How to write an internal communication strategy

(Editor’s note: This was one of the top viewed stories of 2014. We’re rerunning it as part of a look back at the articles that captivated our readers the most.)

What does an internal communication strategy look like?

Do you need one? How should you write one? How long should it be?

What is an internal communication strategy?

People ask these questions daily on my blog as they search through my content to help them create their strategies.

I’ve written countless strategy documents over the years, and now regularly write them for my clients.

Sit back, grab a cup of tea and let’s start at the beginning.

What is an internal communication strategy?

An internal communication strategy is like a map. It’s an outline of your organization’s journey, and the big picture of what you want to achieve.

It needs to address:

The what and why are the most important for strategy, largely because the how, where and when are more tactical.

I often use the phrases I’ve bulleted above as part of the structure. Why? Because packing a strategy full of jargon doesn’t do anyone any favors!