Assignments Developing Communication Plan (Strategy)
Multiple-Choice
1. A communication strategy
a. Must be
consistent and stable
b. Able to handle
only one message
c. Rigid and
unchanging
d. None of the
above
2. One way to find out what
constituencies currently feel is
a. Informal
surveys
b. Polling
c. Focus
groups
d. All of the
above
3. Questions in a survey must
a. Be framed
in a way that you get the answers you want
b. Be very general
c. Include
some kind of rating system
d. None of the
above
4. Outside consultants are
often used for conducting surveys and polling because
a. People
inside the organization are not usually qualified
b. They can be
dispassionate and objective
c. They have
a stake in the organization
d. They have
internal loyalties to the organization
Matching the Columns (2)
1. Communication strategy |
A.
You must find out what the constituency you are dealing with already thinks about the
issue. |
2.
Preparation |
B.
To determine if the strategy actually worked. |
3.
Planning |
C.
A plan to make sure that everyone who needs information gets it. |
4.
Production |
D.
Developing your strategy for achieving your objectives. |
5.
Action |
E.
Sending the messages. |
6.
Assessment and analysis |
F.
Can include news releases, reports, video, and brochures. |
Answers:
1.) C
2.) A
3.) D
4.) F
5.) E
6.) B
1. Key to getting honest answers |
A.
People who are similar to your constituency who you can test ideas on. |
2.
Polling |
B.
How you phrase your questions. |
3.
Outside consultants |
C.
Another type of project/programme purpose plan |
4.
Focus groups |
D.
Will show how well you did at restoring trust in a product or introducing a new one. |
5.
Sales figures |
E.
One way to find out what a constituency feels about an issue. |
6.
Communication strategy |
F.
Often used to conduct surveys. |
Answers:
1.) B
2.) E
3.) F
4.) A
5.) D
6.) C
Summary
A
communication strategy is just another type of project/programme purpose plan. The focus here, of course,
is to develop a plan to get an explicit message out to a specific constituency or
constituencies.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Test
1. ______ A communication strategy
should stay the same regardless of the audience
receiving it.
2. ______ The planning phase of a
communication strategy includes taking an
inventory of the groups who will be involved.
3. ______ Before you can begin to
develop a message, you have to know what the
constituency currently think about the issue.
4. ______ One of the keys to
getting honest answers is the way you phrase your
questions.
5. ______ Your concern in
researching what type of information is available about
the feelings of the constituency is finding out if they have the correct
viewpoint.
6. ______ The goal of your
communication strategy has to be stated in a positive and
general way.
7. ______ You will want some sort
of unified look to your messages.
8. ______ If you are going to use
certain types of media, you have to make sure that
your constituency views them.
9. ______ You should collect groups
of people to show them your message and get
feedback from them, but they don’t necessarily have to be like those you
are aiming at.
10. ______ A communication strategy is just
another type of project/programme purpose plan.
Answers:
1. F – Should be tailored to the audience
2.
T
3.
T
4.
T
5.
F – Your concern is to find out what people think, not if what they think is correct
6.
F – Positive and measurable way
7.
T
8.
T
9.
F – They should be like those you are aiming at
10.
T
Bibliography
Bridges, S., Keller, K., & Sood, S. (Winter 2000). Communication
strategies for brand extensions: Enhancing perceived fit by establishing explanatory
links. Journal of Advertising, 29, p. 1-11.
Morgan, D. (1993). Successful focus groups: Advancing the state of the art.
Stewart,
D., & Shandasani, P. (1990). Focus groups: Theory and
practice.
Glossary
Communication strategy – A plan to make sure that everyone who
needs information gets it in a timely fashion, in a way that they can understand and
relate to, and that it fully explains what it is they need to, should, or at least want to
know.
Outside consultants – People outside the organization that are used
for such jobs as polling since they can be dispassionate and objective about it.
Focus groups – Groups of people that are like those you are
aiming at, who can view the message you are trying to put out and give you feedback and
comments.
Constituency (or constituencies) – The specific group of people
that you are aiming your communication strategy at; these are the people you are trying to
reach.
Learning Objectives
Q&A
1. What are the
five phases of a communication strategy?
The first stage is preparation, in which you ask two questions: What does the
constituency already think about the issue, and what do you want them to think? Next is
the planning phase. This is where you start to develop your strategy for achieving
your objectives. This phase includes an inventory of all groups involved. Production is
where the actual messages are produced, through such things as news releases, brochures,
and videos. The fourth phase is the action phase. This is where the messages are
sent. Finally, the assessment and analysis phase is the point at which you use various
methods to determine if the strategy actually worked, and if there is a need for the
process to continue.
2. What do you
have to know before you can begin to develop a message?
You must first know what the constituencies you are interested in currently
feel, know, or think they know about the subject you are dealing with. It doesn’t
matter what the constituencies are, as long as they can be properly identified, isolated,
and quantified. You must also figure out what it is that you want them to think, feel or
do. What is your ultimate goal?
3. How can you
tell if your message worked under different conditions?
If you are trying to restore trust in a product, or introduce a new one, you
will know how effective your message has been when the sales figures start coming in. If
you are doing this among a specific constituency, you will have to institute a system to
measure sales figures according to demographic criteria. If you are trying to change
people’s attitudes or perceptions, build trust, increase brand recognition, or sway
public opinion, it could take longer to find out if you have succeeded. Polling and
surveys might be used to determine if you have achieved your goals.