Creating a Communication Plan

One of the biggest issues for associations is communicating effectively

at all levels of the organization. To do so requires the creation of a

communication plan and commitment to its implementation.

Creating a communication plan requires the following:

1. Identifying the different channels of communication at your

association. Examples are:

Leadership to Staff
Staff to Leadership
Staff to Staff
Staff to Member
Member to Staff
Member to Member
Association to Public
Committee Chairs to Committee Members
Committee Chairs to Committee Chairs
Committee Chairs to BOD

2. Identify benefits to be derived from more effective communications and

which of those benefits you wish to experience.

Cost savings
More participation
Greater understanding of the workings of the association by all, members,

staff, public.

3. Identifying current communication tools used by your association and

alternate tools you are not using.

Meetings
Magazine
Newsletter
Telephone
Fax on Demand
e-mail
Website
Listservs
Autoresponders

4. Identify sources of content to communicate besides the "as needed"
communications

Minutes
Agendas
Calendars
Magazines
Schedules
REALTOR.org

5. Decide which communication tools you will be employing for each

communication channel

6. Determine frequency of current communications down channels identified

Daily
Weekly
Monthly
Annually

7. Determine desired frequency of communications to various channels

Daily
Weekly
Monthly
Annually

Examples:
President to Board of Directors - Monthly by meeting and weekly by

e-mail, supplemented by website Committee Chairs to Committees - Monthly

by meeting, weekly by e-mail

8. Determine person responsible for insuring the implementation of the

communication plan

9. Monitor results

If you feel you need better communications at your association, what are

you doing different to accomplish your desired results?

"Insanity: Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting

different results." Albert Einstein

Saul