The document provides guidance on developing an effective communications plan. It emphasizes that the plan should have clear objectives, roles and responsibilities, key messages, target audiences, and timeline. It also stresses the importance of flexibility, as circumstances may change requiring the plan to adapt. A crisis communications annex is recommended to outline response procedures for potential issues. The overall goal is to create a roadmap to guide internal and external communications from start to finish of a project or initiative.

1. THE COMMUNICATIONS PLAN
BY KEN MEUSER

2. The Communications Plan
The Purpose of the CommunicationsPlan
Why Develop a CommunicationsPlan
What May be Applicable to Your CommunicationsPlan
PURPOSE – The purpose of a communications plan is to support the project objectives and
provide action items for the organization. The plan should be considered a road map for all
internal and external communications.
Why develop a communications plan? – A plan can be very simple or extensive. This depends
on the needs of the communicator. The main objective is to provide a sense of direction related
to the communications project, be it a simple objective or a lengthy complex plan.
Following are a number of elements which may or may not be applicable to your
communications project. Regardless one important thing: A communications plan is intended
to be totally flexible in that it can be changed or altered at any time to meeting the an evolving
situation.
Always keep in mind that a communications plan is primarily intended to get from the start to
the finish of a communications project. Embrace change and recognize that your
communications can and should be changed as the situation dictates.
There is no single communications plan that is applicable to every situation. As you review this
presentation, use this as a elementary or basic plan. Most of the elements discuss will be in
your plan but be prepared and willing to add and/or delete as you deem appropriate.

3. What Are the Issues?
What Are the Issues All About?
Most Important Issue of the Communications Plan.
Why Go to the Trouble to Develop A Communications Plan?
Should be Brief and Concise.
What are the ISSUES? --- What are the issues all about? This is perhaps the most important
element of the communications plan because it discusses why you are developing a plan in the
first place. It should be specific without going into great detail. It should not discuss how you
will accomplish communicating and the audience to which the communication is aimed. Rather,
this provides a brief and concise explanation of why you are preparing a communications plan.

4. Goals and Objectives
What are your Goals and Objectives?
Good Place to Use Bullet Points.
Combine Business and CommunicationsGoals and Objectives.
Here is where we get into the meat of the communications plan. Stating your goals and
objectives give you an opportunity to go into as much detail as you desire. You may find this an
appropriate place to use bullet points, which will enable you to say or much or little as you
deem appropriate. Always remember that your goals and objectives can change a little or a
lot…depending on the circumstances.
This is also the place to state the business goals and objectives and then to state the
communications goals and objectives.
For example, I was working with a client who wanted to see piece of legislation passed into
law. However, when the client saw the first draft of the legislation he thought he wanted to
support, he realized it was directly contrary to what he thought the legislation was supposed to
accomplish. The client basically did a 180 degree turn and instructed me to aggressive oppose
passage of the legislation.

5. Roles and Responsibilities
Who Will Do The CommunicationsWork?
Everybody Involved Must Be Identified?
Leave No Question About Who is Responsible for What.
ROLES and RESPONSIBILITIES – Who is going to do the communications work. This may be as
simple as a single person or could entail many people working at multiple locations. The
important thing to remember is that everybody involved must be identified (or at least a
placeholder if necessary) so there is no question as to who is responsible for what actions.

6. Key Messages
This is the Heart and Soul of the CommunicationsPlan.
Be Flexible – The Key Messages May Change and Evolve.
Be Prepared to Visit the Key Messages Often To Make Sure
They Are Completely Applicable.
KEY MESSAGES – Some would say this is the heart and soul of the communications plan. This is
what we want to convey to our audience(s). This can be as simple as a single sentence or a
series of messages. Further, many of the key messages will evolve over the time of the
communications plan or change depending on circumstances.
This element of the communications plan should be visited frequently. The phrase…”to stay on
message” is critical. The message(s) is developed for a reason and that is to make sure that
once agreed upon, all aspects of the plan focuses on supporting the message(s).
If circumstances dictate that the message(s) change due to the evolution of the situation, that is
the basis for changing or altering the message(s). However, it is important to make sure the
other elements of the communications plan are consistent with the changed message(s)

