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November 12, 2018

Communication Plan for Associations

One of the biggest issues for associations is communicating effectively at all levels of the organization.

The Communication Plan Outline

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 Board of Directors (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

Blog

Listservs

Autoresponders

Social Media - Facebook/Twitter/RealTown Communities

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

Communications

Minutes

Agendas

Calendars

Magazines

Schedules

REALTOR.org

4. Decide which communication tools you will be employing for each communication channel

5. Determine the frequency of current communications down channels identified

Daily

Weekly

Monthly

Annually

6. 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

7. Determine the person responsible for ensuring the implementation of the communication plan

8. Monitor results

If you feel you need better communications at your association, what are you doing differently to accomplish your desired results?

"Insanity: Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results."