The Ultimate Guide to Starting a Communications Plan from Scratch

Whether you're launching a brand, leading a nonprofit, or finally giving some structure to your side hustle, you’ve probably heard that you need a communications plan. And you do. But if the idea of sitting down and mapping out strategy, messages, and platforms makes your head spin—you’re not alone.

The good news? A solid communications plan doesn’t have to be complicated. At its core, it’s just a roadmap to help you get the right messages to the right people at the right time. If you're starting from scratch, here’s your ultimate guide to building a plan that works.

1. Start with Your Why

Before you write a single word or choose a single channel, you need to know why you are communicating. What are you trying to achieve? Common goals include:

• Building brand awareness

• Attracting customers or donors

• Sharing important updates

• Influencing opinions or behaviors

• Strengthening relationships with stakeholders

Be specific. “Build awareness” is a fine start, but “Grow our Instagram following by 500 in three months” is better. Your “why” will anchor every decision you make from here on out.

2. Know Your Audience

If you try to talk to everyone, you end up reaching no one. Better to have the right audience rather than a big audience that isn't actually who you want to reach. Who are you actually trying to connect with? Get as specific as possible. Consider:

• Demographics (age, location, profession)

• Interests and behaviors

• What they already know (or don’t) about your work

• What motivates or concerns them

Once you’ve identified your audience, craft personas if that helps you visualize them. Imagine you’re speaking to one person—what would they care about? What would make them pause and pay attention?

3. Clarify Your Message

Now that you know why and to whom, you can work on what you want to say. Your core messages should be:

• Clear (no jargon)

• Concise (no rambling)

• Consistent (repeat, repeat, repeat)

You don’t need a new message for every channel or campaign. In fact, repetition is key to being remembered. Stick to a small set of central messages and tailor how you express them depending on your audience and platform.

4. Choose Your Channels Wisely

You don’t have to be everywhere. In fact, it can backfire if you try to be everywhere. Choose the channels that make the most sense for your audience and your goals. These might include:

• Social media (and specific platforms)

• Email newsletters

• Press releases or media outreach

• Events and webinars

• Podcasts or radio

• Printed materials (flyers, posters, reports)

• Local events or markets

Consider your capacity—both in time and skill. It's better to do a few things well than to stretch yourself thin across every shiny new platform.

5. Create a Content Plan

Once you’ve got your channels, plan what you’re going to say and when. This is where a content calendar comes in handy. Map out:

• Key dates (events, launches, seasonal campaigns)

• Themes or content pillars (e.g., impact stories, behind-the-scenes, tips and resources)

• Who’s responsible for what

• Formats (reels, blogs, posts, graphics)

It doesn’t have to be fancy—a spreadsheet will do. Planning ahead makes it way easier to stay consistent and on-brand. If you want a template to get you started, you can find one here.

6. Set Your Metrics

You can’t manage what you don’t measure. Define what success looks like and how you’ll track it. Some examples:

• Social media engagement (likes, comments, shares)

• Website traffic or time on page

• Email open and click rates

• Event attendance

• Media coverage

• Survey feedback or direct messages

Check in on your metrics regularly—monthly is a good rhythm. Use that data to refine your plan, double down on what’s working, and shift away from what isn’t.

A few caveats: (1) Sometimes what is important to share is not the most "viral." It's important for you to share what your ideal audience needs to hear, not only what has mass appeal. Just because a post/blog/newsletter doesn't get a crazy amount of attention doesn't mean it was the wrong thing to share. (2) Sometimes these things take time. If you're starting from scratch, really start digging into your analytics a few months in. Don't read too much into the initial stages.

7. Keep It Living

Your communications plan isn’t a one-and-done document. It should evolve as your organization does. Schedule regular reviews—every three to six months—to revisit your goals, audience insights, and content strategy. Ask yourself:

• What’s working?

• What feels outdated?

• What feedback have we received?

• Where should we grow or shift focus?

A living plan keeps your communications purposeful and agile—not just reactive.

---

Starting a communications plan from scratch may feel overwhelming, but it’s one of the best things you can do to bring clarity to your messaging, direction to your content, and focus to your team. You don’t need to nail it all at once—just start with your "why," and take it one step at a time. Over time, your plan will evolve into a powerful tool that connects you with the people who matter most.