OFFICE OF UNIVERSITY RELATIONS STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS PLAN

February, 2006 COMPONENTS AND PRINCIPLES OF A STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS PLAN The goal of a communications plan is to shape opinion and motivate behavior. It is based on these principles of effective communication and persuasion: All change of opinion begins with expanding awareness. The best communication is two-way, involving dialogue, and a change in attitude or reinforcement of beliefs is enhanced by audience involvement. Much opinion is shaped by a relatively small number of opinion leaders those who are knowledgeable, influential and articulate. Opinion is often based in self-interest. Persuasion may (1) change or neutralize hostile opinions, (2) crystallize latent opinions and positive attitudes, and (3) reinforce favorable opinions. A message is more believable if the source is credible. The university must deliver its messages honestly, clearly, and from a position of expertise. Messages are most persuasive when they are simple, consistent, aligned with the audiences needs, concerns, and interests, and repeated over time using multiple means of delivery.

The initiatives and tactics set forth in this plan are directed at forming what key audiences believe about Ohio State and affecting what they do in response to what they believe. We cannot just say that Ohio States goals are good and our audiences should support them. Rather, we must understand our audiences and their self-interest, align our interests with theirs, provide expertise and information to assist them, increase their awareness, involve them, seek their feedback, and invest in a variety of communications channels to repetitively communicate a consistent set of messages.

STRATEGIES AND RESEARCH GUIDING OUR PLAN This strategic communications plan outlines what should be done to achieve Ohio States objectives as defined by the Academic Plan. The core elements of the Academic Plan call for Ohio State to become a national leader in the quality of our academic programs, be universally recognized for the quality of the learning experience we offer our students, create an environment that truly values and is enriched by diversity, and expand the land-grant mission to address our societys most compelling needs. COMMUNICATIONS OBJECTIVE The overarching objective of this communications plan is to create, strengthen, or preserve support of Ohio State among key university audiences by demonstrating the universitys commitment to academic excellence, research, and lifelong learning and by establishing the impact of the university on the community state, nation, and world. That support must manifest itself in positive behavioral outcomes to further the primary institutional goals of the university, namely, the goals of the Academic Plan and the Leadership Agenda. UNIVERSITY POSITIONING STATEMENT Strong communications plans begin with a positioning statement that briefly describes and differentiates the institution. It should embody both the institutions reputation and its promise to key audiences. In our case, it is the touchstone of all communications and underpins the universitys theme line, Do Something Great. The following positioning statement captures the distinctive qualities of Ohio State and its mission: As Ohios preeminent comprehensive teaching and research university, and one of the nations largest, The Ohio State University has profound impact on our students, the economy, and the quality of life in Ohio and beyond by offering broad, deep, and excellent educational opportunities, conducting research that advances knowledge and benefits society, and fulfilling its land-grant mission of outreach and public service.

KEY AUDIENCES

Audiences
1. University community a) Current faculty, staff

What we want them to think

They work for a great university and are making major contributions to its success. Their contributions help achieve the goals of the Academic Plan. Ohio State is distinguished by its research mission and level of outreach. They attend a great university. Their degrees will help them succeed after graduation. They have an opportunity to work with and learn from distinguished faculty in many fields. Exposure to diverse people, cultures, and ideas will prepare them for life in the global economy. Service and outreach are important parts of a land-grant university education. Ohio State is a good steward of their tuition dollars. Ohio State is distinguished by its research mission and level of outreach. Ohio State is a great university with a huge impact. Faculty and administration are highly capable of achieving the goals of the Academic Plan. Ohio State is the flagship university of Ohio. Ohio State is fulfilling its landgrant mission. Competitive admissions is working and is good for the state. Ohio State is distinguished by its research mission and level of outreach.

What we want them to do

Speak enthusiastically and with pride about the quality, impact, and initiatives of the university they work for. Support the university with other key audiences.

b) Current students

Speak enthusiastically and with pride about the quality, impact, and initiatives of the university. Support the university with other key audiences, including legislators, business leaders, and others. Act in a way consistent with the values of the university. Connect with the university for a lifetime.

c) Board of Trustees

(Communication needs for this audience are primarily attended to by Student Affairs, Alumni Association, FYE, OMA, and OAA/academic units).

Speak enthusiastically about the quality, impact, and initiatives of the university. Advocate for state resources. Wield their power and influence to support the interests of the university.

Audiences
d) Ohio State alumni, particularly in Ohio

What we want them to think

Ohio State provided them with a valued degree. Whats good for the university reflects well on them. We are good stewards of tax dollars and a good investment. Ohio State is fulfilling its landgrant mission. Competitive admissions is working and is good for the state. Ohio State is distinguished by its research mission and level of outreach. Higher education in general and Ohio State, specifically, are critical to the economic success of the state. Ohio State has a profound impact on the quality of life in Ohio. Ohio State is fulfilling its landgrant mission. Competitive admissions is working and is good for the state. Ohio State is distinguished by its research mission and level of outreach. Ohio State is the crown jewel of Columbus. It is essential to the life and well-being of the community. We are partners in the communitys success. Competitive admissions is working and is good for the community and state. Ohio State is distinguished by its research mission and level of outreach. Ohio State is one of the crown jewels of the state. It is essential to the life and well-being of the state. We are partners in the states success. Competitive admissions is working and good for the state. Ohio State is distinguished by its research mission and level of

What we want them to do

Speak enthusiastically about the quality, impact, and initiatives of the university. Support and advocate for us. Carry the universitys key messages to their constituency.

