5 steps to build its communication strategy

Have a real communication strategy is not clear. When is an entrepreneur, you want a lot of things for his communication: website, flyers, event, social networking, video ... Often, the ideas go in all directions and expected results can be disappointing. Here are 5 key steps to build its communication strategy.

1. Analyze your market and your competitors

The first step before you embark on the development of a communication strategy is to know your business environment. What is your market? Who are your competitors and how do they communicate? Are there a company in your area that stands out more than another? And why? Many questions that need answers that you bring to have a precise knowledge of the professional environment in which you stand. It is also important to take into account the budget that your competitors are investing in communication to get an idea of ​​the budget set.

2. Clearly define the target or targets

The second important step is to define and analyze precisely the target or you are targeting. Depending on their age, their location, workplace, you're not going to speak to them in the same way. You will not contact either with the same message to your partner or with your clients. Note therefore exactly who you want to contact, what their habits are and what message they can identify.

3. Establish the message to convey

Once you have a clear vision of your market, your competitors and your future customers, there must be a message that clearly defines your business in place. The first question you need to ask yourself: is that everyone understands my business? If yes, then you can communicate more precisely about your services or products. If not, it is then necessary that the main axis of communication is to simplify your message. Because if we establish a hierarchy of messages, the # 1 is the understanding of the activity, the No. 2 most you make in relation to competition and # 3 the details of your services or products

4. List all communication actions to achieve

Once or defined targets and the selected message, you can then list the communication actions you want to perform. They must be useful, relevant and meet all the previous steps. Look how best to reach your targets. You offer a service for students? Get them on the web via social networks and universities with posters and flyers. You offer a product for moms? Infiltrate networks, blogs and forums of interest, arrange a targeted media campaign on women's magazines. Each company's target and its communication strategy to achieve it.

5 Establish a communication plan.

To better organize and avoid doing things in the wrong direction, it must establish a communication plan. This communication plan is a calendar that specifies your communication over 6 months or a year. Because communication should be done step by step. No need to make a flyer that links to your website if it does not exist! It is therefore necessary to think strategically about what actions to take place in a logical mind. In addition, this will allow you to spread the communication costs over several months. Communicating your company does not just amount to several actions. It requires a true reflection and analysis. This is a job that can take time, but that is largely necessary to organize your actions and give them the best chance to achieve the expected results. While you play, step by step, until communication plan!