2. Our efforts must shepherd key audiences through four stages
with different communications requirements for each stage
Awareness
Understanding
The task is to
inform so they are
aware of the thing
The task is to clarify
so they understand
the thing
Commitment
Engagement
The task is to
convince so the
thing is credible &
worthy of attention
The task is to
involve so they
experience the
thing first-hand
3. General Strategy
• Develop “brand” and core messaging
• Leverage coalition of constituents to
carry messaging across communication
vehicles to target audiences
• Use frequency and consistency to build
watershed-wide awareness of “water”
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4. Elements of a Communication Plan
• People
• Strategic Agenda: What do we need people to
believe, know, do, and feel?
• Proactive Communication Plan: What
communications vehicles will we use, and how
often will we use them to impact our
audiences with our Strategic Agenda?
• Monitor, Assess, and Respond
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5. People
Establish the Strategic Agenda – What We’ll Say and to
Whom
Plan and Execute a Proactive Communication Plan –
How We’ll Say It and When
Monitor, Assess, and Respond – How We’ll Know
What’s Working
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6. People
The first part of a Communications Plan is
to figure out who is on the team and what
their roles are.
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7. Establish Strategic Agenda
(What we say and to whom)
• Communication Principles: How should we
communicate?
• Audiences: To whom?
• Communication Objectives: What do we want people
to believe, know, do, and feel?
• Strategic Message Hierarchy: The framing story,
mission, vision, and strategy
• Core Message and Message Set: The key messages
that we need to communicate successfully if we are to
achieve our communication objectives.
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8. Proactive Communication Plan
(How We’ll Say It and When)
• Vehicle Map: What message vehicles do we
have in our communication portfolio, and which
audiences do they reach?
• Schedule: When do we use these vehicles?
• Stakeholder Management: Are there key
individuals – audiences of one – that can help us
achieve our goals? Who are they? Who on our
team is responsible for each relationship?
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9. Monitor, Assess & Respond
(How We’ll Know What’s Working)
What metrics can we use to know if we are
succeeding?
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