2. State leadership Governor, Ohio legislators, public officials, and opinion leaders

Enact legislation and allocate resources supportive of our flagship status.

3. Columbus Community

Speak enthusiastically about the quality, impact, and initiatives of the university. Participate in our offerings and take advantage of our resources. Like and respect the university, and, when necessary, give us the benefit of the doubt.

4. Taxpayers of Ohio

Speak enthusiastically about the quality, impact, and initiatives of the university. Participate in our offerings and take advantage of our resources. Like and respect the university, and, when necessary, give us the benefit of the doubt.

outreach.

Audiences
5. Top-performing high school students (and their influencers) a) In Ohio b) Targeted subpopulations c) Target areas outside Ohio 6. Minority high school students (and their influencers)

What we want them to think

Ohio State is the flagship public university in Ohio. Ohio State is the first choice destination for a university education. They can afford to attend. Ohio State is distinguished by its research mission and level of outreach. Ohio State is the flagship public university in Ohio. Ohio State is the first-choice destination for a university education. Ohio State is welcoming and affordable. Ohio State is distinguished by its research mission and level of outreach. We are well-meaning and value-driven. We are the flagship institution of Ohio. We are a crown jewel of the state. We are a center of excellence. Competitive admissions is working and is good for the state. Ohio State is distinguished by its research mission and level of outreach. Ohio State is among the nations top public research universities. Our president is a national academic leader. Our academic standards and quality continue to rise. Ohio State is distinguished by its research mission and level of outreach. Ohio State is the flagship public university of Ohio. Ohio State is distinguished by its research mission and level of outreach.

What we want them to do

Make Ohio State their first choice. Tell others why they are choosing Ohio State.

(Communication needs for this audience are primarily attended to by the Office of Undergraduate Admissions and First Year Experience.) Make Ohio State their first choice. Ask about the opportunities, campus life and financial aid available at Ohio State. Tell others why they are choosing Ohio State.

7. Media a) Local b) State c) National d) Statehouse e) National science and research f) Higher education g) Higher education trade h) Minority

(Communication needs for this audience are primarily attended to by the Office of Undergraduate Admissions and First Year Experience.) Provide fair coverage, and, when necessary, give us the benefit of the doubt. Be responsive to our story ideas. Consider Ohio State a repository of expertise and a substantial and significant news source.

8. National academic community (i.e., AAU, etc.)

Consistently rank our programs and the university among the best in the nation. Refer prospective faculty and students to us. Seek us as experts within the realm of higher education

9. Board of Regents

Support Ohio State and its initiatives to key audiences, including the legislature.

(Communications with the Board is primarily the responsibility of the Office of Academic Affairs.)

OVERARCHING STRATEGIES All communications initiatives will be aligned with several big-picture strategies governing our efforts to communicate our messages to the universitys various audiences. Those strategies are: 1. Create new communication opportunities and leverage and amplify existing and emerging opportunities. 2. Integrate emerging technologies into the communications process to effectively reach and influence key audiences. 3. Make the Office of University Relations central to university-wide communications, in cooperation with campus communicators and university leadership. 4. Gain and leverage external validation of the quality and impact of the university and its leadership.

ELEMENTS OF THE PLAN

RESEARCH: BASELINE SURVEY This plans content is informed to some extent by the brand study conducted by Gob and Associates in 2000, the Big Ten public opinion survey conducted by Magid Associates in 2003, and portions of a Perceptions and Communications Study conducted by Paul Werth Associates for University Development in 2004. No communications plan can be successful without having a basis in research. Therefore, the proposed first step for this plan is to field a sophisticated sampling of opinion to tell us what people in Ohio and elsewhere now think of Ohio State. Ultimately it will be the yardstick by which we measure the success of the plan. INITIATIVES Enhanced Electronic Communication Tools and Techniques Electronic Calendar Plus (EC+) The EC+ will be an events-based web destination that serves a purpose similar to the physical Welcome Center. Supported by a creative and comprehensive marketing campaign, EC+ is the ultimate outreach. For our myriad audiences with whom we seek to interact, it offers access to the universitys tremendous array of offerings, demonstrating the many reasons the university is integral to the life of the community and state. Audiences: All The Great Room Underpinning all our communications about Ohio State are the achievements, awards, honors, research, outreach, statistics, collaborations, creativity, stories and people that make it a great university. The Great Room will be a virtual gallery of Ohio States points of pride, and the archive we will draw upon to give evidence of Ohio States greatness and our progress toward our goals. It will include the peoplefaculty, staff, students and alumniwho embody our best qualities and speak for us to the world, as well as all the other indicators of our status as a world-class land-grant teaching and research institution. Continually updated and freshened, this web-based collection will be a living document, easily searchable and browsable by visitors and an essential resource for use in university communications. Audiences: All Targeted Email Communications Take full advantage of existing and emerging electronic communications resources to communicate with, influence, and engage our audiences in a more targeted and relevant

