Communication strategy: What is it and how to create one?

A communication strategy is a fundamental element of any effective marketing campaign.

It involves not only the planning and execution of communication activities but also defining key messages, tone of voice, and supporting arguments (RTB – Reason to Believe). A well-thought-out communication strategy allows for effective audience reach, building relationships with customers, and strengthening the brand image.

It’s important to note that a brand communication strategy is developed based on brand positioning (describing how the brand will occupy its place in the market), which is part of the brand strategy (a set of main guidelines and action plans for the brand). Often, the communication strategy is equated with the brand strategy, but this is incorrect. The brand strategy includes general guidelines and assumptions regarding all aspects of communication, including visual elements, focusing on defining the brand identity. On the other hand, the brand communication strategy defines how these guidelines should be implemented daily. It focuses on the effective use of available resources to achieve the company’s communication goals.

Why is it worth creating a brand communication strategy?

Here are the main reasons:

Consistency of message: When messages are consistent, they strengthen the brand identity.
They make it easier for clients to recognize and build trust. Consistent messaging also helps avoid misunderstandings and errors that may arise from uncoordinated communication.

Effective resource management: By precisely defining channels, tones, and communication styles, companies can better allocate their marketing budgets and human resources. This makes communication activities more targeted and effective, allowing for better results at lower costs.

Crisis management assistance: In difficult and unexpected situations, well-thought-out communication can significantly minimize negative impacts on the brand’s reputation.

Ultimately, a brand communication strategy is essential for effectively conveying the company’s values and mission. It helps in clearly expressing who the company is, what it stands for, and what it offers, contributing to building a unique market position and competitive advantage. Very often, such a strategy is prepared for planned, larger, and more intensive activities.

Communication strategy – step by step

Creating a strategy is a multi-stage process. The key stages in creating a communication strategy are:

Defining goals

Setting clear goals is a fundamental step in creating a brand communication strategy. Goals set the course for our communication activities and serve as a reference point for evaluating their effectiveness. They may include increasing brand awareness, boosting product or service sales, improving customer relations, building engagement, or promoting new products. Clear goal-setting allows focusing efforts on achieving strategic results, which is crucial for the success of the entire communication strategy.

When setting goals, it is worth following the SMART method, where goals should be:

• Specific
• Measurable
• Achievable
• Realistic
• Time-bound

Key Message

The key message is the foundation of communication. When creating a Key Message, we should ensure that the message is clear, consistent, and consistently repeated in all marketing activities. It should reflect the brand’s mission, vision, and values. Key aspects to consider include:

• Simplicity and understandability — the message should be easy to understand and remember.
• Adaptation to the audience — the message must be emotionally engaging and address the needs and expectations of the target group.
• Unique Selling Proposition (USP) — the message should communicate what distinguishes our offer from the competition.

Tone of Voice (ToV)

The tone of communication is the way the brand communicates with its audience. It should be consistent with its image and values. The tone can be formal, friendly, humorous, etc. The key is that it is consistently applied across all communication channels.

Reason to Believe (RTB)

Another step in creating a communication strategy is defining RTB, which are elements that convince the audience to believe in our value proposition. These may include:

• Social proof – customer reviews, recommendations, case studies.
• Facts and data – specific numbers, statistics, research.
• Authorities – collaboration with experts, influencers, known personalities.

Touchpoints

An essential element of creating a communication strategy is identifying touchpoints. It is crucial to find all points of contact between the brand and the audience. Touchpoints are all places and situations where a consumer interacts with the brand. These can be both direct interactions and subtle marketing stimuli.

Media and Campaign Plan Outline

Developing a media plan includes:

• Choosing appropriate communication channels: At this stage, we select the communication channels that will be most effective in reaching our audience. This may include social media, traditional media (television, radio, press), email marketing, or specialized industry platforms.
• Adapting messages to the specifics of these channels: Each communication channel has its own characteristics and specifics. Advertising or informational messages should be adapted to the format and expectations of users of a given medium. For example, content on social media can be more dynamic and interactive, while traditional media may require focusing on more detailed, fact-based content.
• Action schedule: Planning the schedule of actions is crucial for the effectiveness of the campaign. We determine when and how often we will publish our messages to reach our target group at the right time and place. The schedule also considers special events, seasonality, and key moments for our industry.
• Establishing effectiveness measures

It is necessary to set effectiveness measures for each channel. Example KPIs can include website visits, engagement levels on social media, and newsletter subscribers. Without these metrics, it is difficult to assess whether the actions are bringing the desired results.

Creative concept

Based on the communication strategy, we develop the campaign concept. This concept should be unique, engaging, and tailored to the brand’s specifics and its audience. At this stage, it is worth focusing on identifying and understanding the audience – a thorough analysis of the target group, their needs, preferences, and behaviors. This stage includes not only the demographic characteristics of the audience, such as age, gender, geographic location, or socio-economic status, but also psychographic aspects, such as lifestyles, values, preferences, needs, and expectations. The better we understand our audience, the more precisely we will be able to tailor our messages and choose appropriate communication channels.

Examples of communication strategy creation in our agency

Purella – Campaign “Active Parent – Active Child”

We had the pleasure of developing a communication strategy for the Purella brand. The company approached us for support in reintroducing its products to the market. We aimed to increase brand awareness and its benefits among a wide group of parents. To strengthen the brand’s market position, we identified unique elements that distinguish it in communication. One of these elements was the brand’s philosophy, which aims to democratize healthy eating and promote healthy habits. Another distinguishing feature was the already established communication figure of the ambassador, Ewa Chodakowska. To give the BeRAW Kids campaign a wide reach, we planned activities aimed at generating word of mouth and maximizing earned media. In addition to social media management, we have established partnerships with media and trade partners. Thus, we enabled the brand to appear in widely circulated media without incurring huge advertising costs.

Valio – Campaign “Finnish Mix on Polish Bread”

We also developed a communication strategy for the Valio brand when introducing their products to the Polish market. Following the process, we identified unique elements distinguishing the brand: milk from Finnish family farms and cow welfare, great buttery taste, natural and simple composition. Each of these features could be the main theme of communication. Ultimately, we focused on the unique taste, combining it in the Key Message with the beloved Polish bread, making the slogan emotionally resonate with the audience. We promoted the campaign on social media and also managed influencer collaborations. These initiatives contributed to making the Valio brand widely known among Poles.

Summary

A communication strategy is a key element of any marketing campaign. It involves not only developing a campaign concept but also defining key messages, tone of voice, supporting arguments, and planning media activities. A well-thought-out communication strategy allows for effective audience reach, building relationships with customers, and strengthening the brand image.

FAQ

What is a communication strategy?

Answer: A communication strategy is an action plan that defines how a brand will communicate with its audience, what messages it will convey, and what media it will use.

Why is the Key Message important?

Answer: The Key Message helps build a consistent and understandable brand image that is easy for the audience to remember.

How to determine the tone of communication?

Answer: The tone of communication is determined based on the brand image and its values. It should be consistently applied in all communication activities.

What is Reason to Believe (RTB)?

Answer: RTB are supporting arguments that convince the audience to believe in our value proposition. These can be social proofs, facts, data, and authorities.

What are the key elements of a media plan?

Answer: The key elements of a media plan are choosing the right communication channels, adapting messages to the specifics of these channels, and scheduling actions.