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Communications Plan Template

A strategic communication plan is a road map for identifying how to engage

with your varied stakeholder groups, audiences and networks.

It’s a powerful strategy tool to establish agreement among you and your

colleagues to identify and agree on what contents needs to be said or

displayed, to whom and in which context. The plan ensures consistency of

messaging across distribution channels, sets expectations and builds assurance

factors.

The size and length of a plan can vary greatly based on the complexities of the

objectives. This means a plan can be as basic as a single message to a single

audience or as complex as a multi-phased, long-term roll out with many

audiences who require relevant content in a number of online and offline

channels.

This basic template provides you with a beginning framework for mapping out

and helps facilitate discussion. It will assist with determining the target audiences,

key messages and distribution channels.

If this tool brings value to you, feel free to share among your social networks.

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Objectives What are the high level outcomes you need to achieve?

1 _________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ 2__________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ 3__________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ Goals What are the goals which will help achieve the above objectives? From a business perspective:

Short-term: eg business synergies and cost savings, transition business and staff

through a change management program

_____________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________

Medium-term: eg position brand, build trust

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ From a communications perspective, eg articulate value proposition to staff, reach target

audiences

1 _________________________________________________________

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___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ 2__________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ 3__________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ Key messages A global key message underpins all other key messaging

___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ Core key messages are reflected within all communications depending on audience

1 _________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ 2__________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ 3__________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ Evidence, proof and support opportunities for the above key messages, eg company values, case studies, targeted media coverage

1 _________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________

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2__________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ 3__________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________

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Risks & issues What are the key risks which could affect successful communication outcomes? As an example, risks may include a misinterpretation of message, loss of talent, loss of customers, brand reputation loss

1 _________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ 2__________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ 3__________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ Risk mitigation Outline how each risk will be mitigated and minimised through timely and relevant responses and activities. See the next page for helpful guidelines.

1 _________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ 2__________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ 3__________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________

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Audiences and communication channels Who do you need to reach and what is the most effective communications channel to reach them?

Audience Location Channels

eg Shareholders North America, Europe,

Australasia

Stock exchange

announcement,

email, information

pack

eg Product

Development Team Melbourne

Team meeting

livestream with CEO,

FAQ handout, email

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Event Comm Audience Channel Drafted Signed off

Target distr.

eg Merging two

services into

one

Internal

announcement Staff Email 01-07-15 07-07-15 09-07-15

Internal

announcement Staff Intranet 01-07-15 07-07-15 09-07-15

Transition

information and

next steps

Affected

customers Email, letter 01-07-15 07-07-15 11-07-15

New service offer

available

Prospective

customers and

general public

Website,

new

brochure

01-07-15 07-07-15 15-07-15

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Guidelines for effective issues management communication

Be the most informed and available source of information. Be ahead of the

story. Never get caught playing catch-up to other stakeholders (either

internal or external)

Establish a regular communication rhythm (regularity to depend on comms

need – escalate as necessary from weekly to daily to multiple times a day

contact)

Key messages should reflect your organisation’s overall messages. They

should reinforce the positive and be action/solution oriented if possible

Legal counsel to be briefed and to agree to all materials if required

Keep communicating, particularly if unfavourable, inaccurate information is

in the public domain. If not corrected, it could have future negative

consequences requiring additional communication planning and activities.

Consider questions that will be asked in order to prepare answers for them –

including the questions you hope you will not be asked

Consider need for additional materials such as a fact sheet, backgrounder,

web site resources, FAQs

Staff Notification – as soon as practical, disseminate all information to

affected staff.

Value employees as influencers – keep them well informed and maintain

transparency. Understand and use internal ‘grapevine’.

Any media meetings should be supervised. Know ahead of time who the

journalist is and what he or she is planning on covering.

Notify partners and key other groups as soon as possible, definitely before

information has reached the public domain.

Communications updates – ensure key audiences are kept up to date.