Write an internal communications plan
An effective internal comms plan helps you to organise your communication strategies, objectives and metrics. You can map out a timeline to identify key messages and channels for your audience(s).
Before you start
You’ll need to:
- Understand who’s commissioning this piece of work and who will have sign-off for the plan.
- Identify if there’s a budget – if so, the amount and the budget owner.
- Identify stakeholders who have the knowledge to help inform your internal communications plan.
- Decide if it would be best to meet stakeholders individually, or form a small working group.
You should be aware of:
For an introduction to Internal Communications (IC) at UCL and a completed example of an internal communications plan, please see the Resources section of our CAM+ Portal. You’ll need to be a member of CAM+ to access the Portal.
- 1. Meet with your key stakeholders
Your stakeholders will be able to provide information that will shape your internal communications plan.
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Find out:
- The purpose of the project or activity, why it’s happening, the likely impact, and any potential challenges.
- Who the project or activity will impact, who’ll want to find out more about it, and who could help you to promote this project.
- What are most important things each audence will need to know and anything they need them to do after they receive the communications.
- What successful communications would look like for this project e.g. high attendance rates or traffic to the web pages.
- Identify the time frame for the project or activity – is there a fixed launch date, or is it subject to change?
- 2. Create an internal communications plan template
An internal communications template will help you map out the key messages and timelines.
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Internal communications plan template
- 3. Add your audiences to the internal communications plan
Add your audiences and the key messages to the communications schedule. Think about the best way to reach each audience.
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You’ll need to plan:
- when to send out the communications to have the biggest impact
- how often to send the messages.
You should consider the frequency of communications and the number of channels used.
- 4. Make sure your plan is feasible
You’ll need to make sure you can deliver the plan in time.
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Check with the channel owners (on the UCL Comms Staff Map) that they can run your content and on the date that you need.
If commissioning work – get quotes and check it can be produced to meet your deadlines.
Keep your stakeholders updated with your plan. Make sure there’s a way for them to give feedback if they wish to – this could be by emailing you or you could set up an online form.
Ask for volunteers to help take the plan forward.
- 5. Assign responsibilities
Decide who would be best positioned to complete each task.
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Check that the person is happy to deliver this by the deadline.
Add this information to the Internal communications template (i.e. use it to track progress).