The communication plan is the heart of successful communication. It is no coincidence that many universities and business schools devote part of their training time to it. Without a communication plan, the manager and his teams navigate without a compass. Choosing to communicate without having established strategic thinking in advance shows amateurism which will cause the company to be tossed around by circumstances, whether good or bad, and communications linked to emergencies generally have negative impacts. A mistake that can be costly, especially since it is not always easy to determine the exact object. Analysis.
The communication plan, in a few words!
Just like human, financial or legal resources, communication constitutes a management tool. Whether it is solving a problem, launching an idea or managing change, it is a pillar of the organization and must be composed of a plan. So, what is a communications plan? This is a way of organizing the distribution of an entire system of messages addressed to well-defined recipients, in other words your target audience. And this, whether it is positioned as internal or external to the company. It is important to note that the communication plan follows the establishment of the marketing plan, a strategic plan in your organization.
Why is it essential to establish a communications plan?
A communications plan remains essential for any business regardless of its size. It allows you to give your activity a public existence and thus have it recognized in the same way as your products and services. This tool sets you apart from your competitors and creates a place for you among partners, as long as your communication strategy is solid and effective! Furthermore, the “communications plan” constitutes a major pillar in the management of problems within the company.
Who is affected by this plan?
Your target is divided into three categories. On the one hand, your communication plan is aimed at an audience internal to the company and in particular your employees. For them, it is about having a framework on which they can rely in order to respond to the communication strategy that you have put in place. On the other hand, your customers, suppliers and external partners are also affected by this plan, since they are those who will convey the image of your company to the outside world. Finally, don’t forget the media, which remain the main recipients as part of your communication strategy.
Exactly, what strategy to adopt?
The nature of the method used is essential in order to write but also to properly structure your communication plan. This method should allow you to approach effective planning and achieve your forecast results. It’s about clearly defining your objectives as well as your different targets. The strategies you implement must vary depending on the nature of your targets. By respecting this simple principle, you will be able to use specific tools adapted to reach your different targets and thus achieve your communication objectives.
How then can we stay on course?
For your strategy to be optimized and relevant, it is important that your communication plan integrates four questions: on what basis is the structure of the plan based? What are the prospects for improvement? How to implement these changes? What verification tools do you use to check whether objectives are being met? After providing an answer, get started!
4 strategies available to you
If they all appear very different from each other, know that there is no best one. It’s up to you.
The cooperation strategy
First of all, consider adopting a cooperation strategy with your customers. It is about establishing a dialogue with them and exchanging as much information as possible so that they feel concerned by the project on which you wish to communicate, and so that they become its ambassadors.
The opposition strategy
You can also borrow an opposition strategy. The latter materializes in remaining firm in one’s positions and not changing one’s approach to one’s clients or to the press.
Refusing dialogue can also be a strategy for your company. This method mainly concerns companies which already benefit from a certain notoriety and which do not wish to communicate in all directions in order not to create a bad buzz, which would in fact be harmful for the company. However, this most often compromises the sale of products and services since your customers hardly hear about your brand anymore.
The influence strategy
Finally, the influence strategy takes the form of a debate between your company and your customers. The objective is to convince the consumer through strong and targeted means of communication, particularly the media. Don’t just follow one strategy.
Do not hesitate to move from one to the other depending on the environment in which you are located, and depending on the communication situation you are facing. It seems obvious that communicating in times of crisis is not at all the same exercise as supporting the launch of a new service, to take just this example… In short, one of the essential forces in the life of your company lies at the heart of your communication strategy. It is this which influences your notoriety and in fact the success of your organization.
