Developing Communication Strategy

1. Developing Communication Strategy Obadiah Tohomdet Senior Communications Officer Africa Regional Strategic Communications AFRSC. WORLD BANK, NIGERIA "If You Don't Know Where You Are Going, You Will Wind Up Somewhere Else" - Yogi Berra (Philosopher n Vision and Purpose).

2. STRATEGIC • Being strategic requires that organizations be more deliberate, innovative, savvy, and less reactive in their communications practice (Julia Coffman:2004) "If You Don't Know Where You Are Going, You Will Wind Up Somewhere Else" - Yogi Berra (Philosopher n Vision and Purpose).

3. DEFINITION • STRATEGIC COMMUNICATION: To develop programs designed to influence the voluntary behavior of target audience(s) in ways that support project as well as management objectives • Communication Strategy articulates, explains and promotes a vision and set of well defined goals as well as creates consistent messages that link diverse activities and goals in a way that appeals to stakeholders (modified.Verzosa). "If You Don't Know Where You Are Going, You Will Wind Up Somewhere Else" - Yogi Berra (Philosopher n Vision and Purpose).

4. THE SIX “P” FORMULA • Proper Prior Planning Prevents Poor Performance (Brian Tracy, 2002) • Communication should be planned not adhoc "If You Don't Know Where You Are Going, You Will Wind Up Somewhere Else" - Yogi Berra (Philosopher n Vision and Purpose).

5. COMMUNICATION STRATEGY • Upstream Communication (Applies to Internal & External Audience) • Downstream Communication (Applies to beneficiaries) "If You Don't Know Where You Are Going, You Will Wind Up Somewhere Else" - Yogi Berra (Philosopher n Vision and Purpose).

6. GOAL • The ultimate goal of strategic communication is to influence the audience's voluntary behavior in ways that support project objectives • To facilitate a change in behavior rather than to merely raise awareness, change attitudes, or disseminate information. • Behavior change by specific client and stakeholder groups is critical to the achievement of development objectives – not just awareness. "If You Don't Know Where You Are Going, You Will Wind Up Somewhere Else" - Yogi Berra (Philosopher n Vision and Purpose).

7. MANAGEMENT DECISIONS • Communication is a management responsibility • Communication Audit/Needs Assessment-To identify communication needs( Capacity, perceptions, risks etc). • Internal Communication-Addresses the stakeholder groups within the government or organization structure who will be responsible for implementing the project, idea or policy. These could be mid-level managers, bureaucrats, policy makers, and politicians at national state and local levels. • Ensures Internal consensus and buy-in by staff . • External Communication- This seeks to assist audiences outside the formal government or organizations structure (such as donors, government employee associations, media, CSOs, Media, private sector etc). This ensures unified message for credibility/image. • Project Communication – This addresses specific beneficiaries to understand, participate, adopt and own the idea and project. "If You Don't Know Where You Are Going, You Will Wind Up Somewhere Else" - Yogi Berra (Philosopher n Vision and Purpose).

8. MESSAGE AUDIENCE BEHAVIOR CHANNELS EVALUATION Take-away Message Supporting Data Communication Management Decisions Management Objective: "If You Don't Know Where You Are Going, You Will Wind Up Somewhere Else" - Yogi Berra (Philosopher n Vision and Purpose). Cecilia C. Verzosa Cecilia C. Verzosa

9. AUDIENCE • Who Needs to be Reached? • Primary – those whose behavior your program would want to influence • Secondary – those who influence the behavior of a primary target audience(peer groups)- To do or not to do. • Tertiary audiences – those in positions of authority or influence over a large group of people. May formulate policy, provide financial resources – political leaders, Parliamentarians, Policymakers, village councils, NGOs etc – Individuals or groups critical to the acceptance of the project in the country - For upstream communication. Upstream communication aimed to strengthen understanding and buy-in from key constituencies – members of Parliament, media, International NGOs and donor agencies, faith-based organizations, and community based groups. Downstream communication activities refer to the communication component of a project aimed at helping target audience (primary and secondary Audience) to learn about and adopt new practices. "If You Don't Know Where You Are Going, You Will Wind Up Somewhere Else" - Yogi Berra (Philosopher n Vision and Purpose).

