Strategic Communications
Training of Trainers
X State MDA
1
Welcome Note
• Opening Remarks
• Programme Information
2
Roadmap
•
•
•
•
Training Objectives
Strategic Communication for MDAs: Brief Overview
Defining Communication Objectives
Breakout Exercise:
Defining Communications Objectives
• Q&A
• Wrap Up & Next Steps
• Evaluations
3
Participant Introductions
• Name
• MDA you represent
• Job Title
• What you hope to gain from the training? –
Participant priorities
4
At the centre of it all
5
Training Objectives
Improve:
• MDA appreciation and understanding of the need for
communications plans, dept’s, personnel.
• Ministry capacity to develop and design effective
communications strategies for policy-making or reforms.
Capacitate:
• Ministry officials to use strategic communications within
their MDAs and supporting Ministries of the state
• Participants to use the Toolkit, Guidebook and supporting
materials to deliver strategic communications training in
State MDAs
6
What is strategic communication?
• Getting the right messages & information…
• to the right people … (and by the right
people)
• at the right time …
• using the right media …
• with the right effect!
A structured approach that combines information (one-way)
and dialogue (two-way) methods to achieve success
The Virtuous Circle
of effective policy communication
Pro-active, open,
targeted
communication
Higher demand for
info; Better chance for
Govt re-election;
support for future
programs
Better public
dialogue, feedback =
better public policies
& services = more
support for
Government
Greater public &
media trust; More
interest in policy,
coverage
participation
More & better media
coverage; Higher
public enagement,
support
Survey Results
BMO Responses
How often Govt communicates with
BMOs? Semi-Annually
Government Responses
How often Govt communicates with
BMOs? Monthly
How involved are BMOs during policy
design stage? Majority :not involved
How involved are BMOs during policy
design stage? Majority: involved
How informed are civil servants on
policies? Minimally informed
How informed are civil servants on
policies? Majority: effectively
informed
Where would you like to see
improvements in Govt communication?
1)relevant policy-makers more accessible
2) forums, channels for ongoing dialogue on
business environment policies
3) more effort by Govt to engage the private
sector in policy-making
4) engaging the media on business environment
issues
Where would you like to see
improvements in Govt
communication?
1) relevant policy-makers more accessible
2) engaging the media on business
environment issues
Coffee Break
10
11
Defining
Communications
Objectives
Policy Development for Business – Best
Practices
• Governments develop
• Stakeholders advise
• Fills the policy vacuum
• Brings greater consistency and improved outcomes
• Aligns the activities of all groups affected by the policy or
reform issue
• Governments decide, then civil servants implement
3 Communications Stages
for Effective Policy-making
1) Consultation-- to develop/formulate the policy
2) Informing & building support-- after policy decided
3) Implementation
monitoring, evaluating &
demonstrating impact
For each stage, the approach, priorities and objectives
will be different
• Identify the objective-- Inform? Engage? Build
support or advocate?
• Prioritise the stakeholders
• Craft the messages
• Decide the tools to use
Identifying Stakeholders:
the communication progression
• Everyone goes through the same steps
• Different stakeholders are at different
stages at different times
Willingness
to Act
Knowledge
Interest
Awareness
Action!
Setting our objectives –
Identifying Problems & Challenges
• Must know where we want to get to…
• … before we begin travelling or even plotting our
route
• Both starting point & completion point of any
strategy
• Much of the success of a comms strategy depends
on how the objectives are formulated
• Often neglected or not well-thought out …. causes
many problems.
• Can you think of a case when the
communication was not successful
because the objective was unclear or
wrong?
Setting our objectives
S.M.A.R.T.
• S: specific
• M: measurable
• A: achievable
• R: realistic
• T: timely, time-based
Is this a S.M.A.R.T. objective?
• ”Increase support for payment of
customs duties nationwide”
• Discuss
How can we make it S.M.A.R.T.ER?
• ”Increase support for payment of
customs duties nationwide”
• Discuss
Identifying Constraints
• Why is this so important?
• Defining our objectives is crucial, but we can’t
achieve them without knowing what stands in
the way...
• ... and figuring out ways to address them!
• What might be some things that keep us from:
 reaching key stakeholders?
 catalysing public dialogue?
Break-Out Group Exercise
21
Defining
Communications
Objectives
22
Q & A, Wrap-up
& Next Steps
23
Participant
Evaluations
Thank you