1. Communications Strategy Day 2

2. Communications Strategy
Planning
Communications Strategy
Planning

3. What is communications?
Is not an “anyone can do it if you have to” task.
An ongoing exchange of information (iterative process):
relevant to audiences
integral to the stages of the policy process
conducted on a formal or informal basis

4. What is a communications strategy?
A well thought out or carefully devised plan for broadcasting differences
A means of elaborating how we network, participate & interact with the world (e.g. to influence policy)
Is not an optional or fringe plan to be left to junior personnel or consultants (out-sourced)

5. What if there is no communication strategy?
Difficult to measure activities not planned and organised
More reactive than proactive communication
Random activities not well thought out
Duplicating efforts
Mis/un-targeted messaging
Sometimes you may not necessarily need a communications strategy...its possible to do communication activities without one.. But what are the limitations to not having a communications strategy

6. Internal and external communications
It is important when thinking of communications to think of it in terms of Internal as well as External communications.

7. Internal communications
Keeps everyone in the know.
Allows sharing of ideas.
Synchronising messages.
Singing the same song / speaking the same language.
Easy when it comes to handing over.
Can you think of other reasons why internal communications should happen

8. External communications
Key messages for communication
Audiences/Stakeholders/Key people (segmentation)
Activities to carry out
Requires a communications strategy*
5Ws & H – the Who, What, When, Why, Where & How.
*Communications strategy can cover both internal and external communications.

9. Communications strategy steps
What are the essential elements / steps of a communications strategy?

10. Steps in a communications strategy
Organise a committee
Analyse the situation
Develop objectives
Identify audiences
ON FLIP CHART
What we have here are steps for guiding your team:
(Could Ask SOMEONE to READ or could list these on a flip chart up in front of the room) :
The process starts with:
1. Creating an advocacy committee ; then moves to
2 Analysing the situation;
3. Developing policy- relevant advocacy objectives from problems or issues that have been indentified in research or survey data;
4. Determining who the audiences are, what they know and what they need with regard to your subject;
5. Build partnerships and network to increase the numbers of advocates!
6. Developing messages that are tailored for the different audiences;
7. Determining the best channels, formats and activities to deliver the message;
8. Designing an action plan
9. And a plan for evaluating the impacts of your work
Build partnerships
Develop messages
Select channels
Develop action plan
Evaluate

11. Step 1: Establish a communications committee
Committee members could include:
Staff from main implementing agency
Researchers
Members of relevant professional associations
Members of partner organizations
Members of the audience you are trying to reach (news media, religious leaders, etc)

12. Step 2: Analyse the situation
Analyse the situation carefully to understand the message & provide solid rationale for sharing.

13. Step 3: Develop Objectives
*What do we want our communications to achieve? Are our objectives SMART?
Policy communication objective
Raise awareness among policymakers about need for increased resources of ICT equipment.
Program objective
Increase the number of rural users of ICT or increased use of ICT by rural health workers…
One distinction to make in developing objectives is to make sure you’re starting with a communication objective rather than a program objective----
The reason we’re communicating or advocating is to bring about a change in policies or programs or resource allocations
The objective should be contributing to bringing about that change ….
The first step is developing clear communication objectives: this is the hardest part of the process, particularly if you’re working with complex, sensitive issues and possibly conflicting data sets. But if you set yourself up with clear objectives, the rest of the process should flow.

14. Develop Objectives and expected outcomes
Help journalists better understand the benefits ICT in poverty reduction, or its use amongst rural health workers .
Quantity and quality of news coverage about ICT use by rural health workers

15. Step 4: Identify the audience
Primary
Who can directly affect policy on your issue?
Secondary
Who can influence those policymakers?
Who can stop being an obstacle?
Step 2 -Identifying the audiences -
When we think about audiences it helps to segment them into at least three groups:
Primary audiences - those that can directly affect policy like program staff or high-level officials who will ultimately make the policy decision
Secondary audiences are all the individuals or groups that can influence policy decisions: these are the opinion leaders and include reporters and media executives, heads of professional associations, community leaders, and women's groups. Informal: advisor, spouse, secretary
And the last Audience - Opposition forces. Those that are not likely to be pleased with research implications or your objectives - and may require special attention/actions in your plan. Can be members of either the primary or secondary groups.
Research has shown that communications can be more effective when directed at various audiences at the same time - so the likelihood of impacts is increased to the extent that different groups are all talking about the same issues.
[Developing a database of opinion leaders and providing them with an ongoing stream of materials - fact sheets and poll data - to keep them informed and engaged in your issues]
And once you've identified the audiences - it's also useful to identify individuals who are in positions to serve as "policy champions" - respected, spokespersons for your cause

16. Who are possible audiences?
Political leaders
Governemnt officials
Programme managers
Private sector
Educators
Business/Civic leaders
News media
Donors
Religious leaders
Professional associations
Women’s groups
* This is not an exhaustive list...

