By Maira Manesco
The strategic planning is fundamental for determining the future success of an organisation. Having a carefully defined goal and implementing it brings innumerous benefits to the business, it is the guide to a structured development. When executives think about planning their businesses strategically, it means that they expect to create coherent and effective procedures with the aim to reach their goals.
When it comes to corporate communication, it is no different. All the activities that are developed for the stakeholders need to be carefully thought out and planned in a strategic manner and with the aim to bring positive results for the organisation, both in a short-, medium- and long term perspective.
Strategic planning consists in defining the target audience and the value proposition, processes which can be established with the use of Canvas Planning. Having done this, it is necessary to establish the principles of the planned actions, such as the differentials and results expected. The next step involves even further studies and greater attention. It is necessary to determine the landscape which the work will be executed in and to understand which are the main characteristics, the positioning, the opportunities and the threats – for this, it is ideal to use the SWOT analysis.
Even if most of the scope has already been outlined, it is still necessary to elaborate the objectives to be reached, or, in other words – what the company hopes to accomplish in the future through this action. Only when this is done, is it time to create a plan of action to reach these goals and, hence, it is necessary to consider the whole process and the resources that are needed. After this, it is time to execute the strategic plan. This without forgetting to keep it aligned with all of the previously established definitions.
It is important to remember that all of these definitions, while talking about communication, need to be aligned with the business of the organisation. Because, only this way will it be possible to achieve the desired success.
* Maira Manesco is Media Relations Analyst at Race Communication.
