WORKBOOK A: CREATING A COMMUNICATIONS PLAN
WORKBOOK A:CREATING ACOMMUNICATIONS PLAN
TABLE OF CONTENTSOVERVIEW OF COMMUNICATIONS PLANNING. 3Steps Involved in Creating a Communications Plan. 4Deciding Whether or Not to Outsource Communications Planning . 5OUTSOURCING COMMUNICATIONS PLANNING. 6COMMUNICATIONS PLANNING USING INTERNAL RESOURCES:. 71. Establishing the Goals for Your Communication Plan . 72. Defining Key Audiences . 9Who Do You Ultimately Want to Influence?. 9How Can You Reach Your Target Audiences?. 113. Identifying Key Messages. 124. Creating A Tactical Outreach Plan. 14Developing Your Media List. 14Creating an Advisory Board . 15Media Training for Spokespeople . 16Setting Up Editorial Board Meetings . 16Hosting Community Forums . 17Arranging One-on-one Meetings with Key Influencers . 175. Developing Materials . 19Press Kits . 19Press Releases. 20Op-ed Articles. 21Byline Articles. 21Letters to the Editor . 21Newsletters . 22Public Service Announcements (PSAs) . 22B-Rolls (Background Videos) . 236. Specifying a Timeline . 247. Post-study: Communicating Your Research Results . 26Update Your Media Lists . 26Brief Your Advisory Board . 26Set Up an Editorial Board Meeting . 27Host Community Forums . 27Arrange One-on-one Meetings with Key Influencers . 27Update Your Press Kit. 28Issue A Press Release . 28Host a Press Conference . 28Publish an Op-ed Article . 29Newsletters . 29Reissue Your B-Roll. 29Timeline of Post-Market Study Outreach Efforts. 30Workbook A-2-Creating a Communications Plan
OVERVIEW OF COMMUNICATIONS PLANNINGThis workbook presents information about how to develop a communicationsplan for times when your OST Research Task Force needs to inform or educate keyaudiences or the general public about your work on OST programs.Why do you need a communications plan?A communication plan will help ensure the success of your community’s OSTprogramming planning effort by engaging stakeholders in the process and shaping theway the effort is perceived by everyone invested in or affected by this issue. Yourcommunication plan can help you raise public awareness of your community’s OSTneeds, challenges, and successes, and obtain needed funding and support. It can also helpyou to develop or enhance OST programming and increase enrollment.Most organizations that are conducting market research to guide their OST planning willhave limited resources, both in terms of the amount of time and money they can spendon the process. Developing a strategic communications plan will help you make themost of your resources by establishing priorities and focusing on the most importanttasks. Expect to learn a lot in developing your communication plan: you will clarifyyour objectives and zero in on your target audience. Furthermore, a solidcommunications plan will help ensure that everyone involved in your OST initiative is“on the same page” when they are communicating about the project with the rest of theworld.There are two points at which effective communication is essential:At the beginning of the research process, when important stakeholders areidentified and engaged with respect to OST programs.At the end of the research process, when the main tasks are reporting themarket research findings and using the results to decide what kinds of OSTprograms will be created in your community.The steps involved in developing a communications plan are basically the sameregardless of what stage of the research process you are in. In this workbook, we willfocus on the first point, the beginning of the research process. At the conclusion of thisworkbook, we have included information about considerations for your communicationsplan at the end of your research process.Workbook A-3-Creating a Communications Plan
Steps Involved in Creating a Communications Plan1. Establishing the Goals for Your Communication Plan(What is your ultimate goal? How do your want your OST initiative to be perceived?)2. Defining Key Audiences(Who do you ultimately want to influence, and how can you reach them?)3. Identifying Key Messages(What messages are going to resonate most strongly with your key audiences?)4. Creating a Tactical Outreach Plan(How are you going to get your messages to your audiences?)5. Developing Materials(Descriptions of materials you may want to develop to convey your messages to your audiences.)6. Specifying A Timeline(We present a recommended timeline to follow, coordinating your research and your communication plan.)7. Post-study: Communicating Your Research Results(Considerations for communicating with your audience after your research has been completed.)Workbook A-4-Creating a Communications Plan
Deciding Whether or Not to Outsource Communications PlanningIn determining whether or not to outsource all or part of your communicationsplanning, it is important to consider your available resources. You may also decide toenlist the help of a consultant to help at the beginning or with certain aspects ofmarketing and communications.When to outsource communications planning:Consider hiring amarketing, advertising, or communications firm if: (1) you are concernedabout presenting your ideas in the most positive light possible, or areuncertain about which means of communication will best serve your needs foryour OST initiative; (2) if local media are unresponsive to your requests forcoverage (e.g., won’t run public service announcements, refuse to sendreporters, etc.); or (3) if key influencers in the market are opposed to OSTprograms for some reason and begin using local media (newspapers, radio, ortelevision) to air their opposition.When to conduct communications planning using internal resources:Consider conducting your communications plan using internal resources if themembers of your OST Research Task Force have sufficient knowledge, skillsand understanding of marketing.In the next sections, we will present more detailed information regardingoutsourcing your communications plan and conducting communications plans usinginternal resources. For communities conducting communications plans using internalresources, we will present information about each step in the process.Workbook A-5-Creating a Communications Plan
