communications plan 2022

Before a company can start developing story ideas, designing infographics, or planning events, it has to start by creating a strategic communication plan. A good communication plan helps companies set their expectations early during a communications campaign for any sort of promotional effort.

With the help of a plan, companies can define their success, as well as better protect themselves from any unrealistic demands or pursuits. By creating measurable goals with solid tactics and strategies, companies can develop a communication plan that can really achieve results. However, most companies tend to jump right into campaign strategies and forget about the research and planning stages of communication plan development.

Although the research and planning stages aren’t as exciting as the strategy development, companies can’t do anything without completing both steps.

Communication Process

The most important element of a communication plan is the communication process. With the help of a well-implemented communication process, companies can confront any challenges or contradictions that could harm their future growth.

One reason why developing a good communication plan tends to be harder than it seems is because people often see things as how they should be, instead of how they really are.

That’s why the communication process should be developed with crucial team members who are not afraid of speaking their minds about everyone’s ideas.

Having open-minded people on board during the creation stage of the communication plan allows companies to predict potential mistakes before they happen. It also allows for the development of more creative and fresher ideas, because not everyone on the team will think the same way.

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Communication Goals

In order for a communication plan to drive results for a company, it should have measurable and attainable goals. For most businesses, the ultimate goal is to increase conversions.

The most important thing when setting communication goals is to make them as measurable as possible.

Companies can measure the success of their communications strategies by looking directly at any direct website traffic or organic block traffic that their websites generate.

From that point, companies can create their own opportunities to market to the qualified leads that have been discovered from the website traffic numbers, which can then generate more sales.

Communication Objectives

For a communication plan to work, it needs to have between three and five objectives. For example, since most companies have the goal of increasing their conversions, they can set objectives that work back from the point they want to reach.

That can mean increasing qualified leads from one number to another, which can then translate into generating more sales. If a company doesn’t have the numbers that it needs to include in those objectives yet, it can start by setting benchmarks.

Communication Strategy

Finally, communication plans need to come with a strategy that helps companies achieve their goals and objectives. This strategy should describe how a company is going to achieve its goals and objectives within a sentence or two.

They will provide a detailed vision of a company’s communication plan, detailing what success looks like for that plan in a limited period of time.

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Ronn Torossian is the founder and CEO of 5W Public Relations, one of the largest independently-owned PR firms in the United States. With over 20 years of experience crafting and executing powerful narratives, Torossian is one of America's most prolific and well-respected Public Relations professionals. Since founding 5WPR in 2003, he has led the company's growth, overseeing more than 175 professionals in the company's headquarters in midtown Manhattan. With clients spanning corporate, technology, consumer and crisis, in addition to digital marketing and public affairs capabilities, 5WPR is regularly recognized as an industry leader and has been named "PR Agency of the Year" by the American Business Awards on multiple occasions. Throughout his career, Torossian has worked with some of the world's most visible companies, brands and organizations. His strategic, resourceful approach has been recognized with numerous awards including being named the Stevie American Business Awards 2020 Entrepreneur of the Year, the American Business Awards PR Executive of the Year, twice over, an Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year semi-finalist, Metropolitan Magazine's Most Influential New Yorker, and a 2020 Top Crisis Communications Professional by Business Insider. Torossian is known as one of the country's foremost experts on crisis communications, and is called on to counsel blue chip companies, top business executives and entrepreneurs both in the United States and worldwide. Torossian has lectured on crisis PR at Harvard Business School, appears regularly on CNN & CNBC, was named to PR Week's "40 under Forty" list, is a contributing columnist for Forbes and the New York Observer, and his book, "For Immediate Release: Shape Minds, Build Brands, and Deliver Results With Game-Changing Public Relations" is an industry best-seller. A NYC native, Torossian lives in Manhattan with his children. He is a member of Young Presidents Organization (YPO), and active in numerous charities.