Use these strategies to hold yourself to your communication goals
Now that 2023 is underway, you most likely have your communications strategy and goals set for the year. (If you don’t, check out our recent blog post “Make your strategic priorities count with an effective communications plan.”)
Planning is essential to ensure that everything you do serves a greater strategic purpose. Sticking to all of those plans, on the other hand, can be its own challenge.
Things come up, priorities shift, and it is easy to get sidelined in your day-to-day tasks and lose sight of those larger goals.
Follow these tips to not only ensure you are getting the most out of your planning, but also pivoting where necessary to continuously build your plan.
1. Set generous deadlines – and stick to them
I know – nobody likes deadlines. However, the hard truth is that they work. Whether you set them or they are set for you, deadlines will keep you moving forward.
For communicators, work is accelerating. Channels are growing and the need for quick communication is on the rise. To match our fast-paced environment, your deadlines should have two characteristics: generous and immovable.
Generous timelines allow you to dedicate the time necessary to accomplish what you’ve set out for yourself. Allow yourself the chance for fresh eyes to take a look. Additionally, generous timelines might give you an opportunity to deliver ahead of schedule, which makes a positive impact.
On the other hand, immovable deadlines are essential to keep you on track. There are many legitimate reasons to move a deadline, but try to keep that as a last resort. Be mindful of last-minute requests and be prepared to ensure you can keep your original deadline.
2. Always be working towards your goals
Another way to keep yourself on track to accomplish your 2023 Communications Strategy is to look at all the work you do through the lens of achieving your strategic goals.
Instead of meeting a quota of emails sent or Yammer posts created, think instead about how each initiative and tactic can help to solidify your overall goals. With this mindset, simple daily needs won’t detract from your overarching strategy, but instead serve as supporting pieces to it.
Before long, you will be upholding your plan with more intention, but less work.
3. Measure, measure, and then measure a bit more
Finally, the last key to keeping yourself on track is to set a clear, consistent schedule for measurement. Whether you report out, or save them for your own usage, keeping records will help you not only maintain a consistent impact, but continually improve your reach.
Seeing that regular impact will also help keep you on track by setting a schedule. Instead of picking dates and times at random, you’ll start to see patterns that will help you develop a more high-impact approach to maximize your reach.
Keeping to your goals can be a daunting task, but by just utilizing a few of the tactics outlined here, you’ll be better off to accomplish your goals as well as relieve the stress of falling behind.
If you want help realizing your goals for the year, Pivot Strategies has a talented team of communicators that will not only expand your impact, but make your life easier.
Connect with us and let’s get to work.
About the Author
Conlan Campbell, Communications Consultant
Conlan brings a mix of corporate and agency experience to Pivot, where he strives to help clients meet their communications objectives and bridge the gap between them and their audiences. Conlan’s background runs the gamut of communications strategy, but he is most passionate about communications technology and efforts to create a more modern workforce.
