured.
We identify the key audiences. Lack of clarity here can result in a lot of wasted time and effort. Our framework considers who needs to be involved, who is impacted, who is likely to be interested and who needs to be informed.
Developing Key Messages
We can develop the key messages needed to communicate to each audience to achieve the desired outcome. The most effective messages are usually simple, short and memorable. We will put messages in the right context and make them personally meaningful to members of the audience. Our goal is always to answer the audience's question: How does this affect me?
Selecting the right tools
With so many different communication tools and channels now available in most businesses, we will think through the most appropriate choices based on the desired outcome, message and the audience. We understand that more is not necessarily better and that not all tools and channels suit all types of message. For communicating more difficult messages we can plan meetings, coach and support leaders, and develop supporting materials. We also understand that communication is a 2-way process, so using tools to get and respond to feedback is a necessary requirement for success.