OUTSOURCING COMMUNICATIONS PLANNING:A Guide to Hiring VendorsWho to hire:Marketing and communications agencyAdvertising agencyIndependent freelance consultantPublic affairs organizationWhat to look for:Has demonstrated skills and expertise in social marketingExperience working on community initiativesExperience working with diverse groups that include nonprofit and government organizations as well as businessesWhere to find vendors:Talk to local nonprofit organizations and ask for arecommendationLocal chamber of commerce or similar organizationsLocal industry organizations such as an advertising club orthe Public Relations Society of AmericaSpeak with professors at a local college and ask for theirrecommendationsWhat they will do:Discuss your objectives with you in detailReview market research information you have collectedCreate a communications plan designed to meet yourobjectivesProduce necessary TV, radio, print, and/or web strategiesWhat you will do:Provide vendor with a clear understanding of yourobjectivesProvide vendor with market research data your organizationhas generated or obtained through other sourcesBe available for necessary public statements, interviews,debatesWhat you shouldexpect to pay:Fees vary widely depending on the scope of services andsize of agencyExpect to pay 1,500 to 10,000 for specific tasks, such aspreparing press releases, developing a video, etc.Expect to pay 1,500 to 5,000 per month for a consultantwho will work with you throughout the planning processand will create and execute a comprehensivecommunications plan for OST programs in your communityWorkbook A-6-Creating a Communications Plan
COMMUNICATIONS PLANNINGUSING INTERNAL RESOURCES:1. Establishing the Goals for Your Communication PlanThe five steps involved in creating a communications plan are: (1) establishinggoals; (2) defining key audiences; (3) identifying key messages; (4) creating a tacticaloutreach plan; and (5) specifying a timeline for moving forward. We will discuss each ofthese steps in turn.The first step to producing a successful communications plan is to establish a setof clear and measurable goals. These goals highlight the desired outcome of promotingthe OST research initiative and are not the same as the defined expectations for theprogram itself.When you begin your OST research planning process, the objective of thecommunications plan is to engage important stakeholders’ participation inthe design and execution of a market research study.As you complete the planning process, the objective of the communicationsplan shifts toward informing stakeholders of the results of the marketresearch and setting the stage for broad community support for the OSTprograms you have come up with in response to the market research.Guidelines for creating the goals for your communications planYour communications goals should be realistic and action-oriented.Goals should be specific and measurable.Keep to a minimal number of goals (e.g., one to three). You cannot achieveeverything with one initiative.Know your audience (e.g., parents, stakeholders, media). Who will be receivingthe messages you will be communicating? We will present more details aboutthis step in the next section.For example, the goal for your initial communications plan could be, “Educate90% of the stakeholders we’ve identified in our community about the OST planningprocess and OST programs we are considering.” Another goal might be to convert 70%of the stakeholders you have educated through various media into public advocates of thesurvey or whatever other market research process you engage in—or simply to “generatepublic support for the market research, ultimately leading to increased participation in thecreation of OST programs.”Workbook A-7-Creating a Communications Plan
POINTERWhen establishing your goals, be clear, direct,straightforward, and oriented toward solutions.Coming Up With Goals: A Checklist; Solution-oriented goals (goals that can actually be achieved) are specific andfocused rather than broad.; Are your goals clear and pragmatic rather than vague and overwhelming?; Can the goals be linked to indicators or measures so you know if you’vesucceeded?; Remember that your communications plan resources include MONEY andTIME. Have you picked goals that can be met within your resource constraints?; No communications plan changes everything.Have you chosen two or threegoals that make the most sense given our mission?; If your group spends more than an evening or two arguing about a goal, go backto your mission and choose an alternative. How long have you spent deciding onthis goal?Source: Market Street Research, Inc., Trainer Information and Worksheets for School-Linked Services, Massachusetts Department ofEducation, Boston, Massachusetts, for training workshops held 1997 to 2001.Workbook A-8-Creating a Communications Plan