manner; collaborate with the Alumni Association and other university units and an outside vendor to develop a targeted and personalized email system. Audiences: Alumni, donors Leaders to Readers Email Program Periodic (bi-monthly) e-communication on behalf of key relationship managers Audiences: Board of Trustees; state leadership; others Build National Institutional Visibility Work with an established higher education media consultant to develop relationships with national mediaprint, television, radio, etc.and higher education trade publications. Use the contents of the Great Room to shape Ohio State stories for media and position Ohio State (faculty, staff, and administration) among its peers as a go-to resource. Audiences: All Position and Leverage University Leadership Thought Leader Initiative. Work with the president to develop an action plan for presenting her on a national level as a thought leader on one or more identified aspects of higher education (women in science, stimulation of P-12 math/science education; other). This could involve arranging for interviews, placing stories, developing op eds, etc. in order to identify her with a distinctive set of views. Arrange for the president to meet periodically with Ohio Statehouse reporters in a casual setting to brief them on topical events and concerns and provide an opportunity for them to ask questions. Audience: Ohio media Arrange for the president to meet with major editorial boards in Ohio on a revolving basis. Audience: Ohio media Provide media access to the president or other key university officials when it is in the universitys best interest. Audience: Media Offer advanced media consultation to the president to finely hone the universitys messages and their delivery and further refine the universitys top-level communications skills. Audience: Media Encourage and facilitate presentations by the president at AAU, ACE, Science Coalition, etc. Audience: National academic community Involve the board in community events and other initiatives of this plan where Ohio States impact and achievements are reinforced and they can interact with those whose good opinion we seek. Audience: Board of Trustees Periodic Reports on Institutional Progress and Priorities

Annual Reports: Through the most effective print or electronic medium, provide key audiences with a current picture of the universitys accomplishments toward achieving the goals of the Academic Plan and of the ways in which the university is distinguishing itself among its peers. An Annual Report could be a stand-alone publication for some audiences, could be distributed electronically and also could be inserted into existing periodicals (such as college magazines) that already reach key audiences. Audiences: Alumni, taxpayers of Ohio, elected officials, peer institutions Ad-supported, print-based special sections: Create advertising-supported newspaper and magazine pull-out sections about Ohio State, targeting the communications to specific media audiences, such as business/opinion leaders (Business First), community (Columbus Dispatch), alumni/opinion leaders (Columbus Monthly), alumni/families of prospective students/opinion leaders (Plain Dealer). Audiences: See above Strategic Advertising Promote the university via advertising (e.g., Columbus Chamber of Commerce section in Business First; advertising at Port Columbus International Airport, etc.) Audiences: Emerging target audiences Research Appreciation Campaign Build key audiences understanding of and appreciation for our research mission (and how it contributes to the quality of teaching/learning) by making it relevant to their needs and interests. Leverage existing planned activities, publications and events by branding them as part of the campaign. Develop one or two high-profile events as centerpieces of the campaign. For example: Devote a Dispatch insert to the benefits of our research mission. Devote an issue of onCampus to the subject of research. Initiate resolutions from City Council and the Ohio Statehouse on the value and impact of our research. Sponsor meetings related to our research strengths. Work with the Office of Research on an event to recognize researchers and their work. Develop Research Minutes to air on radio stations throughout Ohio, with content that will convey the importance and relevance of our research mission to all audiences. Invite nationally recognized speakers and/or broadcasters to campus (Ira Flatows Science Friday or a Fred Friendly forum). Events/Presentations/Displays Media Day: Invite higher education reporters, public affairs reporters, and editorial page editors and writers to campus annually for a major event specifically tailored to their needs and interests, exposing them to the university and its leaders and to faculty who may serve as resources for stories. Audience: Ohio media

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Public Affairs Event: Host public affairs professionals at campus events that highlight the strengths of the institution; link legislators with appropriate administration/faculty/student representatives of the university and of their constituency. Audience: State public affairs crowd (non-elected) Ohio States Greatest Recognition Program: An annual celebration of the external validation of faculty, staff, and units, including a ceremony, an ad program, and other related communications materials. External validation includes Pulitzer, AAAS, National Book Award, NAS, and others in all fields. Audience(s): Faculty and staff; Ohio taxpayers; state leadership; media Gown Visits Town: Ohio State goes on the road, introducing the university and its accomplishments to Ohio cities, including their political leaders, news outlets, alumni associations, and other institutions and civic groups. In a one-day blitz, Ohio States road crew (president, provost, media staff, selected faculty, admissions officers, coaches, student-athletes, and other outstanding students) will take a city by storm, meeting with the local editorial board, giving interviews to newspapers, radio and TV, engaging local alumni, showcasing Ohio State students, visiting high schools, and in other imaginative ways bringing Ohio State to several of our audiences right where they live. Honed and refined on several smaller cities, these events can be canned and repackaged for mediumand large-sized municipalities. Audience(s): Taxpayers of Ohio; top-performing high school students and their families; media; state leadership; alumni; media Ohio State Day: Open the campus to the community, with tours, demonstrations, etc. Audience(s): Taxpayers of Ohio; faculty, staff, and students, media; state leadership Campus Recognition Tour: President and provost visit each college/vice presidential unit to meet with faculty and staff, acknowledge achievements, allow for interaction, and reinforce the importance of each units contributions to institutional goals. Audience: Faculty and staff Provosts Cafs: Host a series of informal get-togethers at which the provost introduces outstanding students and young faculty to community leaders. Audience: State leadership (Columbus-based) OSU@COSI: To leverage the presence of WOSU at COSI, the university has an opportunity to seek new ways to promote a love for discovery with Ohio State through new, interactive installations, presentations, activities, and co-branding initiatives. Though still in early stages of conception, this initiative has potential for imprinting Ohio State on youth who visit the facility as well as many other audiences. Audience(s): Top-performing high school students, elementary and middle school students with an interest in science, their families, taxpayers of Ohio. Communications Coordination and Orchestration

