Strategic Communication deals with the principles behind strategic communication planning. It covers the professional practice steps involved in researching, planning, writing, evaluating and implementing a communication strategy. This book links strategic communication campaign planning to medium and long-term business activity and to how organisations deal with issues.
This thoroughly revised third edition includes:
- New international cases and professional exercises that will enable students to work through the cases and apply theory to real-life situations;
- New discussion questions on important aspects of campaign planning;
- Chapter exercises that encourage students to think more broadly about communication strategy and work through the particular aspects of a strategy;
- In Theory panels that highlight key theories and demonstrate important links between theory and practice
Accessible and comprehensive, this is an essential text for students of professional communication and professionals transitioning into the field of Strategic Communication.
Author(s): James Mahoney
Edition: 3
Publisher: Routledge
Year: 2023
Language: English
Pages: 298
City: London
Cover
Half Title
Title Page
Copyright Page
Dedication
Table of Contents
List of Figures
List of Tables
Acknowledgements
The Brief
An Example of Strategic Communication in Action
About the Business of Organisations
Asking Questions
Guided Tour
How to use this Book
Introductory Panel
Key Terms and Glossary
Chapter Exercises
Cases
In Theory Panels
Further Reading
Evaluation Panels
Chapter 1: What this Book is About
A note of Caution
How the Chapters Work
Introductory Panels
Exercises and the Case Method
Evaluation Panels
A Strategic Communication Plan Framework
Choosing a Topic for your Strategic Plan Project
Chapter Exercise: Analysing an Issue
Product Tampering
Convincing Young Americans to Register to Vote
Sudden infant Death Syndrome and Sleeping Posture
Light Rail Planned for your City
Road Safety—Young Women Driving with Mobile Phones
A Community Consultation
Getting Rid of Plastic Waste in Thailand—Helping a 12-year-old Girl
What Next?
Chapter Evaluation
Chapter 2: The Nature of Strategic Communication
Issues Analysis and Management
Issues Management Process
In Theory: Some Issue Definitions
In Theory: Issue Dynamics
Issues and Strategy
Enhancing Reputations
The External Environment
Chapter Exercise: Your Organisation’s Non-market Environment
Strategic Communication
Some Strategic Communication Definitions
What Drives Strategic Communication?
Reputation, Values, Relationships, and Change
Reputation and Values
Relationships and Change
In Theory: Systems, Complexity, and Contingency
Chapter Exercise: Organisational Reputation and Issues Affecting It
Strategic Communication Leadership
Communicating About Issues
Communicating in Three Horizons
Chapter Exercise: Communicating about your Organisation’s Issue
Aligning Strategic Communication with the Three Horizons
Chapter Evaluation
Chapter 3: Communication Strategy and Business Planning
Strategic Directions
Case: Mission Statements, Goals and Objectives
Strategic Communication and Organisational Structures
Chapter Exercise: Identifying Organisational Directions
Specialist Practice and Strategic Communication
High-Level Decision-Making
Following the Genetic Code
Chapter Exercise: Public Affairs and Managing Issues
Building Relationships with Senior Executives
Chapter Evaluation
Time Out: On the Importance of Theory
Cornelissen’s Three Models of Translation
Case: Linking Research to Strategy
Chapter 4: Elements of a Communication Strategy
How Many Strategies can one Organisation Have?
Strategic Communication Plan Framework
Chapter Exercise: Strategies and Issues
The Never-Ending Naming thing Puzzle
Communication Strategy and the Market and Non-Market Environments
And Now to Politics
In Theory: Salience and Expectancy
Aligning Political Issues, Horizons and Strategic Communication
Chapter Exercise: Analysing News Media Coverage of Issues
Linking Planning to Evaluation
Chapter Evaluation
Chapter 5: Analysing Organisational Communication Needs
Starting the Planning Process
What is an Issue?
Understanding Context
In Theory: You can’t Google Context
Context and Environmental Scanning
Identifying and Analysing Issues
An Approach to Identifying Issues
Using Research in Strategic Communication
In Theory: Helping Professional Practice
Keeping on Track
Research for Strategic Communication
What do we Know? What do we Need to Find Out? How Might we do It?
Formal Research
Desk Research
Using Libraries
Annual Reports as a Research Source
Access to Market and Political Research
Media Monitoring
University Academics as Research Resources
Think Tanks
The Internet
Chapter Exercise: How many Centenarians are There?
Writing a Situation Analysis
Using a SWOT Analysis
Assessing Issues
Probability
Impact
Time out: An Electronic Issues Management Database
Issues Analysis and the Three-Horizons Approach
Strategic Plan Checklist: Your Analysis. Write a Situation Analysis for your Strategic Plan Project
Chapter Evaluation
Chapter 6: Why Target Publics Matter
Creative Tension
Who are Target Publics?
