External Communication Plan Template -- Yale

Communication Plan Template

 

1.        Purpose

The purpose of a communication plan is to support the strategic objectives and provide action items for the organizational communication of the (                                  ) for the next (__________________) years/months. This plan serves as a guiding map for all internal and external communication regarding _______________________for (target audience(s) ____________________________.

It includes strategic objectives, messages, audiences, media, responsibility assignments, measurements, evaluation and budget.

2.        Mission/Vision
(complete)

3.        Situation Analysis
(complete)

§   What methods of communications work? Which methods are ineffective?

§   Lessons learned

§   What are the communication issues we wish to address?

§   Frame the issues; what are the issues really about? Who is affected?

§   What is our communication infrastructure? (capacity) Who will do the work? How much staff time are we willing to commit to the effort?

4.        Business Goals/ Objectives (complete)

§   Identify the business objectives/goals of ______________________

§   Internal/external factors to be considered

§   What do we want to achieve through our communication? Why?

5.        Corresponding Communication Goals/Objectives
(complete)

§   What is the positive vision for the future? What are the changes we wish to see?

6.        Key Themes/ Messages (See table of Table of Messages and Audiences)
(complete)

Not necessary to organize messages in this manner, but sometimes helpful:

Theme: broad “highway” of directional meaning with several lanes or “messages”

Message: a unit of meaning that runs as part of and in the direction of the “theme”; concise expression of intent

§   Why change? How?

§   WIIFM? What’s in it for me?

§   What do we want our audiences to do? Do differently?

§   How do we want them to feel?

§   What do we want them to think?

§   How/what do we communicate to others who are not directly involved ?

7.        Media, Audiences, Schedules (See Communication Plan Implementation Matrix)
(complete)

8.        Training Managers to Communicate

(complete)

9.        Evaluation

(complete)

§   How we will know we are successful?

§   What measurements shall we use?

10.      Budget
(complete)

11.      Appendix

§   Listing of communication vehicles

§   Other

Media and Vehicles for Organizational Communication

 

Sample listing:

• Print newsletters/magazines
• Flyers
• Posters, banners, similar media
• Intranet
• Web site; other web-based media: blogs, webinars etc.
• News conferences
• Electronic newsletters
• Electronic boards, messaging and communication software
• Video
• Computer/video kiosks
• Multi-media presentation
• Town Meetings
• Lunch and learn events
• Face-to-face small meetings
• Virtual meetings
• Off site meetings, retreats, and events
• Onsite events, speeches, training
  
  

Table of Messages and Audiences
(make multiple copies for each identified objective)

	XXXXX	XXXXX	XXXXX		Other stakeholders
1. Business Objective
1. Communication Objective
Communication Message(s)

	XXXXX	XXXXX	XXXXX		Other stakeholders
2. Business Objective
2. Communication Objective
Communication Message(s)

Communication Plan Implementation Matrix

Purpose	Audience(s)	Timing | Frequency	Message	Method | Channel	Accountability