Having recently completed a certificate program in grant writing, I was struck by the similarities to effective employee communications -- most significantly, the need to have a well thought out and articulated strategy. Without one, how do you know what you want to accomplish, how do you get others to share your vision and how do you evaluate how successful you've been in meeting your goals?

A strategic plan helps you develop a direction for the future and how you are going to get there. It includes: 

• Your overall objectives
• SMART (Strategic, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, Time-bound) goals
• The intended audience 
• Specific steps and activities, including key messages and media
• Persons responsible for each step 
• Timing.

Your plan should be a "living" document, one that is continually updated and revised to reflect changes in your mission and objectives, and following each evaluation of what worked and what did not.

Without a communications strategy, you are just going through the motions -- aimlessly. With one, you will have a clear path to success.