Three Quick Ways You Can Rock Your Communications

  • The Office of Communications and Public Engagement is ready to help support your initiative and promote your work, but as the Subject Matter Expert (SME) you have all the critical information necessary to achieve success! Whether we work with you to create a communications strategy, or you are drafting your own communications plan, here are three pro-tips to get started:

     

    1. Plan your work. Communications professionals work with communications plans all the time. But that doesn’t mean you can’t plan too. In fact, it’s your project, you want it to succeed, so start planning for success. 

     

    1. Create your 1 page communications plan by answering 7 easy questions
      • What is my project?
      • Who is the intended audience or audiences?
      • What do they need to know to participate or support?
      • What communications outcome (attitudes, awareness, behavior) am I trying to accomplish?
      • What is the message? What am I saying about this?
      • How should I communicate this message? (What channels will they see this?)
      • How often should I communicate this message? (Think 7 as your minimum)

     

    Bonus Tip – Evaluate your success—What strategies and channels worked? Did you accomplish your communications outcome (change attitudes, awareness, and behavior)? What could you have done differently? What will you try next time?

     

    1. Work your plan. Your plan will work when your work it. Just as you plan and work a project or program. For your communications to work you must work your communications plan. 

     

    Download our Communications Worksheet to help draft your plan.