A domestic goddess I am not. But each year around this time I get the itch to spring clean – organize my apartment, dust behind the blinds, scrub the floors, clean out my closet. There’s something to be said for hitting reset on your routine and 
surroundings as warmer weather approaches (especially after this year’s never-ending winter).
As I was preparing for my annual cleaning spree at home, I started to wonder if I should do something similar at work. Yes, my desk definitely needs some reorganization, but spring could be the perfect time to take another look at the client communications plans initiated at the beginning of the year. Are they on track? Do they account for any new developments from Q1? Are team members still on board?
Unlike cleaning my apartment, revisiting the communications strategies and tactics proposed earlier in the year doesn’t take long at all. A quick, informal review based on the principles of spring cleaning can help a team refocus and streamline efforts moving forward. Below are five tips for making sure each element of your plan is in the right place:
- Dust off your objectives and strategies: Often times, important foundational elements like a plan’s objectives and strategies wind up taking a back seat to fun and flashy tactics as the year progresses. Take a moment to remind yourself of the plan’s end-goals and strategy set up to achieve them.
- Check the expiration dates: A lot can change after the first draft of a communications plan is pulled together. Clients can reset business goals. Media targets can change based on new beats or jobs. Messages might even be outdated due to new corporate developments. Make sure your plan reflects these changes and aligns with any new priorities, landscape shifts or updated messages.
- De-clutter your tactics: Once you are reacquainted with the plan’s objectives and strategies and have accounted for any new developments, take a close look at its tactics. Do they directly align with your objectives and help you achieve success? Are there any items included that now seem out of place? Make sure there aren’t any “extra” tactics taking up your plan’s valuable space and resources.
- Make room for new ideas: Keeping your objectives and strategies in mind, get creative. Are there any new ideas or approaches that could breathe fresh life into the plan? Budget parameters can be a hurdle to adding elements, but if they provide strategic value don’t be afraid to infuse the latest technology, news trends, popular outlets or creative platforms into your original ideas.
- Clean out the admin cobwebs: Before you finish cleaning up your plan, don’t forget about the items behind the scenes. Make sure your budget is being tracked accurately and that the deliverable timeline is up to date.
Do you make it a point to clean up your communications program throughout the year?