Communications Planning

There are a lot of definitions about what strategic communications planning is all about. Some have called it "integrated communications planning", "communications channel planning", "communications architecture", or "360-degree planning". Still some call it "consumer experience planning" or "consumer engagement planning".

In my viewpoint, it's all about designing and structuring how consumers and brands interact, such that the brand becomes a significant part of the consumers' life and the brand's investments into the relationship is maximized.

That's the long way of saying it, to be honest - and that's saying a lot. But it is really that: brand-consumer interactions that result to mutually beneficial environments.

The question is valid - it seems that in a changing world, all we have to do is essentially do things quickly and efficiently. Getting things done quickly and cheaply appears to be the best way to survive.

Well, yes - and no.

One has to remember that getting things done quickly and efficiently is one part of the equation. However, the other part of the equation - "why these things are necessary" - is as important.

In fact, in a quickly-changing, fast-evolving world, strategies become even more important because decisions need to be made in a snap.

Strategies provide you the framework against which to decide. The tactics, the decision-points, the questions on which person to hire/fire, which company to take-over and which ones to pass on, which stocks to buy, which ones to hold and which ones to sell - all of these are tactics that must be grounded on well-thought-out strategies.

Without these strategies any and every decision we make is in peril of being wrong.

This is somehow related to the debate on strategies versus tactics: When is a "strategy" a strategy and when is it not a strategy?

I believe the answer is simple: If you can answer the simple questions "Why I am doing this? Why is this important? Why is this action-point or goal necessary? Why is this objectvie or action critical?" with your strategic statement, then what you have is a strategy. If you cannot answer that question fully, then what you may have may not be a strategy.

If it's a statement that answers the question "How?", then it is a tactic - an action point.

So which one is more important?

Both are important. Strategies are the heart and soul of the business plan - it looks at the vision and the long-term goals of the brand. Tactics give flesh to the strategy and make it actionable and tangible.

Many have gone to the option of choosing sides. I don't think that's right. Both are necessary - but neither can take the place of the other.

Strategies set where you are headed and why are headed there. Tactics define tangible steps towards realizing the strategies - and how to make sure that you are getting there.

One analogy that I have found useful in reminding me is this: Suppose you have a ladder and you'd like to climb over a certain wall. Tactics will tell you how to climb the wall - while strategies will tell you what wall to climb and why climbing that wall is important in the first place.

The simplest answer is no.

There is no fool-proof process with specific steps to follow - as in a checklist - to strategic communciations planning. There are only principles that stand as guideposts.

1. Inquisitiveness and curiosity about the clients' business, the brand and its message, the consumers as a people and as "consumers", and the role of the brand in the lives of the consumers - all these are critical in creating a strategic plan.

2. "You learn as you go along". Because there are no fool-proof systems (even normative databases that research companies and marketing consultancies sell have margins of errors which you should be aware of!), you will need to learn and adapt as you go along. Which means you need to measure, measure, measure.

3. Look for evidence or proof-points. Due diligence, rational decision-making and fact-finding, rigorous questioning and listening - all these are critical in developing the plan. Know the "terms of engagemement" - i.e., the rules that you should follow in engaging the consumers and creating the encounters between brands and its consumers.

4. Break some rules. Innovation sometimes means breaking some rules. The key to successful, innovative solutions is breaking some rules. What is critical however, is knowing which rules to break and which rules to keep. The same is true in comms planning.

5. Measure, measure, measure. As the great man, Peter Drucker, said: One cannot manage what one cannot measure. So measure - not just leading indicators, but also long-term and mid-term effects indicators.

A lot of media planning and advertising companies are venturing or have ventured into communications planning - but a few are delivering. There are a number of reasons why this is so.

One of the main reasons that I have encountered: The lack of a vision about how the brand and the consumer should interact with each other.

Once that is unlocked, all else will flow.

And that's that.

Watch out for my next squidoo!