Preparing Your 2025 Strategic Communications Plan
2025 is fast approaching! Here at Fifty Acres we are a team of strategic, creative experts that love to create impactful communications. With a well-crafted strategic communications plan in place, our clients achieve their objectives, engage with new and existing target audiences, and ultimately enhance their brand.
Firstly, what is a communications plan?
To start with the basics, having a strategy in place helps you to stay on track to achieve it, ensuring you know exactly how to get there. If your goal is to build brand awareness, identify and target new audiences. A tailored communications strategy is crucial in shaping public perception, building brand credibility, and knowing where to turn in a crisis. In simple terms, like most things in life, without a plan in place, you risk being underprepared.
Here’s how to outline a thorough plan that aligns with your goals for the coming year.
- Assess where you are
Each year, a new plan is needed, not only to assess where you are, but to also look at where you intend to be by the end of the year. A great way to start is by conducting a simple SWOT analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats). Review past campaigns, analyse the good and the bad, gathering feedback from stakeholders to identify what worked and what didn’t. This step is crucial, it will guide your strategy in the right direction.
- Outline your objectives
Defining objectives should involve asking yourself as an organisation what you want to accomplish by the end of 2025.Whether it’s increasing brand awareness, improving engagement, or launching a new product, clearly defined objectives will keep your team focused and motivated. Your objectives should be SMART: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-specific.
- Understand your audience
Understanding your target audience is crucial for effective communication. Look at your current landscape, audience perceptions of the brand, how they have previously engaged, and their preferences for what’s next. Consider the demographics, their interests, and challenges. This insight will help tailor your messaging, selecting the right outreach channels.
- Identify your key messages
Create key messages that connect with your audience and support your objectives. These messages should reflect your values, mission, and unique selling points. Make sure they are clear, consistent, and flexible enough to be used across various platforms and formats.
- Choose the right channels
In today’s digital landscape, adopting a multi-channel strategy is crucial. Think about utilising traditional media, social media, email newsletters, blogs, and events. Assess which channels work best for connecting with your audience and aligning with the goals you have set. Ensure that you are always monitoring new trends and technologies which could impact your communication strategy.
- Develop a content strategy
Content is key to any successful communications plan. Start by creating a well researched content calendar that outlines topics, formats, key calendar dates and cultural events. Incorporate a mix of formats, including articles, videos, infographics, and podcasts to keep your audience engaged. Remember: Content is king. Great content captures attention and encourages interaction, which connects you with your target audience.
- Plan your crisis communications
No plan is truly complete without a crisis communications strategy. Identify potential risks and outline steps for effective communication during a crisis. Being over-prepared is a myth; having a bank of brand messages and clear protocols for messaging and response will ensure you’re ready to handle any situation.
- Measure and adjust
Utilise analytics tools to monitor performance against your objectives. Remember to welcome all feedback, this will help you to identify and understand what resonates and what may require changes. Stay ready to adjust your strategy as needed.
- Encourage teamwork
Your communications team should work closely with other departments, including marketing, HR, and operations. A collaborative approach will strengthen your messaging, fostering a cohesive brand story. Involve your team in the planning process, the more brain power the better! Workshops and brainstorming sessions are a great way to gather diverse perspectives, too.
- Don’t be afraid!
The only way to create an effective communications plan is to embrace different ways of thinking, encouraging internal and external teams to openly share ideas. Encouraging collaborative working styles will achieve a well-informed communications strategy. In most cases, the biggest wins come from taking the biggest risks.
By evaluating your current circumstances, setting clear objectives, understanding your audience, and preparing for different scenarios, you can craft a dynamic and impactful strategy. With a strong plan in place, you’ll be well-equipped to engage, inform, and inspire all audiences in 2025 and beyond!
If Fifty Acres can help you with developing your 2025 communications strategy, please reach out for an obligation free discussion. Email jo@fiftyacres.com and mention this blog for a free 30 minute strategic counselling meeting.