Summary Plan

Step 7: Create a Summary of Your Plan

Now it’s time to review your strategy before you put it into action. Write down a summary of the steps you’ve identified so far to make sure the steps build on one another and/or compliment each other, and to see if anything is missing. A written plan will help you focus your efforts and stay on course, and make it easier to engage others in your project.

Use the Summary Template provided to capture your decisions and the details described in each worksheet. Remember to be concise - less is more. This is a high-level document meant to provide a snapshot of what you want to achieve and how you are going to achieve it. Remember what we learned about the power of simple and concrete messages and apply that here.

Watch a short presentation about creating a summary of your plan:

Once you’ve summarized your plan, do a reality check. Ask yourself:

Summary Plan Example
If you need help getting started with your plan, here’s an example summary.

1. Do the steps flow into a cohesive plan, does your audience match your objective, will the messages reach your audience, will your tactics get your messages to your audience, and will your measures tell you if your strategy is working?
2. Does the tone of your message and tactics reflect your audience's values/concerns and your goal? For example, if your subject matter is serious, then messages that are funny may not be appropriate.
3. Are there new partners you can get involved in the project?
4. Is your first next step clear?
5. Who needs to see and approve your plan?
6. What resources do you need to secure to implement your plan?

This worksheet is based on Spitfire Strategies’ Smart Chart® strategic communications planning tool. The Smart Chart is a registered trademark of Spitfire Strategies. To learn more, visit: spitfirestrategies.com.

Test Your Understanding

Test your understanding of the information in this section by taking the quiz.