10. BEHAVIOR • WHAT CHANGE IN BEHAVIOR IS REQUIRED?- Staff should understand what is causing the need for change in the organization- this needs to be communicated in a clear and simple way throughout the organization. • Note that some campaigns may only create awareness and enlighten the audience as well as create positive feelings and attitudes in them but may not make them to take action. • Awareness – What one has heard and known about an issue . • Knowledge – How True I believe something is after learning about it. What people know and understand about the issue – through experience, observation or teaching. • Attitude- How People FEEL about something. How Bad or Good I feel something is • Behavior - What People DO voluntarily. The specific ACTION taken by the target audience Why people resist change: Fear, prejudice, anxiety, apathy, ignorance. Fear of the unknown and comfort with the familiar. Often power bases and successes are rooted in the past and present not necessarily the future. MOTIVATION: Shared awareness and understanding of the triggers to change can help smooth the process. People accept change when hey know it is necessary. People will respond to challenge of crisis but may react negatively to threat. Change must provide challenges and stimulation. Change is assisted by climate of enthusiasm and participation. "If You Don't Know Where You Are Going, You Will Wind Up Somewhere Else" - Yogi Berra (Philosopher n Vision and Purpose).

11. BEHAVIOR… • Management and Communication Officers Recognizing what clients perceive as barriers to adoption of new behaviors is critical to developing a communication plan. • Management takes certain steps/decisions to influence/ enhance the voluntary behavior of the targets/audience/stakeholders/clients • Create environment that facilitates behavior change through: - policy framework that supports behavior change and shapes social norms, providing services and products that make the behavior easy, convenient and feasible "If You Don't Know Where You Are Going, You Will Wind Up Somewhere Else" - Yogi Berra (Philosopher n Vision and Purpose).

12. FACTORS THAT MOTIVATE BEHAVIOR CHANGE • BCOS FACTORS • B – Benefits(benefits clients can gain from accepting new ideas, embracing new attitudes and attempting new behavior) • C – Costs – The target will think of the cost in term of time, finance, self esteem, dignity, peace of mind etc before adopting the new behavior • O – Others (who is also adopting the new behavior?. Could be friends, role models, peer groups ) • S - Self Efficacy (Do I have the capacity to perform the new behavior?) Some training/ counseling/skills building may be needed) THE PRINCIPLE • Pleasureand Pain – The Principle is that human beings are motivated by PLEASURE and PAIN. "If You Don't Know Where You Are Going, You Will Wind Up Somewhere Else" - Yogi Berra (Philosopher n Vision and Purpose).

13. OTHER FACTORS THAT DRIVE BEHAVIOR CHANGE • Force – This could be through use of law and enforcement. Usually not sustainable • Facts - Some people feel that by providing facts about an issue, targets could be changed. • Feelings– need to be transformed from negative to positive • Freebies– rewards and gifts could contribute to change • Facilitation – To make things easy for the person adopting the new behavior  These should be addressed while designing the communication strategy "If You Don't Know Where You Are Going, You Will Wind Up Somewhere Else" - Yogi Berra (Philosopher n Vision and Purpose).

14. MESSAGE • WHAT MESSAGE WOULD BE APPROPRIATE? • MESSAGE is the target audience’s response to the message put out by the communicator. • Message should be persuasive i.e. appeal to the mind and heart. Not technical and abstract. • The messages should be rooted in what interests the clients(not the organization). • Messages should focus on benefits clients can gain from accepting new ideas, embracing new attitudes and attempting new behavior. Should be client-driven or client -centered rather than organization-centered. "If You Don't Know Where You Are Going, You Will Wind Up Somewhere Else" - Yogi Berra (Philosopher n Vision and Purpose).

