Leadership Institute Basel | 30 September 2015 Rotterdam | 18-19 April  EuroComm 2016

Strategic Planning = Great Impact

Robin McCasland, FRSA Dallas, Texas USA

@robinrox

EUROCOMM 2016 � IABC EMENA April 19, 2016

Strategic planning still matters

Ø Determines what you really need and how to get there Ø Keeps your team focused and stops tangents Ø Aligns with an organization’s goals and priorities Ø  Influences behaviors among many audiences Ø Changes how employees, vendors, customers and

others perceive and interact with your organization

What audiences think about…

Ø  Why their boss sucks Ø  Why their sports team is great; all other teams suck Ø  Annoyed at the nail clipping coming from the next cubicle Ø  Looking down at own nails; realizing they need a manicure Ø  Their dog’s determination to pee on the new bedspread Ø  Dealing with the neighbor they call “The Tool” Ø  The “frenemy,” Maria, and her annoying Facebook statuses Ø  Their eldest child’s idiotic college choices

5

“ IT IS NEVER ABOUT YOU.

IT IS ABOUT YOUR AUDIENCES.

(Your leaders probably think it’s all about them. I can’t help you with that.)

Planning is ultimately for others

Ø Audiences are focused on themselves •  Unless you give good reason to change behaviors

Ø People often think

•  You don’t understand me •  You don’t inspire or motivate me •  You’re saying “stuff” but you’re not listening •  You need to solve my “pain points”

7

Start with the basics

Ø  Budget? (crickets chirping) Ø  What will your audiences care about most? Ø  Which subgroups, if any, need different messaging? Ø  What needs to be provided in different languages? Ø  Which existing communication channels provide the

greatest impact? Ø  Which new ones should you consider?

8

What exists for your organization now?

Ø What’s your current internal brand/culture?

Ø What’s your current external brand represent?

Ø What’s your reputation among various audiences?

Ø Does it align with the perception you want?

How do you begin winning hearts and minds?

Ø What distinguishes you from competitors?

Ø Do the distinguishing features make you

more desirable to a customer, a potential

partner or job candidate?

Ø  If not, can you help change them?

Ask your audiences, leaders and yourself

Ø How should we operate?

Ø What do we value?

Ø What traditions do we uphold?

Ø How are we expected to treat

others?

Most difficult questions for leaders

Ø What do you expect of employees?

Ø What should employees expect of YOU?

Ø  If we asked employees, customers and vendors

these questions, how would they respond?

Ø What behaviors should we all demonstrate with

these audiences?

The answers will provide magic!

Ø  The answers, even if painful, will provide insight

Ø Will help you make better choices Ø Help you develop better messaging Ø Give you a better shot at engaging

audiences in a world of distraction and gracelessness

To ensure success: convene cynics

Ø Cynics are incredibly helpful Ø Get their input before you launch communication Ø  Listen for gems that will improve your approach Ø Appreciate the feedback; share how you used it Ø You might gain new evangelists but if you don’t… Ø  Focus instead on the people who matter most

14

Summary

Ø Planning still matters, but the questions may be different Ø Get answers to baseline questions up front Ø  Then, ask the different and more difficult questions Ø Engage many audiences in the process Ø  Take time to analyze what you learned Ø  Listen to your cynics and let them help you Ø Your results will be far more effective

15

Thank you! Questions? Twitter: @robinrox LInkedIn: linkedin.com/in/robinmccasland Email: robinatiabc@gmail.com