The value of strategic planning

If you want to get somewhere it helps to have a plan for how to get there.

I have recently learned a bit more about the importance of communication strategies for PR practitioners. It enables them to practice effective PR for their clients with a clear understanding of what the client’s business objectives are, who they need to communicate with and how they are going to do it.

Planning a communication strategy requires extensive research which includes asking: Who are the client’s competitors? Where do they stand in comparison to their competitors? Who are their current target audience? What channels are they using to reach their target audience? – just to name a few.

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To plan the communication strategy, the PR can focus on the following:

• Competitive standing: Prior to the compilation of the communication strategy, research will provide statistics as to where the client stands in comparison to their competitors. This research should be done on a regular basis, as it not only keeps the client abreast of who their competitors are and where they are positioned to them, but can also serve as a way of measuring the effect and ROI of the PR and communications work done to date.
• SWOT analysis: This analysis identifies the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats to proactively prepare for, addressing weaknesses and threats as much as possible and making the most of opportunities.
• Communication objectives: What does the client want to achieve through their communication and how will it be measured?
• Target audience: Who is the client targeting? Who are the internal and/or external audiences they need to communicate with? Once the target audiences have been identified, other aspects can be determined such as which communication channels and tools will be suitable to reach the desired targets.
• Brand values: What values does the client want associated with their brand? These values could position the client above their competitors and contribute to customer’s brand loyalty.
• Key messages: In order for the necessary PR work to be executed, the key messages that the client would like communicated to their target audience must be carefully considered. The communication should consistently be underpinned by the brand values and include the agreed key messages for the relevant target audiences.
• Communication tools: What tools is the client going to use to communicate to their target audience? The communication channels and tools will vary according to the type of business, budget and objectives. The tools can range from hosting selected media at events, writing articles, setting up interviews, issuing press releases and offering comment on topics in the news or producing newsletters. These tools need to be identified and planned in advance.

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It is important to realise that without research, an effective Communication Strategy can’t be put together. As a PR practitioner, we need to have this information in order to create a strategy with communication objectives that are in line with the client’s overall business objectives.