into the field and collect data . This could be done through administering questionnaires or conducting focus groups . Here as a strategist , one can gain rich insights on the industry that can eventually form a strong communication campaign .
Delve into a deep dive of competition vide Competitor Analysis . What are they doing that is same or different ? Is it price , availability , distribution , branding , marketing ? What are they not doing that presents a gap to be filled ? What opportunities are there in the market that presents a window to explore ? This can also be a challenge that can be turned into opportunity . Check their activities everywhere , website , social pages , Media stations , on ground activities , their spending patterns , among others .
Target audience : This is a very important component of the communication strategy since it ’ s by clearly defining who you are speaking to that you can meet your set objectives . All products / brands are always talking to a particular set of people . We are NEVER talking to everyone ! These are usually defined in terms of demographic and psychographics . The former define one ’ s age , gender , social class and income . The latter defines interest , habits , feelings , attitudes , aspirations , and natural tendencies . Know your customer so well that their habits will inform the gap you are trying to fill in for your strategic communication .
Strategic Approach
This is the 3rd part of the document and an extremely important part . It Is where all your findings come to life . We call it the Big idea ! Here , one needs to analyze the brand , market and target audience and come up with one single message to communicate the Strategy . This could vary depending on the industry , but the Big idea needs to comprise of elements that touch on each of the 3 elements above .
Implementation
After coining the strategic approach , we get into implementation . This is the wheel / media to be used to communicate your preposition . A media strategy ( Radio , TV , Print , OOH )/ Digital / PR / BTL / Influencer strategy comes here .
Worth mentioning here is that at times brands get into implementation stage before crafting the overall communication approach . We see a trend where brands approach influencers / media stations to communicate about their brands before crafting the approach . This is not only dangerous but also short-term since the influencers , in many cases , may not be aligned to your purpose or brand objectives . Before getting into implementation , I beseech all brands to at the very least have an overall communication strategy in place .
It takes a bit more time , but it is purposeful , meaningful and long-term .
Budgeting and scheduling
Put in your budgets and write a schedule of events to be followed . Is it a year ’ s plan , 5 year ’ s plan or 3 months plan .
Monitoring and evaluation
Once the 5 points above are done , identify ways of monitoring your strategic plan . Monitoring helps to constantly optimize along the way , learn from any mistakes and re-tweak your plans accordingly .
These are the components of a good strategic plan . Try and adopt them and see if it makes a difference in your trade ! Reach out if you need any help writing communication strategies !
Susan Atieno is an Account Director at Havas Media Kenya and a seasoned marketing and communication strategist . You can reach her via email at : Suezanatieno @ gmail . com .