When it comes to communications, moving from scramble to strategy sounds great in theory. But what does it look like in real life, with the actual capacity you have?

In Part 1 of this series, we talked about going beyond tactics and naming the full value communications can deliver across your organization. In Part 2, we dug into messaging that actually moves people.

Part 3 of the series is about making it real. Real, as in a communications plan you people can actually use; a culture where comms isn’t just one person’s problem; and a way of planning that respects the fact that you are not a 50‑person department with unlimited time.

So, what does a comms plan actually entail? Think of your communications plan as your GAME plan for how you’re going to show up in the world over the next three to six months. We are borrowing “GAME plan” language from our friends at LightBox Collaborative, who’ve done wonderful work making strategy feel more accessible and fun. It’s the idea that this isn’t meant to be a sacred, perfect document  – it’s your playbook.

At its simplest, your plan needs to include:

• Goals
• Audiences
• Messaging
• Strategies and tactics for engagement
• An action plan that turns those ideas into  timelines, staffing, and resources

Let’s walk through each piece in plain language.

1. Goals – What are you actually trying to accomplish?

Communications goals don’t live in a vacuum. They’re there to support what you’re already trying to do: win campaigns, move policies, grow your base, raise money, strengthen your team. See part 1 for more on this. So instead of “We want more followers,” try questions like: What are our top organizational priorities for the next 3-6 months? How can communications make those priorities easier to accomplish?

For example, if your advocacy goal is to stop a harmful policy, a comms goal might be: “Build public pressure on decision makers and keep our base informed and ready to act.”

Once you’re clear on your core goals, everything else becomes easier to right‑size. You’re no longer asking, “What should we post on tiktok?” in the abstract. You’re asking, “What helps us move toward these goals?”

2. Audiences – Who needs to hear from you to make those goals real?

You probably have many stakeholders: base members, donors, staff, coalition partners, policymakers, media, and more. But your plan will be more useful if you tie them to specific goals, learn more about them and prioritize them.

For each audience, ask: What are their values and motivations? Who do they listen to? What barriers get in the way of them acting? What is a clear call to action we have for them, What do we want them to do as a result of our communications?

Instead of trying to talk to everyone about everything, you’re making intentional choices about who needs your attention most right now.

3. Message – Carrying your Part 2 work forward

Part 2 in this series was all about clarifying the difference between narrative, frames, messaging, and stories.

Your plan needs to put the work you did in part 2 to use. Pull in:

• Your core organizational messaging: Who you are, what you do, why it matters, and the values that guide you.
• Any campaign‑specific messaging: Clear language about the issue you’re working on, what’s at stake, and what you’re inviting people to do.

4. Engagement strategies and tactics – Turning Your Plan into Action

Once goals, audiences, and messages are in place, strategies and tactics are simply the “how” you will deliver your messages to your audiences to reach your goals.

Communications strategies are the big‑picture approaches you choose to move people and advance your goals. Strategies are about direction. They don’t tell you exactly what to post on Tuesday; they tell you what kind of presence you’re building and why. A strategy might be:

• “Deepen trust and two‑way communication with our base during this legislative session.”
• “Increase visibility and credibility with local media on our core issues.”
• “Make it easier for new supporters to find us, understand us, and take the first action.”

Communications tactics are the specific actions and touchpoints you use to carry out those strategies. They’re the concrete things that show up in your communications action plan –  the posts, emails, conversations, events, and media moves that put your messages in front of real people. In the table below, see examples of communications tactics by category to choose from.

For the engagement part of the plan, choose strategies based on your goals and audiences. Then pick tactics that fit those strategies and your real capacity. You decide which channels matter most in this season, instead of trying to be everywhere at once.

For example:

• If your strategy is “Deepen trust with our base,” your tactics might emphasize in‑person events, WhatsApp updates, and monthly emails, with social media playing a supporting role.
• If your strategy is “Increase relationships with local media,” your tactics might focus on op‑eds, reporter briefings, and rapid response statements, with digital channels backing that up by sharing and contextualizing coverage.
• If your strategy is “Shift narrative in a broader ecosystem,” your tactics might include partnering with influencers, equipping coalition partners with message toolkits, and lifting user‑generated stories from your community.

The key is that you’re not picking tactics because you “should be on substack” or “everyone else is sending emails.” You’re picking tactics because they are the right tools, in the right channels, to move your people toward your goals, at a pace your team can actually sustain.

5. Final step: Turning it into a quarterly communications action plan

Once you have a communications strategy for six months or one year, the next step is to translate it into a quarterly action plan you and your team will actually use.  Your communications action plan is basically a simple calendar or spreadsheet that can guide you and your team and keeps everyone on the same page:

• Deadline (month or week) by which that activity will be done
• Activities/tactics
• Priority goals and audiences that map to each activity or tactic
• Lead staff and collaborators
• Needed resources (time, budget, tools, outside support)
• Key moments in the world (legislative dates, campaigns, community events)

Bringing it all together

To summarize, moving from scramble to strategy is about knowing what you’re trying to accomplish; being clear on who you’re talking to and what they need; using messages that will move those audiences into action; identifying communications strategies and tactics to reach those audiences; and turning all of that into doable action plan.

If your current plan is “We respond when something happens,” you’re not alone. This series is your invitation to sit down with your team, name your real capacity and map out the next three months. You don’t have to do it perfectly. You just have to start.

At Change Consulting, we recognize the distinct hurdles organizations encounter in today’s current landscape. Whether you require assistance in managing a complex situation, or refining your narrative, framing, and messaging, we’re here to help. Contact us at hello@change-llc.com.