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Visual Identity Guidelines and Related Tools: Coordinate visual and editorial communications emanating from the university by providing policy, guidelines, and information necessary to unify and brand the decentralized communications efforts of the various units of the university. University Communications Council: Establish a council of representatives from units with an interest in influencing key audiences to facilitate the coordination and collaboration of communications initiatives. Aspirational Major Initiative Welcome & Meeting Center Long-term, Ohio State would be well-served by having a physical welcome facility in a convenient campus location with parking. It would be the publics gatehouse to the university, with information, maps and other print, audio and visual materials that convey the universitys messages. This building might also be available for community-friendly programming and exhibits of university achievements or campus history. The size and complexity of the campus daunts the average visitor, and such a center would go a long way toward making a huge public university as public as possible.

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MESSAGES TO BE DELIVERED BY THESE INITIATIVES 1. Ohio State is a university that is first and foremost committed to academic excellence and a quality learning experience for students. The faculty, facilities, academic offerings, and resources of Ohio State combine to provide an educational experience that is unmatched in Ohio and among the best in the nation. Our faculty are leaders in their fields, nationally and internationally respected for their leadership and accomplishments. Our academic programs are highly ranked and recognized nationally and internationally for their quality. At the core of Ohio States academic programs are the Colleges of the Arts and Sciences, which award 50% of the undergraduate degrees, and are evolving into a destination college because of the broad opportunities offered to students.

2. Our research mission provides an educational experience that is based on discovery and a commitment to enhancing the quality of life in Ohio, the nation, and the world. Ohio State is committed to becoming a leader in research and scholarship that benefits residents of Ohio, the United States, and the world. A research-based education prepares our students to be highly contributing members of society, armed with the skills to succeed in whatever endeavor they choose. Our students benefit from a scholarly environment in which research inspires and informs teaching. Our students have opportunities to study side-by-side with faculty who are leaders in their field, providing unique learning experiences and exposing them to the possibilities of a life devoted to discovery. 3. The results of our teaching and research have impact beyond our campus boundaries due to our response and attention to societal needs and public interest. We work with state, local, and community partners to define problems, set common goals and agendas, develop measures of success, and pool or leverage funds.

4. Ohio State offers a rigorous academic challenge, and admits students that demonstrate the most potential to succeed at the university and beyond.

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Well-prepared students are most likely to benefit from a rigorous education provided by Ohio State, providing them with an education and a degree that enables them to contribute in significant ways to society.

5. Our size (breadth and depth) is one of our greatest attributes. Our size provides our students with nearly unlimited opportunities for academic and co-curricular exploration and the state with vast opportunities for cultural enrichment, educational enlightenment, and athletic entertainment. Ohio State is unique to Ohio in its range of academic areas of study, including the professional collegesPharmacy, Veterinary Medicine & Public Health, Dentistry, Nursing, Optometry, Law, and Businessin combination with the most comprehensive health sciences center in the nation.

6. Our proud athletic tradition provides for national recognition of the values, teamwork, and dedication associated with top collegiate programs. Athletic competition provides a means of conveying visible pride in the alma mater and teaching our students the values associated with proud athletic traditions. Athletic competition provides the university with opportunities for national recognition and attention.

7. Ohio State is committed to providing a learning environment that not only appreciates, but also celebrates differences in people. Ohio State seeks and implements effective ways to recruit and retain students, faculty, and staff that reflect the diversity of society and contribute to a rich educational experience. We seek to be a university of role models and mentors, and make special efforts to enhance retention and success of all associated with us. Ohio State is undertaking initiatives to address the universitys diverse population, create a positive work/life environment, and become an employer of choice.

8. Our Midwest location influences our culture of caring and giving, which is reflected in the way we do our business and the decisions we make in our daily work. We benefit from a strong work ethic and commitment to doing what is right. We strive to use our resources wisely and efficiently.

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9. Our central location in a fast-growing, economically stable city, which also is Ohios seat of government and home to several important research institutions, positions Ohio State well for national pre-eminence. Columbus is a vibrant, exciting place to live, making it appealing to prospective faculty, students, and staff. Ohio States ability to contribute to the quality of life of Ohioans and the nation is enhanced by the partnerships that are provided in Columbus.

