KIM WOODS ONLY PLEASE

Learn WEEK 1 IT’S A DIGITAL WORLD ASSIGNMENT 1 STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS PLAN Due Week 4, worth 150 points The ability to effectively communicate is one of the most in demand and sought after skills in today’s workforce. As a business professional, you will be expected to not only communicate in a clear and concise way, but to do so strategically. These communication skills are necessary to manage personnel effectively and to drive your organization toward its strategic goals and outcomes. Effective communication starts with planning. By developing a strategic communications plan you will be more intentional in your messages and the actions you ask of your audience.

INSTRUCTIONS Create a strategic communication plan for the professional communication challenge or opportunity of your choice. Your plan should include the following components and may be written in a professional report format. See the formatting requirements for additional information.1.Description a)What is your challenge or opportunity?

b) Why is this professionally important to you?

2. Goal a)What goal or outcome do you want to achieve with this communication? i.Is it clear, concise, and actionable? 3. Audience a) Who is your target audience?

i. What are the professional positions of the audience members?

ii. What demographic characteristics will the audience comprise?

iii. What is your relationship to the audience?

iv. What background knowledge and expertise does the audience have?

v. What does the audience know, feel about, and expect concerning this communication?

vi. What preconceptions or biases do you possess that might prevent you from building rapport with your audience?

b) What information is available about your audience?

i. What research/sources will you use to obtain information about the audience?

ii. What conclusions have you been able to draw about the audience?

c) What tone will you use to convey your message?

i. Is the setting casual or formal?

ii. Is the communication personal or impersonal?

4. Key Message a) What is the primary message you must convey to your audience?

i. Is the message compelling and memorable?

ii. Is the message clear and concise?

iii. Is the message aligned with your audience’s goals and needs?

5. Supporting Points a) What three to four points, reasons, or justifications support your message?

i. What research/sources will you use to obtain facts/data about your message? 6. Channel Selection a) What communication style will you employ (Tell/Sell or Consult/Join), and why?

b) What channel(s) will you use to deliver your message, and why will they be the most effective?

c) What purpose is served by each channel you have selected?

7. Action Request a) Is your call to action are you making to your audience clear, concise, and easily actionable?

Note: You may create and establish all necessary assumptions needed for the completion of this assignment. The scenario is yours to explain.

PROFESSIONAL AND APA FORMATTING REQUIREMENTS Your assignment must follow these general APA formatting requirements:

Your document must be typed, using Times New Roman font (size 12), with one-inch margins on all sides.

Resources must be cited using in-text citations and a reference list.

Your document must include a cover page containing the title of the assignment, your name, the professor’s name, the course title, and the date.

Professional report format may be used. This includes the use of headers, single spacing, no paragraph indents, and use of bullet point lists. It should be skimmable.

Grading for this assignment will be based on the following criteria and evaluation standards: POINTS: 150Criteria 1. Description Weight: 10% Does not or incompletely describes challenge or opportunity and/or may not provide information on why this topic is profession- allyimpor- tant/relevant. Partially describes challenge or opportunity and/or pro- vides some information on why this topic is profession- ally impor- tant/relevant. Adequately describes challenge or opportunity and/or provides information on why this topic is profession- ally impor- tant/relevant. Fully describes challenge or opportunity and provides information on why this topic is profession- ally impor- tant/relevant. The communi- cation goal is unclear or is not defined. The communi- cation goal is fairly defined.

It is somewhat clear, and may need further refinement to be concise and clearly actionable. The communi- cation goal is satisfactorily defined. It is mostly clear, is actionable, but could be more concise. The communi- cation goal is exceptionally well-defined. It is clear, con- cise, and actionable.

2. Goal Weight: 5% Unacceptable Below 70% F Fair 70-79% C Proficient 80-89% B Exemplary 90-100% A ASSIGNMENT 1: STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS PLAN The communi- cation does not include an audience analysis, draws irrele- vant conclu- sions about the audience, or incomplete- ly addresses the character- istics, motiva- tions, and expertise of the audience.