15. TAKE-AWAY MESSAGE • Focus on stakeholders’NEEDS • Target Stakeholder Beliefs or Opinions • Culturally Sensitive • Answer the stakeholder’s question: “What does this have to do with me ?” • Memorable-Simple, Focused and concise. • SUPPORTING DATA: Information, documents, facts, examples the communicator uses to backup his claim to the audience that adoption of the new behavior benefits them. "If You Don't Know Where You Are Going, You Will Wind Up Somewhere Else" - Yogi Berra (Philosopher n Vision and Purpose).

16. CHANNELS • WHICH CHANNEL WILL BE MOST EFFECTIVE IN REACHING THE TARGET AUDIENCE? • The messages are communicated through channels . These channels are selected on the basis of which sources of information are perceived by the clients as credible and trustworthy; effectiveness of reach and cost of access by clients. • Various means of relaying Messages – face-to-face Meetings, Radio, TV, Groups Sessions, Town Crier, The New Media-Internet, GSM, Mass Text, Blogs, websites. Channels could also be personalities, Champions, disciples, groups, letters, roadshows, lectures etc etc "If You Don't Know Where You Are Going, You Will Wind Up Somewhere Else" - Yogi Berra (Philosopher n Vision and Purpose).

17. MONITORING AND EVALUATION • How will the Success/Failure of the Communication Strategy be Measured? • Tracking & Monitoring of Comm Program. • Indicators of success of communicators activities in achieving changes in awareness, knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, and practices or behavior. • How do I know my communication activities are succeeding? • Henceforth Cos are to work hand in hand with M&E Officers. "If You Don't Know Where You Are Going, You Will Wind Up Somewhere Else" - Yogi Berra (Philosopher n Vision and Purpose).

18. BARRIERS TO BEHAVIOR CHANGE & EFFECTIVE COMM. • Lack of policy (Policy Makers – Government Officials, Legislators, NGOs/CSOs etc) • Poor service delivery (synchronization of service delivery with Communication)-Technical staff of projects • Non provision of alternatives (fall back mechanism)- TTLs, Project Management. "If You Don't Know Where You Are Going, You Will Wind Up Somewhere Else" - Yogi Berra (Philosopher n Vision and Purpose).

19. COMMUNICATION BUDGET • Communication can be costly and must be adequately funded. • Researches have shown that the higher the Budget for Communication, the greater the return on investment(roi) • Communication programs must be well financed and supported by management to achieve project and management objectives. • Communication Officers need regular skills building and experience to select cost effective communication. "If You Don't Know Where You Are Going, You Will Wind Up Somewhere Else" - Yogi Berra (Philosopher n Vision and Purpose).

20. TO DO • Develop Terms of Reference(TOR) • Conduct Communication Based Assessment(CBA), Survey or Needs Assessment(To assess level of awareness, knowledge and understanding, perception, attitudes and behavioral practices and even opposition). • Engagement and Training of Communication Officers • Development of Communication Strategy, Action Plan and Timeline • Implementation and Supervision of Communication Activities • Monitoring and Evaluation of Effectiveness and impact of Communication products and messages "If You Don't Know Where You Are Going, You Will Wind Up Somewhere Else" - Yogi Berra (Philosopher n Vision and Purpose).

21. ‘THE SILENT ORGANIZATION’ • “If organizations do not manage their communications, others will. The media, the Unions, the “rumour mill” and the competitors are only too willing to assist the ‘silent organization’ in its time of need” - Paton and McCalman "If You Don't Know Where You Are Going, You Will Wind Up Somewhere Else" - Yogi Berra (Philosopher n Vision and Purpose).

22. Further Reading • Julia Coffman.2004. http://www.mediaevaluationproject.org/WorkingPaper1.pdf. Communications Consortium Media Center, Washington DC • Cecilia Verzosa, Helen Garcia, 2009, Building Commitment to Reform through Strategic Communication, World Bank, Washington DC "If You Don't Know Where You Are Going, You Will Wind Up Somewhere Else" - Yogi Berra (Philosopher n Vision and Purpose).