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COMMUNICATION PARTNERS The following units and individuals are important strategic partners in communicating with and influencing the behavior of key audiences. We have identified them as critical to the success of our communications plan. Government Relations College/campus communications directors/offices Undergraduate Admissions/First Year Experience Office of Minority Affairs University Development Alumni Association College communication directors Communications Groups Graphic Designers Web Interest Group STRATEGIC ALLIANCES The following units and individuals will be consulted and involved as a vital resource of content and evidence of Ohio States greatness, and assist us in crafting initiatives for target audiences. College Deans Athletics Office of Research University Medical Center Office of Outreach & Engagement OIT Graduate School OSU Extension Institutional Research and Planning WOSU John Glenn Institute President/Provost

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Audiences
Think back
Its time to decide who you want to reach with your communications. Analyze the key groups or people you want to reach and what their needs are. Which stakeholders are key to this initiative? Who else do you need to consider? Remember to refer back to your objectives and your strategy. Are you looking to reach a few narrow groups or a broader selection?

Be thorough
Make sure there arent any gaps in your chosen audiences. What angles havent you thought of? Think about why youre considering each potential audience. Where do they stand on this issue? Are they so opposed that theyll never be happy regardless of what you do (if so, maybe you should re-focus on the people who may be receptive to your actions)? How much do they know about this (that may affect your tactics later)? You can draw your audience from a wide range of groups. Your stakeholder analysis is an easy place to start. Look back at what you came up with. Who are your targets within this? Some other potential sources of audiences:

Opinion leaders Professional/business groups Governments (other jurisdictions if youre working in the public sector) Industry analysts Your employees Online audiences (bloggers, for example) Media

Be precise
If youre looking to speak to consumers (or, if youre in the public sector, the public), do your utmost to break that down and identify

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specific niches. Whether thats by demographics, by interest, by previous purchase habits or whatever means appropriate, never leave yourself with the public or consumers as an audience. It may not be easy but, hey, if it were easy they wouldnt need us communicators, right? Just as with the public or consumers, never use a general definition of the media. Break it down. Look back at your environmental scan (funny how this all fits together, eh? Almost as if people have thought it through) and see who has written about this in the past. Who is interested in this subject area? Not just publications, but individual journalists where possible (some publications, like the Economist, dont identify their authors). If youre targeting bloggers, think carefully. Of course, youve already identified and engaged with the key bloggers in your industry, right? That means you also know who is interested in this particular topic and who is likely to be receptive to your approach. Dont just blast your material out to every blogger you identify just as you would with media, think about what they want, what their perspective is and whether you should even approach each of them. While positive reviews in the blogosphere can be a great thing, bloggers are far more likely to turn around and complain publicly if they dont like your pitch than journalists are.

Think ahead
Throughout, consider whether you may be able to leverage the support of any of your audiences ahead of any potential announcement, in preparation for planning your tactics later.

Conclusion
Your audience selection is critical to the success of your communications plan. Gap-filled or imprecise audience selection leads to an unfocused, ineffective roll-out of your communications. Conversely, well-defined audiences let you craft your messages and tactics appropriately to achieve your objectives. What have I missed here? How do you approach defining your audiences?

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Objectives
As the old saying goes, you need to know where youre going before you can know how to get there. Likewise, before you can plan out your strategy before you even start to think about your media products or event you need to nail down your objectives.

What Are You Trying To Do?

This section is where you lay out what youre trying to achieve with this communications plan. Are you trying to educate your customers? Are you trying to build support or create demand? Do you want to get people to do something differently? Maybe youre trying to defuse a situation. Whatever you want to do, this is where you define it.

Defining Your Objectives

To fall back on an old mantra from business school, your objectives need to be:

Specific Measurable Achievable Realistic Time-focused

In practice, I subscribe to the Manager Tools idea that if you hit two parts of a SMART objective the M and the T youre almost guaranteed to hit the others. Make sure your objectives are measurable and time-focused. The specific, achievable and realistic characteristics will emerge from there. Vague objectives are a common pitfall. Ensure you can measure them and you will be forced to be specific. As for achievable and realistic, if your objectives dont meet those two criteria you dont deserve to be writing plans for anything.

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Business Objectives Dont Equal Communications Objectives

One of the hardest parts of this to get your head around is the difference between business objectives and communications objectives. Its important not to confuse the two. Remember you cant take responsibility for the entire success or failure of the program. In my view, it helps to include the business objectives for the initiative in your comm plan in addition to the communications objectives. Doing this helps you to make sure your plan supports the overall business goals rather than working on its own.

Use Your Analysis

The last three posts in this series were all about analysis. Dont let this go to waste. Look at your anticipated stakeholder reactions. Consider previous media coverage. Base your objectives in reality.

Whats The Lasting Impression?

If there was one thing you want people to remember about this initiative, what would it be? This doesnt have to be written like a key message, but it should capture the essence of what youre doing. I first encountered the lasting impression idea in comm plans a couple of years ago. I like it. It forces you to boil down what youre doing to one or two sentences that the average person could understand. Its a great way to let the plans reader know, in simple terms, whats going on. Thats an important thing to remember throughout your plan. Youre writing this to help you plan an appropriate approach to this communications activity but youre also writing it to help others understand (and approve of) what youre planning. Bear that in mind throughout your plan. This is it the last stage of preparing your communications plan evaluation. As with several parts of this communications planning series, the stage at which you write this part of your plan is fairly arbitrary. I recommend you turn your mind to it after, not before, you finish considering your analysis, objectives, strategy and tactics (you do need to know what

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youre measuring, after all), but beyond that point its largely up to you. Evaluation is a tough area to tackle, and one thats often neglected in public relations. There are plenty reasons for this:

The challenge of trying to find a measurement system that accounts for the wide variety of tactics possible in a public relations campaign The reluctance of clients, be they internal or external, to dedicate budget to evaluation The lack of well-established criteria for measuring social media success The fast-moving pace of communications that moves us on to the next announcement as soon as the last one is finished.

