COMMUNICATIONS STRATEGY
     Contents
     This tool will guide you through the process of developing a communication strategy. 
     The process involves some prep work, some workshop time and some follow-up to 
     finalise the strategy.
     In the following slides you will find:
     −Answers to frequently asked questions, including: Why are we doing this? Who should 
      be involved? And how do we do it? 
     −Required prep work – defining SMART programme objectives and understanding the 
      context, in particular the stakeholder analysis.
     −Guidance on the steps in developing a communications strategy.
      −Selecting programme objectives (3 max) to focus the strategy around.
      −Identifying and analysing target audiences.
      −Crafting key messages.
      −Identifying appropriate channels and accompanying products.
      −Operationalising the strategy.
     −For each step, there are instruction slides with tips and links to additional resources. 
      When you are done you can delete these. The result will be your strategy. 
     COMMUNICATIONS STRATEGY
     FAQ
     Why a communications strategy?
     −To help you and your team use communications more 
       effectively to achieve your programme objectives and 
       ultimately your organisations goals.
     −To build consensus among programme members on 
       direction and messages and strengthen understanding of 
       the role and value of communications in their work.
     −To take advantage of the knowledge and skills of all 
       members of the group and grow experience and expertise 
       together.
      COMMUNICATIONS STRATEGY
      FAQ
      How do we do it?
      This toolkit takes you through a step by step process of collectively thinking 
      through and agreeing on the key components of a strategy (objectives, audiences, 
      messages, channels and products). Each step builds on the one before:
      −For large teams where meeting in person is feasible, we recommend you 
        develop your initial strategy in 2 full-day team workshop sessions (see sample 
        agenda on slides 5 & 6). You will also need to allocate 1 to 2 days of staff time 
        for prep work and a half day for the clean up, presentation and review the final 
        strategy. The strategy should be reviewed and updated annually at a minimum 
        and ideally more frequently.
      −For more dispersed teams, we recommend you do the steps over a series of 
        virtual meetings in a planned, time-bound fashion (e.g., one per week until it’s 
        done!) (see sample agenda on slides 7 & 8). You will need to assign smaller 
        working groups to do the activities off-line.
      −For smaller teams, we recommend you have one or two individuals prefill the 
        strategy and then meet to present initial thinking and develop consensus.
         COMMUNICATIONS STRATEGY
         Prep work
         Sample agenda for 2-day workshop
          Activity                                                   Time requirement
          Day 1                                                      5.5 hours + 2 hours for breaks
          Intro                                                      30 min
          Step 1: prioritising programme objectives                  1 hour plenary
          Coffee break                                               30 min
          Step 2: Identifying & prioritising audiences, Activity 1   1 hour group work
          Lunch                                                      1 hour
          Step 2: Audiences, Activity 2                              1 hour group work
          Step 2: Presentation & feedback                            30 min plenary
          Coffee break                                               30 min
          Step 3: Crafting messages, Activity 1                      1 hour group work
         COMMUNICATIONS STRATEGY
         Prep work
         Sample agenda for 2-day workshop
           Activity                                                      Time requirement
           Day 2                                                         5.5 hours 2+ 2 hours for breaks
           Present back results from Messages Activity 1                 30 min
           Step 3: Messages, Activity 2                                  1 hour group work
           Coffee break                                                  30 min
           Messages, Activity 2 present & feedback                       30 min plenary
           Step 4: Identifying channels & products, Activities 1         30 min group work
           Lunch                                                         1 hour
           Step 4: Identifying channels  & products, Activities 2 - 3    1 hour group work
           Channels & products - present & feedback                      30 min plenary
           Coffee break                                                  30 min
           Step 5: Operationalising                                      1 hour group work
           Wrap-up – responsibilities, action points & deadlines         30 min