Free internal comms plan template

Tip: This should be a living document, accessible by others. Use it in discussion with your partner or team to form the plan, align it to business objectives and use it to get approval.

Download the planner

You can download the planner here

Further reading on the All Things IC blog: How to be a trusted adviser
Further reading on the All Things IC blog: How to write an internal communication strategy
Further reading on the All Things IC blog: Bust the jargon with my IC glossary.

Learn more about internal communication via our Online Masterclasses:

• How to measure your internal communication – learn how to measure your internal communication.
• How to review and plan your internal communication – discover how to look back at your work and plan ahead.
• How to write an internal communication strategy – learn how to write your own IC strategy.
• The internal communicator’s guide to hybrid working – to help you navigate through different ways of working.
• How to be an internal communicator – ideal if you’re new to the world of IC or have up to three years’ experience.
• How to be a Comms Consultant – Exploration – this is for you if you’re thinking about going freelance and becoming an IC Consultant.
• Introduction to internal communication channels – get up to speed quickly.
• How to create a 90 day plan – to set you up for success in your new Internal Comms role.
• How to be a strategic internal communicator – to help you improve your Comms capability.

Five tips to help you apply the guidelines

1. Set measurable objectives

Often objectives are vague, such as ‘Raise awareness of the new social media policy’. Make yours SMART – specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and timely. This will help you focus on what needs to be achieved. For example, ‘Ensure all staff are aware of the new social media policy and sign that they have read it by end of Q4.’

Have a singular vision for success: what is the single most compelling idea you want remembered?

2. Be specific about your audience

Often when meeting internal teams, they’ll want their initiative to reach “as many people aspossible”. It’s useful to explore with them specifically who they want to reach, and for what reason. Once you explore this together, you’ll often find a smaller, more distinct group is appropriate.

Ask about the current attitudes and knowledge of your audience. What do they know and think now? What do you want them to do differently as a result of your communications? Crucially, explore‘what’s in it for them’. This will help you craft messaging.

3. Ensure tactics match audience preference and need

Once you’ve honed in on your specific audience, try to understand more about their communication preferences. Where are they based? Do they have regular access to a computer or are they mainly on the road/in the field? Is it a message for managers to share with their teams?

By understanding these areas, you can decide which communication is best for them. It might be a podcast they can listen to on the go; a video conference they can join or a town hall meeting – or all three. Vitally, avoid the temptation to be driven by product rather than purpose.

For instance, you might be asked to create a video, or a newsletter – but before launching in, make sure this is what would work best for your audience to achieve your objective.

4. Measure outputs and outcomes

As I mentioned in my previous blog, ‘5 barriers to effective internal comms measurement’ it’s not enough to just measure reach (number of page hits, downloads, attendees etc).

Find ways to also measure what employees think, feel and do, by using techniques such as questionnaires, interviews, or focus groups. For instance, you could have a quick five-question poll asking employees to rate the value of a video, webinar or information pack. Or you could call a dozen employees and ask them the top three learnings they gained from a given meeting or conference.

5. Plan, do, review

Simply knowing the activity was completed is not enough. When your communication initiative is achieved, get together with your partner team and discuss learning and next steps. What would you do differently next time? Were things delivered on time and on budget? Work should always be an iterative process – strive for continuous improvement.

With all of this, aim to keep stripping it back to basics. Don’t over-complicate it with pages of information. By spending time perfecting your plan and ‘lining up all your ducks in a row’ you are putting off action. It can also risk you becoming formulaic and stale. By keeping it focused, you’ll know the most crucial elements and have more headspace to be creative, flexible and have fun.

Download the planner

You can download the planner here

Post author: Saskia Jones.