Does not identify the tone to be used to convey message. The communi- cation includes an analysis of the audience, but this is insuffi- cient. The communica- tion includes some relevant conclusions about the audience, the characteris- tics, motiva- tions, and expertise of the audience.

Identifies only one element of the tone to be used to convey message. Audience analysis is sufficient to the task. The author thoughtfully considers most of the characteris- tics, motiva- tions, and expertise of the audience, drawing mostly rele- vant conclu- sions. Identi- fies both elements of the tone to be used to convey message. Audience analysis is thorough. The author thoughtfully considers the characteris- tics, motivations, and expertise of the audi- ence, drawing highly relevant conclusions.

Identifies both elements of the tone to be used to convey message. The key message is unclear and/or is illogical. It does not align with the goals/needs of the audi- ence. The key mes- sage is fairly clear, concise, and logical. It may be somewhat compelling and memora- ble and aligns somewhat with the goals/needs of the audience. The key mes- sage is mostly clear, concise, and logical. It is sufficiently compelling and memora- ble and is sufficiently aligned with the goals/needs of the audi- ence. The key mes- sage is completely clear, concise, and logical. It is exceptional- ly compelling and memora- ble. It is well-aligned with the goals/needs of the audi- ence. 3. Audience Weight: 20% 4. Key Message Weight: 15% The communi- cation does not provide three or four points, reasons, or justifications to support the key message, and does not list sources to be used to support the message. The communi- cation pro- vides three or four points, reasons, or justifications that support the key mes- sage to some degree, but this support is incomplete, and may not list relevant sources to be used to sup- port the mes- sage. The communi- cation pro- vides three or four points, reasons, or justifications that support the key mes- sage suffi- ciently, and lists mostly relevant sourc- es to be used to support the message. The communi- cation pro- vides three or four points, reasons, or justifications that clearly support the key message in a compel- ling manner, and lists entirely rele- vant sources to be used to support the message. The communi- cation does not identify or incompletely identifies the communica- tion style and/or com- munication channel(s), while failing to provide suffi- cient rationale for the chan- nel selec- tion(s). The communi- cation identi- fies the com- munication style and communica- tion chan- nel(s), but to an insufficient degree. Ratio- nale for the style and channel selec- tion(s) explains the chosen method of delivery insuf- ficiently. The communi- cation identi- fies the com- munication style and communica- tion chan- nel(s) suffi- ciently. Ratio- nale for the style and channel selec- tion(s) explains the chosen method of delivery ade- quately. The communi- cation style and communi- cation chan- nel(s) are thoughtfully chosen. Ratio- nale for the style and channel selec- tion(s) explains the chosen method of delivery in a compelling and thorough manner. 5. Supporting Points Weight: 15% 6. Channel Selection Weight: 10% The request made of the audience is unclear, or action cannot be taken based on the communica- tion. The request made of the audience is fairly clear, but may not be actionable. The request made of the audience is sufficiently clear and is actionable. The request made of the audience is thoroughly clear and easily action- able. Writing does not meet minimal stan- dards.

Tone is not professional.

Communica- tion is wholly lacking in logic, clarity, and/or consis- tent format- ting.

Contains many spelling, mechanical, formatting, citation, and/or gram- matical errors. Writing is satisfactory.

Professional tone is devel- oping.

Shows moder- ate logic, clarity, and/or consistent formatting.

May contain more than a few spelling, grammar mechanical, formatting, or citation errors. Writing could be improved, but meets acceptable standards.

Tone is profes- sional.

Shows logic, clarity, and consistent formatting.

May contain few or no spelling, mechanical, and/or gram- matical errors.

There may be a small formatting or citations errors. Writing is excellent.

Tone is profes- sional and sophisticated.

Shows logic, clarity, and consistent formatting.

Contains no spelling, mechanical, or grammatical errors, and formatting and citations meet standards. 7. Action Request Weight: 15% 8. Write in a professional manner using proper grammar, mechanics, spelling, formatting, and citations.

Weight: 10%