1.
Creating a Strategic Marketing
Communications Plan
Deborah Spector
President, Creative Solutions & Innovations
Creative Solutions & Innovations provides resources to empowers
nonprofits to do good! Deborah specializes in strategic marketing
communications and special event management.
Stay connected: www.creativesi.com/blog, Twitter: @CreativeSI

2.
GOALS FOR TODAY’S SESSION
Role of marketing communications
Role of research
Elements of a marketing communications plan
Create a strategic communications plan
1.
2.
4.
3.

3.
Strategic marketing communications is your
lens with which to focus on
 the people you serve
 individuals you seek to influence
 donors you want cultivate
“STRATEGIC” MARKETING
.
Through integrated marketing communications you can create
powerful, focused & targeted appeals for mission impact, to build your
brand, and for fundraising

4.
Nonprofits communicate for three main reasons:
.
1.
2.
3.
WHY COMMUNICATE?
Fundraising
Programs
Advocacy

5.
1. It is participative
2. It is dynamic
3. It is flexible
4. It is audience-driven
5. It combines the best of PR and Marketing
6. It contains a mix of strategy and tactics
7. It is doable Think BIG – BUT maintain
realistic expectations!
7 CHARACTERISTICS
OF A GOOD MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS PLAN
.
Source: Hollister, Trubow & Associates

6.
VISION:
Our goal is to
rid our community
of hunger
MISSION:
Our mission is
to fight hunger by
educating and
empowering communities
START WITH VISION & MISSION
VISION:
Our vision is
healthy people in a
healthy world
MISSION:
To promote
health and quality
of life by preventing
disease and disability
Think of the words
“visionary” and
“missionary.” A visionary
imagines possible futures,
whereas a missionary
does the work to achieve
the desired future.

7.
SWOT is a stage of planning that
helps marketers to identify and focus
on these 4 key issues:
 Brainstorming sessions
 SWOT Analysis
 Audience Discovery Interviews
 Focus groups
RESEARCH TOOLS
.
Strengths
Weaknesses
Opportunities
Threats

8.
Why do research?
 Sets foundation
for all communications
 Provides audience
insights
 Uncovers opportunities,
threats, etc.
 Analyzes direction,
position, messages
DO YOUR RESEARCH
.

9.
 Positioning – Connects your nonprofit with those with whom you want to
engage & conveys what your organization does better than others.
Example: We bridge diverse cultures & generations by creating opportunities
for immigrants to succeed. We partner with other organizations to leverage
resources to positively impact our community. We have earned recognition for
our successful efforts.
 Tagline – Key words or phrase to capture what makes your organization
special. Conveys this with passion & commitment.
Examples: Touching lives. Creating opportunities.
Investing in our children’s future
 Elevator Speech – The new elevator speech uses the social media
strategies to listen, prepare and engage. It enables you to listen & learn from
the persons with whom you speak to see if there is any interest in your issue.
Then you can segue into your fully developed pitch.
MESSAGE FRAMEWORK
FOUNDATION ELEMENTS
.

10.
 Audiences – what interests which target audiences relative to your
communications tactic.
 Benefits & Attributes – Key messages about what your organization offers.
Example: Our free job training program provides a pathway to employment.
 Key messages or talking points – succinctly elaborate on your
positioning statement & provide necessary proof required for validation.
Responds to common questions asked by your current & prospective network.
Example: The immigration system is broken & needs to be fixed.
 Proof Points – The massive backlog in visa applications is a clear sign that
the system is not working .
Example: Legal immigrants are forced to spend years separated
from their families.
MESSAGE FRAMEWORK
ELEMENTS THAT CHANGE WITH GOALS
.