Your goal for this section

Your goal in your evaluation section is to lay out how you will measure your communications success. In a high-profile initiative this may be through the various stages of your announcement (we identified three pre-announcement, announcement and post-announcement, when we looked at tactics earlier); in others, it may have a smaller scope.

Staged Measurement
If youre planning a staged rollout of your communications program, try to measure your results over time. Alongside providing more credible results, this has the added benefit of allowing you to take corrective action if you sense your activities arent getting the desired results. Take a look at the different milestones youve identified for the project and consider which are suitable points to measure at. Of course, you should also measure at the end of the initiative to see whether youve accomplished your objectives. Ideally, youll be able to compare that to the results showing whether the business objectives were accomplished too.

Potential Metrics
Im certainly not an expert in measurement tactics, but here are a few measurements you may want to consider, depending on your objectives:

Media coverage o How much coverage did you receive? o What was the tone of that coverage (positive/negative)?

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Which media outlets was the coverage in? Where in those outlets? Whats the audience of those placements? o Did you achieve the desired visuals? o Did they pick up your key messages? o Were your spokespeople quoted? o Were the mentions of your initiative the focus of the coverage, or a side note? o Methods for achieving these metrics vary. While I havent used it personally, the Media Relations Rating Points system has achieved some traction (see Ben Boudreaus One Degree post for a case study). Interactive o How many visitors saw your content? o How long did they spend on the site? o What pages did they visit? o Did they hit specific landing pages? o What was their bounce rate? o What was their conversion rate (identify a goal for visitors purchase/registration/download, etc.)? o Social media measurement is even more debatable than regular PR. Comments, inbound links, etc are lovely, but at best theyre just proxies for more meaningful measurements. For a starter, try KD Paines un-standard of measurement. Joseph Thornley is also working on a paper after organizing the Social Media Measurement Roundtable in Toronto this spring. Stakeholders o How did your stakeholders react? Public inquiries o How many letters/emails/calls did you receive on this topic? Is that higher or lower than usual? o What was the tone of the incoming correspondence? o What did the correspondents say/ask? Benchmarking o Conduct market research/polling before and after (perhaps also during) your communications to show improvement in metrics over time, for example in public attitudes o Focus groups

You know your goals; you know what youre saying; you know who youre talking to. You need to decide how to say it. How are you going to reach the audiences youve selected?

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Staged
It may help if you think of your announcement in three stages preannouncement, announcement and post-announcement:

Pre-announcement how will you pre-condition stakeholders/shareholders/consumers/the media ahead of your announcement? Announcement how will you roll-out the initiative? Post-announcement how will you sustain coverage after the announcement?

Strategic
Just as all of the other sections of your plan fit together (your analysis flows into your goals and objectives, your stakeholders flow into your audiences, your strategy feeds off your objectives and so on) your tactics need to fit with your strategy. If youve opted for a high-profile, proactive strategy, your tactics should clearly be very different to if youve selected a low-profile, reactive approach. Did you decide to communicate through the media, to/through stakeholders or directly to consumers? Also consider your context and environmental scan do you need to raise awareness of the topic in the media before you make your announcement? If you follow the planning process properly, the process itself will help you to do this. By putting your tactics near the end of the process, you force yourself to consider the initiative from every possible angle. That means youre less likely to default to a (possibly) inappropriate news release and/or media event without thinking it through.

Comprehensive
Make sure you address all of your plans audiences. Check and doublecheck that you arent missing an important group. A particularly useful tip: create a table with your audiences down the left side and your proposed tactics along the top. Check-off which tactics hit which audiences. Make sure you address each audience with two or three tactics.

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If you see that you arent addressing all of your key audiences, go back and consider how you can.

Tactical options
Here are a few options to consider for the various stages. Remember that many of these may require their own plans:

Story placements proactive pitching; matte articles Mentions in other announcements/events Media event Regional announcements Speeches Paper products news release, backgrounder, fact sheet Brochure, flier White paper Follow-up announcements milestones, results, openings Stakeholder consultations or events Letters to stakeholders Advertising TV/radio/print/out-of-home/online

Your analysis is done, youve figured out your communications strategy and you know who youre targeting. Its time to craft your messages. But where do you start? Your key messages help you draft all your products down the road when youre executing your communications plan. Theyll help you stay on track and make sure youre communicating the right things to the right people. The messages will permeate all of your communications, so theyll also attract a lot of attention from decision makers. Its important you spend the time to get this section right.

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This is all about what youre trying to tell people. If people take something away from your communications, you want it to be these messages. Your key messages should:

Communicate what youre doing and why youre doing it Communicate what will be different Fit with your objectives Speak to all of your audiences

What youre doing and why

The first message youll usually draft is the main one that says what youre doing and why. Youve spent time researching the initiative (ideally youve been involved in the planning for a while) so you know what the organization is doing and why its doing it. Now you just have to get it down onto paper. Sounds easy but it can be surprisingly tough. A few simple pointers:

Focus on the main points you dont need to get into detail here Be brief Youre human; write like one Highlight the positive side of what youre doing. Dont mislead, though Decide what you want the stories to be about. Focus on that.

