Most Strategic Communication Plans are Work Plans. Not Strategy.
Let’s get strategic with communications.
Strategic Communications is often least understood in organizations-especially when one of the first questions asked is, “ Can you post on Instagram?”
Yes. But let’s discuss strategy before anyone wields a camera. After all, noise is not strategy. And…do you always need to enter the noise echo chamber as much as you think? I’ll take a real partnership development over another “Like” from someone who never shows up as a real friend.
Or, “Can you build a donor list?” That’s Advancement, but yes communications is important in supporting that function. And, before you ask, yes most communications professionals can work with Canva but real designers have unique superpowers of their own—so let’s plan for that.
Strategic Communications is governance, risk management, and influence. Communications is not decoration or a collection of outputs like social posts and press releases that, while impressively delivering numbers, might not be delivering influence and impact.
In many organizations, Communications is still viewed as a downstream service function brought in after decisions are made, tasked with “announcing” or “promoting” rather than strategizing and mapping tactics, monitoring, evaluating, and pivoting in a chaotic and often unpredictable environment demanding agility.
That PR, service desk-only, mindset will not best serve leaders or their organizations. When communications is excluded from strategic discussions, risk increases. Alignment fractures. Reputation management becomes reactive instead of intentional-and low-level threats can magnify.
Strategic Communications helps determine:
• How leadership is positioned across markets and stakeholders,
• Whether performance translates into credibility and trust,
• How internal narratives drive culture and bolster innovation,
• Whether crises are contained with honest and trust or escalate,
• How the organization is framed by other voices, influencers, and stakeholders.
This discipline is not merely about producing content, like a savvy instagram reel. Yes, while content creation and social platforms matter—and they ARE important tools— they are the outputs of strategy, not the strategy itself.
The real work is about trust, design, and the wisdom, experience, and gravitas I, and my Prepone freelancers, lay on the executive desk.
It is about ensuring that strategy, culture, and reputation move in the same direction.
The most resilient organizations understand this: Communications must sit at the strategy table not just execute on product or tasks.
When done right, Strategic Communications does not only amplify the work of an organization, it strengthens it.
Contact Prepone Consulting in the “Ready to Chat?” button for a free 20 minute consult. Let’s do this!