2. Defining Key AudiencesOnce the goals for your communications plan have been set, the strategies, theaudience and the communications tactics will all be designed to help you meet thesegoals. If tactics are suggested that do not ultimately map back to your predefined goals,consider whether they will be worth the time and effort it will take to implement them.Who Do You Ultimately Want to Influence?Communications outreach is designed to deliver key messages to a targetedaudience, ultimately resulting in greater education of the stakeholders about the programor issue. The targeted audience can be these stakeholders directly or anyone who caninfluence these stakeholders.What types of individuals should you involve tohelp you to reach your goals?Questions toAsk YourselfWho will ultimately benefit from the OSTprograms?Who will be responsible for implementing theseprograms?Who will be responsible for funding theseprograms?Cities, towns, counties, boroughs, and neighborhoods have different physical,demographic, and economic characteristics, as well as different forms of localgovernment. Examples of individuals and groups that are often involved in OSTplanning, who benefit from OST programs, and who are responsible for implementingand funding these programs are included on the chart on the next page.POINTERWorkbook ABe specific! After identifying the types of stakeholdersyou hope to reach, do some research or talk with people inyour community to find out exactly who these people are.Aim to know them by name and think of them asindividuals. For some types of stakeholders, it may beuseful to know whether they have advisors or assistants,and who these individuals are.-9-Creating a Communications Plan
Who are the stakeholders?Any group that is influential in the community in terms of OST should be consideredstakeholders. Spend some time examining who the stakeholders and concernedconstituencies are likely to be in your community—who needs to be involved in planningthe market research? Who has resources that are critical? Are there strong ethnic orcultural communities? Examples of stakeholders include:Students, parents, and familiesEducators – principals, school superintendents, teachers, governmentorganizations that support or are responsible for education, such as the state,county, or local Department of EducationPTA or PTO organizationsGovernment and political leaders, such as mayors, city or town councilors, orstate or federal legislatorsDirectors of community-based organization (CBOs), especially those that offerafter-school and OST programs such as the YWCA, YMCA, Boys & Girls Clubs,4-H, Future Farmers, Big Brothers/Big Sisters, Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, orcommunity centersRepresentatives from cultural and ethnic groupsLeaders in business, especially businesses that support education initiatives andthose who recognize the economic argument that OST programming is beneficialto employees, who are more likely to come to work if their children have safeoptions available when they are not in schoolHealth care providersProminent local funders, foundations, and philanthropists, as well as peoplewho can mobilize local financial and other resources for OST programsLeaders in higher education, especially colleges and universities with an interestin supporting local communitiesNeighborhood leaders and grassroots organizersRepresentatives from faith-based organizationsRepresentatives from social service agencies that serve children or are invested inchild well-beingMedia representatives, including people from local newspapers, magazines,radio stations, television, cable, or internet mediaCity agency representatives, such as officials from parks, libraries, or lawenforcement officialsWorkbook A-10-Creating a Communications Plan
How Can You Reach Your Target Audiences?Once you have defined your communications goals and the audiences you aretrying to reach, the strategies you select will define how you are going to communicate toyour audience. To create effective strategies, it is important to understand where andhow your targeted audiences seek and receive information. For example, if you arehaving difficulty reaching the Mayor, does the Mayor have an assistant or issueresearcher that is easier to contact? For reaching the community, some communities relyon regularly scheduled social and faith-based gatherings for word-of-mouthcommunication exchanges; these can be a good place to get your message across toparents, representatives from cultural and ethnic groups or faith-based organizations, orother stakeholders. Other stakeholders, such as recent immigrants, may be faced withlanguage barriers and use cultural and/or community newspapers or bulletins as theirpreferred channels of communication.A comprehensive strategy featuring a diversity of audience-appropriate programsand resources will help you to achieve maximum outreach and efficient informationsharing. Examples of this include but are not limited to the following:Leverage the media to provide editorial coverage of the issue and the ongoingprogramsOutreach to grassroots organizations and nonprofit groups with a vestedinterest in OST programsUse key influencers to help deliver the messages, through community forums,media opportunities and organized eventsCreate direct mail pieces that can be distributed to your target audiencesLeverage the internet for outreach to and education of your audiencesUse local businesses that reach the community to help deliver messagesEach strategy should map back to your goals and objectives, ultimately resultingin greater awareness, support and participation in the OST planning process and themarketing research study.POINTERWorkbook ABe flexible. You will often need to adapt yourcampaign as you go forward to ensure success.Be persistent, but respectful.
Workbook A -3- Creating a Communications Plan OVERVIEW OF COMMUNICATIONS PLANNING This workbook presents information about how to develop a communications plan for times when your OST Research Task Force needs to inform or educate key audiences or the general public about your work on OST programs.
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