11.
1. Goals & Objectives
2. Identify & Profile Audiences
3. Develop Messages & Identify Messengers
4. Develop Strategies
5. Select Communication Channels
6. Implement the Plan
7. Build in Evaluation Points
8. Measure Success
ELEMENTS OF A STRATEGIC
MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS PLAN

12.
GOALS
1. Goals & Objectives
2. Identify & Profile
Audiences
3. Develop Messages &
Identify Messengers
4. Develop Strategies
5. Select Communication
Channels
6. Implement the Plan
7. Build in Evaluation
Points
8. Measure Success
Broad Goal – All communication efforts need to be
rooted in a vision for change. What is the big
ambitious goal your organization has for change?
Organizational Goal – Improve community health by
reducing exposure to toxic chemicals in the environment
Communication Goal –
 Build awareness about orgs work
 Increase understanding of the relationship between
health & environment
 Motivate area residents to advocate

13.
REACH YOUR GOAL
1. Goals & Objectives
2. Identify & Profile
Audiences
3. Develop Messages &
Identify Messengers
4. Develop Strategies
5. Select Communication
Channels
6. Implement the Plan
7. Build in Evaluation
Points
8. Measure Success
Smart Objectives Are:
 Specific
 Measurable
 Attainable
 Realistic
 Time-bound
Attributes of Goals vs. Objectives:
 Differences in Scope – Goals are broader while
objectives are narrow & set for certain task.
 Specificity – Goals are general while objectives are
specific.
 Tangibility – Goals may be intangible while objectives
ought to be tangible
 Differences in time frame – Goals have a longer time-
frame; objectives are precise targets set for a short time
 Measurement – Goals may or may not be measured;
objectives are always measured

14.
TARGET AUDIENCE
1. Goals & Objectives
2. Identify & Profile
Audiences
3. Develop Messages &
Identify Messengers
4. Develop Strategies
5. Select Communication
Channels
6. Implement the Plan
7. Build in Evaluation
Points
8. Measure Success
Advertising specialist Tom Duncan defines target
audience as
a group that has significant potential
to respond positively to a brand
message.
The key here is the word message. Effective marketing
communications, or messages, each target a particular
kind of reader or viewer. These individuals make up the
message's target audience.
”
“

15.
IDENTIFY YOUR TARGET AUDIENCES
1. Goals & Objectives
2. Identify & Profile
Audiences
3. Develop Messages &
Identify Messengers
4. Develop Strategies
5. Select Communication
Channels
6. Implement the Plan
7. Build in Evaluation
Points
8. Measure Success
 Clients
 Faith community
 Former clients
 Educators
 Advocates
 Health care providers
 Board members
 Business owners
 Volunteers
 Targeted media
 Donors
 Bloggers
 Foundations
 Twitter influencers
 Local elected officials
 Partner organizations
 Community leaders
 Sponsors
 Colleagues at other
chapters
 Former donors/sponsors

16.
AUDIENCE SEGMENTATION WORKSHEET
1. Goals & Objectives
2. Identify & Profile
Audiences
3. Develop Messages &
Identify Messengers
4. Develop Strategies
5. Select Communication
Channels
6. Implement the Plan
7. Build in Evaluation
Points
8. Measure Success
DEFINE YOUR AUDIENCES
Audience:_____________________________________
1. Describe what you know about this audience’s
knowledge, attitudes & behaviors related to your
issues.
2. What are the barriers to this audience fully supporting
or participating in reaching your goal?
3. What are the characteristics of this audience?
 How do they spend their time?
 What is gender, ethnicity, income level.
 What or who could motivate change or action?
4. How does this audience participate in the social
media platforms that you use?

17.
MESSAGING
1. Goals & Objectives
2. Identify & Profile
Audiences
3. Develop Messages &
Identify Messengers
4. Develop Strategies
5. Select Communication
Channels
6. Implement the Plan
7. Build in Evaluation
Points
8. Measure Success
 Show importance, urgency or magnitude of the issue.
 Put a “face” on an issue.
 Must be tied to specific audience values,
beliefs or interests.
 Show the relevance of the issue.
 Reflect an understanding
of what would motivate
your target audience.
 Be memorable.
Messages that
resonate with passion
and commitment are
key for your nonprofit
to raise above
the noise.