17. Know your audiences Who do they listen to?
What do they know about your topic?
Are they interested in your topic?
What are the best ways to reach them? (formats and channels)
Know your audience -
Who do they listen to? (Here's where the secondary audiences come in)
What do they know about your topic and do they have any interest in it? Again, you'd have to have a different set of objectives if you're starting from scratch.
And what's the best way to reach your audiences? What kind of formats or channels are the most appropriate?
If you don't have the answers to these questions - one way to find out is through audience research - Focus groups and Key Informant Interviews.

18. Step 5: Build partnerships
Enlist relevant organisations and individuals to join the advocacy movement to:
Augment the numbers
Strengthen the talent pool
Forming partnerships can be challenging!
Put into place participatory mechanisms
Identify roles and leadership structure

19. Step 6: Developing messages
Start with the data and analysis
Present two to three points maximum
Tailor the message to fit the audience
Deliver through a credible source
Avoid technical jargon
Four Tips for developing the messages:
(1) Keep the number of key messages for each group to a maximum of two or three - and deliver those same messages consistently to that group. You can certainly use different spokespersons - but everybody should be singing from the same sheet.
(2) Tailor the message to fit the audience - it's the audience that should drive message content. The policymaker is likely to be most interested in one aspect of what you have to present - What's in it for me?
(3) Make sure the message is delivered by a source the audience finds credible - "The messenger is often as important or (sometimes) more important than the message itself.
(4) Keep the message at the level of the audience - avoid technical jargon - Using words or phrasing that conjure positive images - better to say family planning or child spacing than population control

20. Step 7: Communication channels and activities
Face-to-face (Interpersonal):
Workshops, seminars
Conferences, meeting
Press briefings
Mass media
Press
Broadcast (Radio and TV)
New Media: Internet websites
*Select formats that are most appropriate for your audiences.

21. Step 8: Action plan Key Questions For whom When By what means By whom
How often
How many
To complete the plan - last practical step is to devise an action plan. The actual nuts and bolts of the plan is often overlooked or given short shrift by planners.
And it's so important to establish a schedule that states to whom the messages are being sent, when, by what means, who is going to do it , how often and in what volume.
And then - figure out if you've got enough resources. Put that thought last! Hate to see specter of limited resources stifle creative juices too early in the planning process.

22. The devil is in the details
Specify:
Advocacy activities - outline a detailed work plan
What resources are needed (human and financial)
Be alert to opportunities! Are there any upcoming events that will support your objective? Brainstorm on opportunities.
For Timeliness and Timing:
Policy communications is an ongoing process, but
for maximum impact - Information will be more relevant if it is attached to other issues that are of concern at the moment.
(Next Slide)
You don't want to miss any opportunities:
So incorporating quality time for brainstorming on upcoming events as part of your regular planning can help avoid those last minute rushes to produce materials or get on the agenda.

23. Step 9: Evaluation Performance
Were all the activities implemented, delivered and on time?
Impact
Did activities bring about the desired change?
And last but not least is evaluation - Did you make a difference?
Keep track of performance or process outputs to guide future work. Were you able carry out all the activities in the expected timeframe?
For measuring impacts - here's where it's critical to have those clear results (indicators) spelled out from the beginning -

24. Effective communication strategies rely on:
Audience-centered approach
Ongoing communications activities
Disseminating information at the right time, for the right length of time

25. If well designed
Communications activities and materials can create demand
More requests for information
In conclusion:
More influence over policy

26. Key aspects of a communications strategy:
Objectives
Target individuals/organisations
Activities
Responsible people/person
Timeline
Budget
Monitoring and evaluation

27. Keep It Simple : the Good and the Bad
“The last time we did an advocacy strategy and plan, it was 80 pages and took six months.”
Communications specialist
- CERPOD, Bamako, Mali

28. Task: Identify 3 to 5 communication objectives and consider how you will achieve them
Target group/organisation/person
Interventions/activities
Responsible person
Timeframe
Budget
Monitoring and evaluation:
Expect to see
Like to see
Love to see

29. Summary: Communications Strategy
Why a communications strategy is important
Internal and external communications
Steps in a communications strategy
Learn from others: good and bad strategies
Be both proactive and reactive in communications