Communications professionals and executives often use "communications plan" and "communications strategy" interchangeably. In most conversations, the distinction probably doesn't matter.
But in key moments—such as presenting a comms approach to senior leaders or colleagues to get their buy-in—understanding the distinction can make all the difference.
Two sides of the same coin
In theory, a communications strategy is your big-picture approach, while a communications plan is the nitty-gritty execution (i.e., exactly what, by exactly who, by exeactly when). But in practice, these often blend into a single document.
The key to making that document effective? Knowing your audience and making sure your document covers both perspectives in a format that enables you to nimbly move between different contexts.
For example, when presenting to senior leadership, you might focus 90% on strategy and 10% on execution. For your comms peers, it's often the reverse. This is where having a versatile communications plan template becomes invaluable.
The power of a good comms plan template
A well-designed communications plan template strikes the perfect balance between high-level strategy and actionable details. It's not so abstract as to be useless, nor so detailed that it becomes a mere spreadsheet. Instead, it serves as a comprehensive home for your project or initiative.
One approach (and the one we use here at CommsPlan.io) for communications plan templates is to take inspiration from the McKinsey approach to presentations.
Here are the elements of a McKinsey approach that can help in this situation:
Structured Storytelling: Your communications plan tells a story, from the initial challenge to your proposed solution and expected outcomes.
One Idea Per Slide: This principle ensures clarity in your communications plan. Each key message or tactic gets its moment in the spotlight.
Pyramid Principle: Start with your main recommendation or strategy, then provide supporting details. This approach is particularly effective when presenting your communications plan to time-pressed executives.
Consistent Design: A polished, professional look elevates your communications plan and allows stakeholders to focus on your content, not your formatting.
Executive Summary Slides: These are crucial in a communications plan, allowing you to quickly tailor your presentation to different audiences.
Clear Navigation: Numbered slides and section headers make your communications plan easy to reference and discuss in meetings.
Bridging Strategy and Execution
The beauty of a well-crafted communications plan template in PowerPoint is its versatility. Using one PPT deck allows you to:
Present a high-level communications strategy to the C-suite and senior leaders
Break down detailed tactics for your team
Move from in-person, to virtual (Teams or Zoom), with ease
Adjust the level of detail based on your audience
Maintain consistency across all your communication initiatives
Be a single source of truth as you advance a project (e.g., versus a folder of Excel tracking files, strategy Word docs, PowerPoint presentations for meetings, etc)
To be sure, some larger projects will require all of these things, and your team might use something like Asana or Notion for tracking things anyway. Still, that is "your work plan" and probably not at the level your leaders and colleagues need to see (sorry!).
Maximizing Your Communications Plan Template
To get the most out of your communications plan template:
Start with your overarching communication goals
Outline your key messages and target audiences
Detail your tactics and channels
Include timelines and responsibilities
Don't forget to add measurement metrics
Remember, a great communications plan template is a living document. It should be easy to update as your project evolves.
All the comms plan templates on CommsPlan.io are designed so you can adopt this approach, so you can focus on crafting a great strategy and flawless execution.
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