Written by Fatima B. Derby
A key objective of NGO communication is to send out information and messages about your work and the impact you are making in the community. These are what keep people interested in you and invested in the work that you do.
A communications plan is a strategic plan to send out messages and information about your work to your organization’s stakeholders such as donors, media, board members, recipients, volunteers and so on through multiple channels. Here are 5 reasons why your NGO needs a strategic communication plan:
1. To Clarify Your Purpose and Objectives
When you’re undertaking a journey, you map out a route with directions to your destination. Think of your destination as your NGO’s vision. Your communication plan is the route that will help you to meet your NGO goals.
2. To Clarify Your Audience and Messaging
For your communication to be effective, your messages should be focused on the right people. The communication planning process will enable your organization to identify who your audience is and customize the information in a way that will capture their attention and sustain their interest in you and your work.
3. To Ensure Consistent Messaging
There are many different ways to share messages and disseminate information. A communication plan helps you to identify and clearly express what you want to say about your work. This way you are able to develop messages that are relevant to the work you do. The communication planning process also helps you to identify the key communication channels and how to use them to promote timely and effective communication between your organization and your audience.
4. To Maintain A Connection Between Staff Members and Stakeholders
Staff members and stakeholders contribute to the growth of an organisation and must, therefore, be in constant communication. Involving everyone in the planning process brings different perspectives and diversity of thought and creates an environment of mutual trust and respect.
5. To Measure Success And Advance Progress
A communication plan is a tangible way to measure if you are making progress in achieving your communication goals and it provides a way to assess what areas need improvement. A good communication plan should outline objectives that are measurable and include a criterion for measuring each objective. It should also include an evaluation strategy that will help you collect necessary information for improvement.
An effective NGO communication plan is more than just managing and disseminating information. If done right, your communication plan will help your organization build and maintain a sense of community with your audience.