18.
MESSAGING WORKSHEET
1. Goals & Objectives
2. Identify & Profile
Audiences
3. Develop Messages &
Identify Messengers
4. Develop Strategies
5. Select Communication
Channels
6. Implement the Plan
7. Build in Evaluation
Points
8. Measure Success
Audience:_____________________________________
1. What are the barriers & benefits to your audience
thinking, feeling, or acting on your issue?
2. What change in attitude do you want to motivate in
your audience to meet your goal?
3. What change in behavior are you trying to achieve?
4. Based on what you know above, what are the
three most compelling sentences you could use to
motivate this audience? *These are your messages!

19.
MESSAGING DEVELOPMENT BOX
1. Goals & Objectives
2. Identify & Profile
Audiences
3. Develop Messages &
Identify Messengers
4. Develop Strategies
5. Select Communication
Channels
6. Implement the Plan
7. Build in Evaluation
Points
8. Measure Success
Your
organization’s name
or campaign name
here.
Solution Messages:
And, the world would be
a better place… What is
the projected positive
outcome? How would
people’s lives be better?
Action Messages:
What is the purpose of
the message? What do
you want people to do?
Link it to the goal of this
specific campaign.
Threshold Messages:
What do people need to
know, believe or care about
to become engaged? What
obstacles do you have to
overcome to get people over
the threshold?
Reinforcement Messages:
How do you keep people involved?
Do your supporters carry your
messages? What do you give them
to do so? Do you have statistics,
anecdotes, or sound bites?

20.
STRATEGY
1. Goals & Objectives
2. Identify & Profile
Audiences
3. Develop Messages &
Identify Messengers
4. Develop Strategies
5. Select Communication
Channels
6. Implement the Plan
7. Build in Evaluation
Points
8. Measure Success
Examples of communications strategies:
 Develop Key Messages
 Prioritize Key Audiences
 Identify Ways to Reach Audiences
 Conduct Ongoing Blogger
Outreach
 Develop Best Practices
for Social Media
 Define & convey our
brand & brand value
to target audience
 Expand marketing reach to
engage more people in each target audience
Strategy is an idea,
a conceptualization of
how a goal can be
achieved.

21.
STRATEGY & ACTION
1. Goals & Objectives
2. Identify & Profile
Audiences
3. Develop Messages &
Identify Messengers
4. Develop Strategies
5. Select Communication
Channels
6. Implement the Plan
7. Build in Evaluation
Points
8. Measure Success  Awareness brings your nonprofit to the attention of an audience
 Comprehension develops an understanding of an organization
 Conviction matches individual interests to institutional offerings
 Commitment assists in the decision process
Adapted from Barton-Gillet Company
Communications Awareness Comprehension Conviction Commitment
Mass 40% 10%
5%
5%
Direct
40%
50%
20%
10%
Small
Group
10% 20% 35% 15%
Person-to-
Person
10% 20% 40% 70%

22.
CHANNELS
1. Goals & Objectives
2. Identify & Profile
Audiences
3. Develop Messages &
Identify Messengers
4. Develop Strategies
5. Select Communication
Channels
6. Implement the Plan
7. Build in Evaluation Points
8. Measure Success
Communication channels carry
the message to the target audience.
Integrate
your mix of
communication
channels!

23.
CHANNELS
1. Goals & Objectives
2. Identify & Profile
Audiences
3. Develop Messages &
Identify Messengers
4. Develop Strategies
5. Select Communication
Channels
6. Implement the Plan
7. Build in Evaluation Points
8. Measure Success
Communication
Website
Blog
Newsletter
Email
Facebook
YouTube
Podcast
Twitter
Webinars
Conferences
Face-to-Face
Press Releases
PSA
Direct Calling
Create a chart, and check off
the following as you address
each communication channel:
 Provide information and
create dialogue
 Fundraising news & link
 Promote research
 Provide resources
 Promote events