7. Identify Your Audiences
Give This A Lot of Thought and Be Sure to Identify All of Your
Key Audiences.
Prioritize the Relative Importance of Your Audiences.
Make Sure You Don’t Ignore Your Internal Audiences.
AUDIENCES For many years, public relations focused primarily on external audiences, and
particularly the media. Make no mistake that the media is still the primary focus of our external
audiences. However, there are other external audiences which should be included for inclusion
in the communications plan.
Examples are listed but by no means is this list intended to be all-inclusive.
In the past, internal audiences were basically ignored or received minimal attention. Today, the
internal audience(s) can be of equal or greater importance than external audiences. As an
example, if a company has a change of leadership at the CEO level, it is important to focus this
information on the media and financial audiences. However, the various internal audiences
must be included in every aspect of communications.
Employees and retirees are going to be asking, “What does this mean to me and my job?” and
“How will this impact the direction of the company and its products?”

8. External and Internal Audiences
External Audiences:
 The Media
 Shareholders/Stakeholders
 Elected Officials and CommunityLeaders
 The Financial Community
 Company Retirees
 Other Specific Audiences Such as Suppliers
Internal Audiences
 Company Employees
 Senior and Middle Level Managers
 Unions, as appropriate
 Issues involving Human Resources (HR)
These are only examples of internal and External audiences. Make sure you don’t overlook an
audience who might be interested in your communications efforts.

9. Developing A Timeline
A Very Important Element That Can Be Overlooked.
This Tool Makes Sure That Deadlines Are Met
Also Makes Sure You Can Track Who Is Responsible For What.
The TIMELINE – This is an important element of any communications plan because a timeline
provides specific times and dates when each person with a role and responsibility is supposed
to accomplish an assigned project. This also enables the communications manager to make
sure deadlines are met. As with most elements of the communications plan, the timeline is
often a moving target that can be changed to reflect changing circumstances.

10. Crisis Communications
Should Always Have A CrisisCommunications Addendum.
You Can’t Anticipate Every CrisisSituation Which Could Occur.
Most Important Element Is to Identify Who Is ResponsibleFor
What Actions If A Crisis Situation Should Occur.
Silence Is Not An Option.
CRISIS COMMUNICATIONS – Every communications plan should have a crisis communication
addendum. This is the one element that may never be implemented. However, when a
communications plan is drafted, it is a reasonable exercise to develop scenario which COULD
occur. You could drive yourself crazy trying to identify every eventuality that would result in a
crisis.
More important is to put in writing who would be responsible for what in case a crisis situation
should occur. Generally, this should address who should speak to the situation, should senior
management speak to the internal and external audiences and if so, who is responsible for
developing the message(s).
In many respects, a crisis situation would require a mini communications plan containing most
of its elements.
Often, a crisis situation requires a very rapid response. Silence is not an option. This is where
the what if planning can form the basis of the response to the crisis.
The most important aspect of the crisis communication plan is to determine who will be
responsible for developing the message(s) and who will address the audience(s).

11. Conclusion
Think of A Communications Plan As A Roadmap.
Develop Key Messages and Form The Rest of the
CommunicationsPlan Around Them.
Identify Your External and Internal Audiences and Analyze
How To Reach Each of Them.
Don’t Assume That One Size Fits All Audiences.
Be Flexible. Things Change and You Have To Be Ready to
React To These Changes.
Finally, Read Your Communications Plan Often and Make Sure
It Is Current and Applicable.
CONCLUSION – Following are several points to keep in mind when you develop your
communications plan:
Think of the communications plan as a roadmap on getting from point to B to C to X. If you hit a
roadblock, detour to get back on the road to the final destination.
Developing your key message(s) and build the rest of the plan around them. If you have to
change or alter the message(s), make sure the rest of the plan changes as well.
Be sure you think out who the external and internal audiences are and how you will reach them
with your message(s). This is not a “one size fits all” world.
Be flexible. You can’t possible anticipate every “bump in the road” when you develop your first
draft of the plan.
Finally, read and refer to the communications plan on a regular basis. This is not a document
which is developed and then sits on a coffee table with a pretty cover.