What will be different

Its much easier for people to understand what youre doing if you can give some context. Are you doubling money for a government program? Producing a product thats 50% better than its predecessor?

Use before/after examples if appropriate Explain why people should care, in terms they care about Support your messages with facts if theyre available

Consider your objectives

Think about the objectives youve set. Whatever they are, write your messages to reflect that. Are you trying to raise awareness for a product? Are you trying to get people to change their behaviours? Maybe youre trying to address a

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contentious issue. Make sure you dont go off in a direction that ignores the reason for you doing all of this. Its easy to do if youre not careful.

Include all of your audiences

Some people like to write one set of messages for each initiative and tweak them for each purpose. Some like to create one long list that addresses everyone. Personally, I prefer to look at each audience in turn and craft messages that meet their needs. If you know one audience is going to have concerns about a certain aspect of what youre doing, make sure the messages for them specifically address that issue. Likewise, if theyre looking for a certain feature in your new product then make sure thats highlighted. If you do this, youll find you have much less resistance to your initiative from those parties. Your approach to this part of a communications plan is one that your personal preference can heavily influence. My take on this may not match yours. What factors do you take into account when writing your messages? What tips would you offer? Social media outreach This is the sixth in a series of posts exploring how to create a good communications plan. Last time around we moved from analysis to planning and looked at setting your objectives. This post looks at establishing your strategy.

Now that youve figured out the objectives for your communications plan, you know where youre going. Its time to figure out how to get there.

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Your strategy defines how you will achieve the objectives youve just identified. If youve done your analysis and thought through your objectives properly, the strategy should flow smoothly from them. If it doesnt, you may need to go back and think a little more carefully about the sections that went before.

What Your Strategy Should Include

Profile
Start by thinking about your general approach to the initiative. Do you want to generate the maximum coverage possible or are you trying to minimize it? Simply put, do you want this to be high-profile or lowprofile?

Proactive Or Reactive?
You will often find that a high-profile approach goes hand-in-hand with being proactive, and vice-versa. However, that isnt necessarily the case. Think do you want to go out and drive the issue, or do you want to wait for customers and the media to come to you?

Stakeholders
Bearing in mind the stakeholders youve already identified, in a general sense, how should you go about reaching them? Will you reach out to as many as possible or just the key ones? Will you communicate with them directly, through the media or perhaps through your website?

Considerations
Link to your objectives
You just spent time nailing down the objectives for your initiative. Dont waste that effort. Make sure your strategy fits with where you want to go.

Link to your analysis

Along the same lines as the point above, your strategy needs to fit with your earlier analysis. The easiest way to make sure it does is to draw clear, distinct lines between the two.

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Dont confuse strategy and tactics

This is a common mistake and its easy to make. Remember: strategy and tactics are different things. Dont get down to the level of exactly what youre going to issue/produce/hold at this point. Remember, though, that while strategy and tactics are different, they are closely related the strategy helps to frame your future decisions, including those about tactics. The choices you make about your strategy now will have a decisive impact on those you make about your tactics later.

Conclusion
The strategy section of your plan really isnt brain surgery. You know what youre trying to achieve; the strategy is just a top-level map of how youre going to get there.

I: Key Questions
1. What is Strategic Communications? Strategic communications means using corporate or institutional communications to create, strengthen or preserve, among key audiences, opinion favourable to the attainment of institutional/corporate goals. Generally, the goal is to:

Promote "bottom line" favourable public policy outcome Reduce cost of doing business Support marketing/operational effectiveness

2. What is the Purpose of Strategic Communications Planning? To define strategic, actionable goals, and an implementation approach and plan, to guide communicators and others in designing, preparing and executing strategic communications.

Can be a "master" plan

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Can be an event specific or announcement-specific plan "Actionable" is the key planning concept
o o

The plan has support of decision-makers, key implementers The plan can be implemented given the resources, and culture of the organization

3. What are the Products of Communications Planning? Communications planning results in planning documents, which can vary is scope, and include any and all of the following elements:

A Planning Framework: Goals set, target audiences, strategic results identified A Communications Strategy: Substantive and operational priorities and approaches defined A Program Plan: Programs, program management, and program resources set to implement the strategy Components Plans: Implementation plans for identified programs

4. What Are the Key Features of An Effective Planning Process?

Should embody an iterative, orderly decision-making process Should include consultation with decision-makers and key implementers Must reflect the corporate/institutional culture, including:
o

The communications culture of the organization

Relative importance of communications in the organization Communications history and style of the organization

The planning culture of the organization:

no planning, or sterile planning processes

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what are the existing planning and approval processes? what are the decision-making media, tools preferred by decision-makers?

5. What is the Role of the Communications Planner? The communicators planner is an "expert interlocutor" who:

researches, analyses,and structures a conversation or a dialogue on the subject matter adds value to the discussion as a participant develops the consensus output -- the plan

II: Steps in developing a strategic communications plan

Step 1. Define the planning project methodology What is the scope?