24.
Post Method is simple yet profound in that it provides
a user-friendly system for using traditional and emerging
communications channels.
THE ACRONYM REFERS TO THE FOUR STEP APPROACH:
P is for People. Don’t start a strategy until you know the
capabilities of your target audience and know their social
behavior.
O is Objectives. What are you trying to accomplish?
Decide on your objectives before you decide on a technology.
S is Strategy. How do you want the relationship to change
with your target audience? How do new and traditional media
support your objectives with your audience?
T is Technology. What are the appropriate tools and
tactics to address your target audience? What do you have
the capacity to implement?
P.O.S.T. METHOD
1. Goals & Objectives
2. Identify & Profile
Audiences
3. Develop Messages &
Identify Messengers
4. Develop Strategies
5. Select Communication
Channels
6. Implement the Plan
7. Build in Evaluation Points
8. Measure Success

25.
Post Method is simple yet profound in that it provides
a user-friendly system for using traditional and emerging
communications channels.
THE ACRONYM REFERS TO THE FOUR STEP APPROACH:
P is for People. Don’t start a strategy until you know the
capabilities of your target audience and know their social
behavior.
O is Objectives. What are you trying to accomplish?
Decide on your objectives before you decide on a technology.
S is Strategy. How do you want the relationship to change
with your target audience? How do new and traditional media
support your objectives with your audience?
T is Technology. What are the appropriate tools and
tactics to address your target audience? What do you have
the capacity to implement?
P.O.S.T. METHOD
1. Goals & Objectives
2. Identify & Profile
Audiences
3. Develop Messages &
Identify Messengers
4. Develop Strategies
5. Select Communication
Channels
6. Implement the Plan
7. Build in Evaluation Points
8. Measure Success

26.
WORK PLAN
1. Goals & Objectives
2. Identify & Profile
Audiences
3. Develop Messages &
Identify Messengers
4. Develop Strategies
5. Select Communication
Channels
6. Implement the Plan
7. Build in Evaluation Points
8. Measure Success
 How do you roll out the implementation?
 Create and manage a
steady stream of activities.
 Ensure coordination
in timing and impact.
 Build in evaluations
before the end of the year.
 Be clear on who does
what and by when.

27.
ROLES & RESPONSIBILITIES
1. Goals & Objectives
2. Identify & Profile
Audiences
3. Develop Messages &
Identify Messengers
4. Develop Strategies
5. Select Communication
Channels
6. Implement the Plan
7. Build in Evaluation Points
8. Measure Success
 Everyone is a communicator.
 Who does what?
 How do you involve volunteers?
 How do you train?
 Who has final sign-off on initiatives?
 Is there a protocol for sign-off?

28.
REALITY CHECK
1. Goals & Objectives
2. Identify & Profile
Audiences
3. Develop Messages &
Identify Messengers
4. Develop Strategies
5. Select Communication
Channels
6. Implement the Plan
7. Build in Evaluation
Points
8. Measure Success
 Do you have enough resources?
 Are you finding ways to include key staff,
volunteers, and leadership?
 Do you have buy-in from your chapter?
What about national?
 Can you measure your success?
PLAN AND MONITOR BUDGET
 Staff costs
 Materials development
 Website implementation and maintenance
 Software & hardware
 Consulting
 Technology systems

29.
MEASURE SUCCESS
1. Goals & Objectives
2. Identify & Profile
Audiences
3. Develop Messages &
Identify Messengers
4. Develop Strategies
5. Select Communication
Channels
6. Implement the Plan
7. Build in Evaluation Points
8. Measure Success
 Measure impact
 Use anecdotal as well as quantifiable measurements
 Benchmark prior to starting
 Identify mix of outputs & outcomes
 Outputs are a measure of your efforts.
 Outcomes are the changes that occur.

30.
You will have:
Seamless communications
Accountability to the bottom line
A strategic process that meets
identified objectives
An awareness plan focused
on increasing revenue streams,
programs &/or advocacy
WHEN YOUR PLAN IS COMPLETE
.

31.
THANK YOU
Find additional marketing and
communications resources online:
http://www.creative-si.com/shared-resources/
Follow on Twitter: @CreativeSI
.
Deborah Spector, President