Questions About Target Publics that Need Precise Answers
The Kid Brother
From Stakeholders to Publics
In Theory: Stakeholders and Relationships
Depending on Resources
Target Public Segmentation
Some People like Footy; Others Detest It
In Theory: Who are They and How do They Behave?
Strategic Plan Checklist: Publics. Segmenting Stakeholders to Identify Target Publics
Categories of Target Publics
Why “General Public” Doesn’t Work
Journalists as Target Publics
Traditional and Non-Traditional Publics
Chapter Exercise: Identifying Categories of Target Publics
What do Target Publics Already know about your Organisation?
Chapter Exercise: Who is Really Interested in this Issue?
On Inclusiveness
Chapter Evaluation
Chapter 7: Setting the Compass: Communication Goals and Objectives
Effective Goals and Objectives
Defining Communication Goals and Objectives
Communication Goals, Objectives and Corporate Strategy
Case: Mission, Vision and Values Statements
In Theory: Borrowing a Concept
Writing Meaningful Goals
Strategic Plan Checklist: Goals. Write strategic communication goals
Measurable Objectives
In Theory: Concepts from Psychology
Writing Objectives
Case: Ten Big Ideas
Strategic Plan Checklist: Objectives. Write objectives to implement your goals
Goals, Objectives and Planning Horizons
Strategic Plan Checklist: Reputation. Write a reputation goal and objectives
Chapter Evaluation
Time Out: On Intercultural Communication
Chapter 8: Planning Effective Messages
The Importance of Messages
What are Messages?
Relevance and Truth
Messages, Pathways and Tools
In Theory: Worrying About Messages
How Many Messages?
Strategic Plan Checklist: Writing. Try Writing Concisely
Theoretical Paradigms that help Message Design
Propaganda
Informative Messages
Strategic Plan Checklist: Informative Messages. Write an Informative Message
Persuasive Messages
Ethics and Communication Practice
Chapter Exercise: Climate Change and Ethical Practice
Strategic Plan Checklist: Persuasive Messages. Plan and Write Persuasive Messages
Message Teamwork
Chapter Evaluation
Chapter 9: Reaching Target Publics: The Role of Communication Pathways
Defining Communication Pathways
Using Communication Pathways
Considerations for Choosing Communication Pathways
Uncontrolled Media
In Theory: On Framing
Missing the Target
Interpersonal Media
Controlled Media
Interactive (Social) Media
Special Events
Sponsorship
On Sponsorship and Philanthropy
Building Alliances
Reach, Impact and Control
Chapter Exercise: Social Media Use
Strategic Plan Checklist: Which Pathways? Selecting Communication Pathways
Chapter Evaluation
Chapter 10: Communication Tools—The Things we do
Planning Communication Tools
Which Pathways and what Tools?
Matching Pathways and Communication Tools
Reaching a Significant Number of People
A Test of Reach
The Amount of Information
Controlling the Delivery of Messages
In Theory: Repeating Messages
Effectiveness
Efficiency
Communication Tools in Practice
Chapter Exercise: Reaching Chief Executives
Being Creative
Strategic Plan Checklist: Matching Tools and Pathways. Using a Template
Chapter Evaluation
Time Out: On Applying Professional Practice Skills to Strategy
Chapter 11: Managing a Strategic Communication Plan
A Communication Plan’s Implementation Section
Using Information
Chapter Exercise: Be SMART when you Plan a Project
About Budgets
Consultancy Budgets and Charging
Calculating a Charge-Out Rate
Chapter Exercise: How Much Would you Cost?
What is in a Budget?
In Theory: Finding and Controlling the Money
Using Timelines and Checklists
Setting up a Timeline
Strategic Plan Checklist: An Implementation Timeline. Variations on a Theme
Working with Consultants
On Creativity
Working the System
Team Leadership
Strategic Plan Checklist: Implementation. Writing the Implementation Plan
Chapter Evaluation
Time Out: Planning Communication Pathways and Tools
Chapter 12: The Gemini Factor: Evaluating Strategic Communication Projects
Why Evaluate?
Practitioner Views
In Theory: On Methodology
What Needs to be Measured?
Evaluation Research Methodology
Evaluating Media Coverage
A Big No-No: Putting a Financial Value on Media Coverage
Making an Evaluation Work
Writing an Evaluation Plan
Evaluating a Corporate Strategic Communication Plan
Evaluation Puzzles
Strategic Plan Checklist: Evaluation. Write your Evaluation Plan
Chapter Evaluation
Chapter 13: Strategic Communication Counselling
The Communication Counsellor’s Role
Professional Practice: Venus or Mars?
Doing the Job
Technical Practice
Senior Practice
Counselling for the Non-market Environment
A Sense of Achievement
Chapter Exercise: How would you counsel this client?
Chapter Evaluation
A Reflection
Glossary
References
Index
