Strategic Communications Planning

Speaker

• Lawrence J. Parnell

• Associate Professor and Program Director Master’s in Strategic PR

• GSPM/George Washington University

• Experience

• 12 years at GWU/GSPM

• 32 years in government, corporate and agency roles in the US and abroad.

• Twitter - @GWPRMasters

• Linked In – Lawrence J. Parnell

Who We Are

• Award-winning Master’s degree in

Strategic PR (SPR) – 10 courses

• Graduate Certificates in SPR; Global

(six courses) and Digital PR (four

courses)

• On campus and online with an applied

public relations focus

• Taught by working professionals

(evenings - Arlington campus)

• Fall, Spring or Summer term

www.gspm.gwu.eduLinkedIn: The Graduate School of Political Management – GSPMMaster’s in Strategic PR Facebook: GSPMgwuTwitter: @GSPMgwuInstagram: @GSPMgwu

What is Strategic Planning?

“Strategic Planning is deciding where you want to be in the future (goal) and how to get there (strategy). It sets the organization’s direction – avoiding ‘drift’ and repetition of activities,” Dozier and Broom.

Planning also involves deploying multiple methods (tactics) –social media, news releases, events, news conferences, interviews and thought leadership – to accomplish your strategic objectives

Components of a Communications Plan

• Major sections:

• Situation Analysis

• Strategic Objectives (Goals)

• Informational, Motivational or Reputational

• Target Audience(s)

• Key Stakeholders

• Key Messages

• 2-3 is good target

• Strategy

• Summary of what you plan to do

Components – cont’d

• Major sections

• Tactics

• Timetable

• Budget – staff time and out of pocket expenses

• Measurement and Evaluation

Situation Analysis

First step: Define the problem/objective clearly and succinctly

Benefits:

• Achieve consensus of the problem/opportunity

• Connect to the business/strategy

• Identify options and suggest a solution

• Get agreement

• Follow the plan

Goals and Objectives

Lawrence J. Parnell, all rights reserved

Goals

Setting Goals

When setting goals, it is helpful to leverage the S.M.A.R.T. approach:

•Specific – identify detailed goals

• Measurable – quantify/qualify the results to show progress

• Agreed (or Attainable) – key stakeholders sign off on objectives

• Realistic (or Relevant) –objectives should be achievable

• Timed – identify a timeline

Lawrence J. Parnell, all rights reserved

Types of Objectives

• Informational

• Creating awareness

• Motivational

• Changing behavior

• Reputational

• Repair or enhance

company reputation

TARGET AUDIENCE Key: Select the right stakeholders and address their issues/concerns directly

Note – address all relevant stakeholders – include your foes e.g. gov’t/political/regulatory, competition and activists who don’t agree with or support you

Identify the best means to reach them e.g. through the media, identify demographics and key influencers

STRATEGYStrategy – clearly state how you will achieve the objectives of your plan

Clear messages and themes

Cover all the bases (stakeholders)

Connect to corporate or organizational strategy

Note: build in flexibility and adaptability – depending on market response and/or competitive activity

TACTICSSpecific activities or

tools proposed to

accomplish your

objectives

Tactics always

follow strategy!

They are the “how”

not the “what”.

Measurement and Evaluation

Present Present results to management/client as measured against your goals and desired outcome(s)

Course Adjust (if needed) due to competitive activity or changing economic/business conditions

Build in Build in milestones/checkpoints to stay on course

Identify Identify short and long-term goals

Define Define success and measure your progress

Summary

Strategic planning begins with Research and ends with Evaluation

Plan components: Situation Analysis through to Evaluation

Audience – include allstakeholders

(pro and con)

Measure business outcomes, not PR outputs

Connect to strategy

Activity

Break up into groups (assigned randomly)Break up

Review the case assigned to your group - (20 minutes) Review

Develop and present results to full group - (10 minutes) :

Deliverable:

•Situation Analysis (identify business/financial element)

•Objective (1)

•Goal (1)

•Measurement/Evaluation step (1) (focus on business impact)

Develop and present

Planning Scenarios

1. Due to the pandemic, routine, non-COVID visits to the doctor are declining… Hospitals are concerned about an increase in non-COVID illnesses and death (e.g. Cancer, heart disease, diabetes etc.). Develop a plan to get more people to go to the doctor or hospital for care to avoid another public health emergency.

2. The CEO of Goya Foods now finds himself in a political firestorm due to lavishly praising President Trump. This is impacting business (calls for boycotts by celebrities and Black Lives Matter) and the reputation of the company overall. How should the company respond to protect its image/reputation?

3. Disney World in Orlando, Florida has reopened despite the increases in COVID 19 cases in the state. However, Disneyland in California is closed because of the high case counts in that state. Develop a comms plan for Disney (corporate) to explain this

Planning Scenarios

1. You are in comms for Target and your company had been counting on Back to School sales to boost quarterly and yearly earnings after a disastrous spring. Now, several states – ihave announced schools will not re-open in ther fall… Design a marketing comms plan to offset the impact

2. Eldorado Resorts and Caesars Entertainment announced a merger– creating the largest casino operator in the US. However, many of the casinos involved are closed and the short-term outlook is not great.. Develop a comms plan to position this deal - and the soon to be combined company – as a success and positive for the future of the industry.

Summary

Key Takeaways

Lessons learned today?

Dismissal