How to make a communication plan
“To effectively communicate, we must realize that we are all different in the way we perceive the world and use this understanding as a guide to our communication with others.” Anthony Robbin
A communication plan is crucial for any company if it wants to rank well in the market. Whether it is the company itself, its products or the image for future investors, it is very important for a business to make a communication plan that will include policies, strategies, resources, goals and actions to be carried out.
But how to make one?
First of all, before making a communication plan we have to watch carefully at various aspects:
- The initial situation, taking into account our ranking and place in the market so that we can set up the plan. Analyse what the communication policy of the company has been like to the date, and never lose sight of the competition. You can make a PEST or SWOT analysis to learn about the present status, or a communication audit… But it is very important to be clear on the starting point.
- What do we want to know? This is a very important stage where we have to set the goals that will be the basis of the plan. We have to be clear about whether we want to empower our brand, reach a better place in the market, reach a new target… It is important to rank the brand over the product in the long term, focusing on creating an image (values, character, differentiation…).
- Analyse the strategies you will carry out, i.e. how you are going to meet the goals previously defined.
- It is very important to be clear about the public you want to address. It is not the same to make a communication plan for a target “mothers” or for people from a specific social spectrum. It is also important to know whether the communication plan is for internal publics (workers, shareholders) or external publics (future consumers, providers, distributors…). We shall not forget about the indirect publics, either, which act as an external loudspeaker (press, bloggers, authorities…).
- A communication plan has to convey a clear message to be transmitted. For this, make slogans that can have an impact on the society and relate to your brand. The spokespeople will make use of these messages when they meet the press or attend public relations events. The message must be very present throughout the whole plan.
- Analyse the communication channels that you are currently using. Think about how you can use them to execute your plan or which new tools you can use. Do not forget to keep in mind both traditional media (newspapers, magazines, TV…) and new media (blogs, webs, forums, social networks…).
- To achieve your goals, make actions. Think about what actions can help you. Set a series of activities to be carried out to achieve your goals: you can resort to street marketing, e-mailing, samples, actions on social networks, discount vouchers, presentations, raffles… Let your imagination run free!
- It is also important to keep an eye on the budget. Think of how to invest the money to carry out your plan. Bear in mind that there can always come extra costs, so you should always allocate some extra money for unexpected expenses.
- Lastly, you have to set deadlines. When do you want to reach the objectives? Make a calendar and set the actions that you will make and when.
Follow these steps and get hands on with it to give your business that little boost that always helps.
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Internet República
Agencia online especializada en Inbound Marketing (Social Media, SEO y creatividad).
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