Purpose and Rationale of Communication Strategy Design

The purpose of designing a communication strategy is to address and solve problems at the grassroots level utilising PRCA findings, communication methods, techniques and media. This should be done with the people, not just for the people.

After field work you review your findings. You compare your project perceptions and assessment with the community perceptions and assessment. This should lead to a new view, or at least a different view, of the main problems and their causes, which should always be within the boundaries of your project scope and objectives. At times this can be a sensitive issue, either because the community has a different perception which is imposing solutions on the community. Whatever the case, you might find yourself in the difficult position of having to choose between the views of the people (who should always be your priority concern), and those of management (who are the ones affecting your professional life). Depending on the situation you are in and your past experience, use your best judgement to reconcile the two positions.

The critical factor that is going to shape your strategy, is the analysis of the new view of the problem. You should draw a new problem tree. Discuss it. Preferably, do this while still in the field. The identification of the most relevant factors, causing the main problem, become of vital importance for the development of an effective strategy. These factors are referred to as “focal problems”. The identified focal problems should then be subjected to a specific cause-effect analysis in order to identify and assess areas of possible communication intervention. The sequence above illustrates the basis of, and the rationale for, the communication strategy design. It also highlights the importance of the linkage between the field research and the subsequent strategic planning.

Before going into the actual design of the communication strategy you should review the rationale guiding this process. By now you are familiar with most of the Communication for Development terminology used in these training packages. You know that when going to the field, the first thing you should learn and investigate are people's NOPS (Needs, Opportunities, Problems and Solutions). Even if you may have to restrict your field of action only to aspects related to the on-going project framework, it is very important that you have a comprehensive picture of the overall situation from the community's point of view. Community NOPS, baseline results and the problem analysis will assist you in determining the root-problems, better known as focal problems, causing the negative situation. From there the communication strategy will take shape.

Once the focal problems have been identified and analysed, the next step is to address the issue of possible solutions. In order to do this you should determine objectives that are related to solving the problem on hand. Such objectives must be SPECIFIC, MEASURABLE, ATTAINABLE, REALISTIC and TIME BOUND (SMART).

Preparation

Before you can even begin to develop a message, let alone develop a strategy for delivering it, you have to know two things:

1. What do the constituencies you are interested in currently feel, know, or think they know about the organization, political candidate, subject, product, or service you are dealing with? It doesn’t matter what the constituencies are, as long as they can be properly identified, isolated, and quantified.

2. What do you want them to think, feel, or do? What is your ultimate goal?

There are a number of ways to find the answer to the first question. These include formal or informal surveys and polling. Focus groups are another effective method. All of these are valid as long as they give you an accurate assessment of the situation.

One of the keys to getting honest answers is the way you phrase your questions. If the questions are confusing, pointed, make it difficult for the respondent to give a simple or honest answer, or in any way limit or try to control the answer, the information is tainted, biased, and basically useless. Questions have to be framed in a way that respondents can honestly and comfortably answer. They must also be very specific, and should include some sort of rating system so respondents can rank their opinions or feelings in a systematic way. Typical questions might include language like this:

· Are you (1) extremely concerned, (2) somewhat concerned, (3) moderately concerned, (4) unconcerned, or (5) don’t really care about…

· Would you rather have A or B?

· The last time … happened, did you do A, B, C, or D?

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4. Phase One: Preparation (Continued)

Another way to get honest information is to look at what sort of information is already available on the subject. This can range from sales figures, existing survey information, market share analysis, voting patterns, demographic breakdowns, or anything else that sheds light on the issue or issues you are dealing with. It can also include media reports.

The fact that some of the opinions expressed or reflected may be displeasing, disappointing, inaccurate or wrong has no bearing on the matter at this point. Your concern is to find out what people actually think—not if what they think is “correct,” according to your definition of correct.

People are sometimes reluctant to be the bearers of bad news, and at this phase of the process the news often is bad. If it weren’t, there probably would not have been any need to even start the process.