Master Plan? Event, issue, or program plan?

What is the decision-making process

Who? When? How?

Methodology

Define planning approach and process Define required planning product(s) or output

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Step 2. Desk-top review stage Review all relevant strategic documents

Corporate strategy, business plans, program plans Public opinion materials Media clippings, analyses Key communications products

This review is used by the planner

to inform understanding of planning and communications culture to situate strategic advice to develop interview plan

Step 3. Interview phase Identify Planning Participants

All decision-makers
o

Anyone who will be "at the table" to approve strategic planning proposition

All key Implementers

o

Parties who will be called on to implement the strategy

Conduct the interviews

Can be structured or unstructured Can be conducted in person, or by phone Should be set up in advance, be brief Avoid group consultations, if possible

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Used to identify concerns, priorities, issues, consensus Results used to test propositions, develop "key findings" presentation

Step 4. Presentation Phase Made to key decision-makers

No advance paper Should pre-brief project authority on content Covers consensus points re: setting, priorities, approaches, Presents issues, options, with assessments, and recommendations

Outcome of presentation

Planner must accept and accommodate consensus views in drafting output Another round of reviews, interviews may be required Dispute resolution may be required

Step 5. Drafting Stage Draft The Strategy

Goes as far as possible in defining consensus strategy and possible program components Uses consensus language Many templates available May take another round to produce strategy and plan for approval

Produce Approval Document

Goes from Framework to Program plan (s) Must work as stand-alone document

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Must work as a "record of decision"

o

n.b.-- a Powerpoint Presentation is not a planning document!

Summary: The 5 Steps

1. Define the planning project 2. Undertake desk-top review 3. Identify planning participants, conduct interviews 4. Conduct "findings" and "options" presentation (s) 5. Draft the Plan for approval

III: The Communications Planners "Skill Set"

A good communications planner needs to have...

Practical expertise
o o o

to understand the setting to select the right communications tools and vehicles to forecast outcomes/results of programs

Strategic/conceptual thinking ability:

o o

to stand outside, look in to know how things fit

"Power" writing skills Process skills:

o o o

interviewing presentation facilitation

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dispute resolution

For further information: email Peter O'Malley Back to articles menu Back to O'Malley Communications Homepage

What is a Communication Plan? A Communication Plan (or Communications Plan) describes how you intend to communicate the right messages to the right people at the right time. Within a Communication Plan, the communication goals, stakeholders and strategies, activities and timeframes are described. A Communication Plan helps you keep everyone informed so that you can communicate a consistent message to your target audience. When do I use a Communication Plan? Whenever you have a variety of staff, external suppliers, customers and stakeholders to communicate with, then you should record your communications formally in a Communication Plan. A clear Communications Plan is vital to the success of an organization. It is also critical to the success of projects, as it ensures that all of the staff and stakeholders are kept properly informed of the progress of a project. The best time to perform Communication Planning is during the start up phase of a project. This will ensure your Communication Plan includes the tasks needed to communicate effectively throughout the entire project life cycle.

Your company needs a corporate communications plan to help guarantee the success of your overall business plan. And the best time to develop a communications plan is during your annual budgeting or organizational planning process. "Communications" includes all written, spoken and electronic interactions between you and audiences inside and outside your organization. A plan will help you to organize and prioritize the communication tools and initiatives you use to deliver the right information to the right people at the right time. It will help you to keep your stakeholders informed and maintain their buy-in and support for your communications endeavors. It will solidify

Your choice of communications methods, initiatives and materials

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What each communication program component must achieve Your choice of key audiences Timetables, tools and budgets How you measure and evaluate program results

From a communications executive's perspective, in addition to the peace of mind it brings, such a plan will help you to

Establish priorities, Determine day-to-day activities Achieve order and control Gain CEO and staff support Protect against last-minute demands

Follow these eight steps to develop an effective corporate communications plan: 1. Define your goals and desired results.

What is your strategic purpose with regard to corporate communications? What's the tie-in to your organization's business plan?

2. Conduct an audit to determine and evaluate your current communications materials and initiatives. You must determine

What communications initiatives each department is using What each initiative is designed to achieve Each initiative's effectiveness

3. Define your overall communications objectives, such as reinforcing

Customer service Customer loyalty Increased sales Employee morale and teamwork Employee retention and recruitment Media relations A positive corporate image and reputation Crisis control

4. Determine which audiences you want to influence, such as

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Current and prospective customers Suppliers Current and prospective employees Federal, state and local legislators Wall Street The media

5. Decide which tools you can use -- and afford -- to achieve your goals and get your points across. Your tools can include:

Print publications Online communications Manuals Meeting and conference materials Media and public relations materials Marketing and sales materials Legal and legislative documents Employee and customer newsletters Corporate identity materials -- logos, print and packaging, Quarterly and annual reports Signage Presentations Website content Blogs Internet initiatives

6. Estimate the cost of each initiative, then establish a budget. 7. Establish your timetable. 8. Include methods in your plan that you can use to measure and evaluate results periodically, and to evaluate the program's overall results at year's end. A written communications plan is as much a defense against chaos, confusion and wasted energy as it is a business priority. Once in place, your plan will establish priorities, fend off last-minute and inappropriate demands and bring a semblance of order to a hectic job.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/2031865

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