Strategic MarComm Plans Are Not a Luxury
They’re a necessity. And they take more work than you might think.
Businesses and nonprofit organizations need a comprehensive marketing and communications strategy. Why? Because effective marketing and communications isn’t easy, though it often appears that way to those unfamiliar with the process. After all, it’s just words and pictures on paper. How hard can that be? In reality, developing even the simplest of messages is a lengthy and exhaustive process.
Marketing and communications professionals are professionals for a reason. They’ve spent years studying words, syntax, human behavior, design, and the evolution of language, trends, and other variables that define the industry. What looks like words and images on a page represent years, sometimes decades, of learned and lived experience that inform each element chosen. Every word and design element is selected for maximum effectiveness and designed to move people towards action, whether making a purchase or supporting a cause that matters. Drafts are created, edited, reworked, edited again, looked at by fresh eyes, and honed with intention and precision. The entire process can take hours or days.
Good marketing and communications professionals also consider the larger picture: Does what we are saying reflect our brand well? Does it align with our mission and values? Will it have the right impact on our audiences? Will it impact future work? Does it misalign with something we’ve said previously? On and on it goes. These are just some of the things that go into crafting good messaging. Those who don’t understand this process often take an ad hoc approach to communications. That might work sometimes; however, that approach can also set up a brand for failure. It happens all the time: a company, a CEO, or an elected official fires off an off-the-cuff social media message, or an organization puts out a defensive statement, and all hell breaks loose.
While sometimes cumbersome and time-consuming, strategic marketing and communications planning helps alleviate the risk of an unintended flub. No one wants to be at the center of the storm in a self-inflicted communications crisis. That isn’t the only reason to have a plan, though. There are a multitude of positive benefits to taking the time to plan a comprehensive strategic approach to marketing and communications. A good plan can elevate your brand, broaden your reach, engage your audiences more fully, draw in new audiences, and help you stand out in a sea of noise. With careful consideration, a great plan can deepen brand loyalty, help increase donor dollars, generate thought-leadership opportunities, and define a legacy. That’s an excellent return on committing to developing a strategic plan, in advance.
Now is the time to start thinking about what you will do and say in 2025. It might seem like there is all the time in the world to worry about next year. However, now is precisely when organizations need to start thinking about planning for 2025. In fact, you’re likely already behind if you haven’t already started. A fully-fledged strategic plan can take weeks, sometimes months, to develop. These plans need to cover everything from earned and paid media to product rollout and campaigns to social media, events, collateral, and so much more.
Strategic marketing and communications plans are not a luxury—they’re a necessity. We live, work, shop, organize, and exist in offline and online communities in a constantly evolving digital age. That makes having a strategic approach to your marketing and communications efforts vital in ensuring your message is heard and seen by the people you want to reach—in all the spaces they exist. You might get lucky and reach some people sometimes, but you must go beyond that bar to truly thrive. It’s possible with the right plan. Have you started developing yours?