One of the reasons outside consultants are often used for this work is that they can be dispassionate and objective about it. They have no internal loyalties or connections that could be affected by their being the bearer of bad news. Let’s face it, history shows that messengers bringing bad news have been killed. Today we don’t kill them, but the news can sometimes interfere with their next promotion or potential for organizational advancement. There are even studies that show that strangers do not want to pass on bad news to others.

Once you know what they actually think, it is time to move on to question two: What do you want them to think?

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5. Phase One: Preparation (Continued)

This phase of the process must be as accurate as the first. In the same way that you need to know where the various constituencies stand now, you have to know exactly where you want them to stand when you are finished. It is the only way for you to have the knowledge you will need to devise the plan to get them from where they are to where you want them to be.

While the first phase was spent talking to external constituencies, this phase will be spent primarily with internal ones. Settling on a communication goal is a management function, usually decided by top management. After all, top management is responsible for guiding the organization, so they are the ones who have to determine where they want to guide it, and just how they want to get it there.

Your organizational culture and organizational structure will tell you how to proceed to the next step, developing your goal. It could involve a single meeting with a single executive in one department or the heads of several different departments; staff meetings, conferences, executive retreats or internal focus groups; a poll of shareholders or major investors; the board of directors, or maybe just a phone call to the CEO.

The goal has to be stated in a positive and measurable way. Saying “we want people to trust us” is a nice goal, but how do you measure it? Instead, you might say, “we want to be the most trusted widget manufacturer in the country.” That can be measured by polling people and asking them which widget manufacturer they trust the most. Where you want to be, coupled with a solid grasp of where you are now, tells you exactly how far you have to go to reach your goal with the people you are trying to influence.

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Once you know where you are, and where and how far you want to go, you have to develop the message or messages that enable you to get there. It could be one simple message, or an entire series of them designed to guide people into the proper responses or actions. You also need to decide how to provide coherence or a unified approach to your message strategy.

It could very likely take an entire team of experts to craft the proper message in the appropriate way. The team needs people who know where people are “now” as well as where you want them to be in the future. They have to know people—understand why they think, or vote, or shop the way they do. They also have to know what has to be done to get them to change their beliefs, behavior, or attitudes; whatever it is that needs changing.

The message needs to be crafted for its delivery system. Print, radio, TV and video are all written in different ways. You will probably still want some sort of unified “look” to your messages.

Before you can do that, however, you must decide which delivery system, or systems, is the most effective in terms of cost, speed, reaching the specific constituencies you are aiming at, and market penetration. Will it be contained in a simple brochure, a speech, or a news release? On a larger scale, will it go out in a series of full-page advertisements in area newspapers, as radio and TV commercials, or as a major marketing blitz that will include all media as well as celebrity endorsements? You will also need creative people familiar with the media you are using—writers, photographers, videographers, graphic artists, and so on—to create and craft the message so that it says what it needs to say in a way that people will respond to.

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7. Phase Two: Planning (Continued)

You must also know which specific media outlets you will be using, and what their fees and production requirements are. Weekly or daily newspapers? Regional radio? National TV? An Internet site? Specific magazines?

If you are going to use certain types of magazines, advertise on specific types of TV shows, or other “special interest” media, you have to make sure that your constituency reads, listens to, or watches them. You will need an understanding of the demographic appeal of all the various media you use. If you plan to advertise in a woman’s magazine, for example, you need to know what sort of woman reads that specific magazine—age, income, education, occupation, marital status, and so on.

If you are dealing with multiple constituencies, you might have to produce separate campaigns for each one. While the underlying theme or message will have to be the same, the content, style, and delivery could be totally different.

If you are dealing with different cultures and languages, you will need creative people with a clear understanding of whatever cultures and languages you are dealing with. It was only after Chevrolet introduced its Chevrolet Nova model car into Central and South America some years ago, for example, that it discovered that “no va” is Spanish for “won’t go.” Needless to say, this model was not well received there.

To keep everyone focused and centered, you will also need someone in overall control; someone who can see how every element must come together, and recognize what is actually possible and what is only wishful thinking, and never lose sight of the overall purpose of the process.

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Communication Strategy Design: Purpose and Rationale