COM 510 – Assignment 3

Running head: STRATEGIC COMMUNICATION PLAN 1

9

STRATEGIC COMMUNICATION PLAN

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Assignment 1: Strategic Communication Plan

Chet L. Walker

Strayer University

Professor Deborah Busby

COM 510 – Business Communications

27 October 2019

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Description

A. What is your challenge or opportunity?

To introduce a comprehensive insurance policy for goods that are on consignment. The policy will be available for all shipping companies, online companies and business persons living in the United States of America. Customers tend to doubt new insurance firms and their policies so this leads to high risk of being outshined by already existing insurance firms, market wise.

B. Why is this professionally important to you?

This opportunity gives me a chance to introduce modern insurance policy cover. Being a processing policy insurance clerk in an insurance company I am expected to come up with a policy that will attract more customers. I will be working with my fellow policy developers from the same company to ensure that we do the required task and nothing is left to chance. It is yet another opportunity to experiment my skills in real world and prove that I am a strong insurance policy developer.

Goal

A. What goal or outcome do you want to achieve with this communication?

My goal is to establish a strong premium insurance consignment cover in written form. Explain clearly what the policy entails to the committee of experts, give ways on how to effectively introduce the new policy to the customers by use of effective communication skills. Highlight roles of individual insurance worker in implementing this new premium policy.

Audience

A. Who is your target audience

Audience comprises of the overall lead team project manager, insurance policy processing clerk who will ensure that policies developed meet the standards. Also in collaboration with National association of insurance commissioners and other relevant state departments. Accredited insurance brokers will do marketing and selling of policy. Insurance sales agents and underwriters will be selling the policy. Whereas, Shippers, cargo handlers, business persons and online marketing platforms will be buying the insurance policy.

i. What are the professional positions for the audience members

a. Actuary

b. Claims adjuster

c. Insurance policy processing clerk

d. Insurance investigator

e. Insurance Sales agent

f. Accredited insurance brokers

g. Insurance underwriter

h. Claims examiner

i. Financial analyst

j. Accountant and auditor

k. Financial examiner

l. Business persons

m. Shippers

n. Cargo handlers

o. Online marketers

ii. What demographic characteristics will the audience comprise of?

The demographics that cover all personnel listed above vary but not so widely. Shippers and business men aim at making profits, insurance personnel work for profit also online marketers aim to make profits. Given that most of these personnel have prior education experience and due to technological advancement in business industry, they can communicate effectively using emails and WhatsApp texts.

iii. What is your relationship to the audience?

In my internship I worked under the insurance policy processing desk. At times I took charge in his absentia. Having completed my degree course I have been promoted to now work fully on policy processing desk in another company. Having talked to many business persons, ship handlers and online markets on my research before formulating this policy has enabled me build trust in them. My colleagues love the humor nature in me that has also made me get along with them easily.

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

Insurance is an existing business field. Colleagues working with me in the company have come across premium policies over so many times, formulated or even implemented one. On the other hand the business personnel, shippers and online markets have also met insurance policies reject or even have existing policies with other insurance companies. Accredited brokers have sold other insurance policies for other companies too.

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

The company’s insurance policy formulation team feels that a modern premium policy on consignment should be developed, the policy should concentrate on making profits for the company due to its demand. Online marketers, shippers and business personnel on the other hand feel that policies should be thoroughly explained to avoid misinterpretation of terms used. Secondly the policies should well provide a clear medium of communication as well to assist in coordination especially in time of crisis, when claims need to be processed.

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

Having done my internship in an insurance company that went busty for not being able to meet the customer satisfaction threshold. For that reason, it is difficult for my team to earnestly believe on the policy developed under my leadership. Policy holders of my previous company find it hard to trust me and buy policies from this other new company where I am part.

B. What information is available about your audience?

a. Their purchasing power

b. Dislike and likes

c. Types of humor they enjoy

d. Terminologies they can easily understand

e. The language they are well conversant with

f. Their demographics in terms of gender, age and occupation

g. Perception about insurance policies

h. The size of the audience

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

I am planning to use feedback information from the company’s archives on other developed insurance policies. Also by analyze the feedbacks I will be able to source more information about the target audience. For other members whom we had interacted before I will use the prior experience to source information.

II. What conclusion have you been able to draw about the audience?

Insurance policy not being a new thing, will be so easy for the audience to understand, introducing new terms that come up with this policy and explaining thoroughly about the bilateral binding agreement will awaken their interest making the presentation worthy.

C. What tone will you use to convey your message?

I. Is the setting casual or formal?

The setting will be formal. Nonetheless, the casual aspect will help keep the presentation lively. As I encourage casual setup I will be doing away with boredom that might have crept into the presentation.

II. Is the communication personal or impersonal?

The conversation will be impersonal, some of the participants we will be meeting for the first time also the aim of the meeting will be to introduce the new premium consignment policy, purely a business deal with a win-win opportunity at the long run.

Key Message

A. What is the primary message you want to convey to your audience

I want to launch the new premium consignment insurance policy, explain all term clearly and highlight roles of every stakeholder. Addressing effectively major setbacks on binding terms or agreements. Establishing effective communication ways through open line communication will provide a lasting solution to communication barriers especially when the policy holders is seeking claim.

I. Is the message compelling and memorable?

The message is compelling because the policy gives every stake holder a chance to make his profit, terms used are easy to understand hence making the audience not to shy away from the new product. In addition it is memorable since the channel and methods used in communication are highly effective making the audience hard to forget.

II. Is the message clear and concise?

The message is very clear to the level best of my knowledge. All that communication skills have been used to make this message very clear.

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

Developing a policy that provides a win-win situation to every stake holder is the main objective of business.

Supporting Points

A. What three to four points, reasons or justification support your message?

a. Explaining binding terms and other insurance related terminologies clearly, makes the concepts clearer. This builds the clients confidence when making informed decisions, it also brings out an aspect of transparency.

b. The main goal of business is to make profit. As a company we aim at making profits, this also applies to the shippers, business persons and online marketers. If we bridge the gap of communication barrier by upgrading to open lines of communication then the objective is attained.

c. Feedback from every stake holder about the policy should be stored well in the archive for further research and scrutiny. The feedback will help in resolving unforeseen problems that might arise in future.

d. Since business is dynamic and so are the communication channels as well. Flexibility will ensure that we keep up with the upcoming trends, helping us meet our goals.

B. What research or resources will you use to obtain facts or data about your message?

Analyzing data from the company’s archives on previous encounters on insurance policies will help me predict future happening. Using general observation upon interaction with other stakeholders can help me get to know about their feeling. Moreover, at the individual level I am going to administer a questioner whose main objective is to obtain data about the new premium consignment insurance policy.

Channel selection

A. What communication style will you employ (Tell/Sell or Consult/Join)

To start with during launching I will have to use Tell/Sell communication style. Here I will have to explain all that the policy entails to all relevant stakeholders. In addition, I will have to bridge communication barrier gap with open lanes communication bringing an ending solution to the tragedy in insurance industries.

After getting reliable feedback I will take up Join/Consult communication so as to seek help from other correlating departments and administrators in the company. Feedback will help us formulate other policies or upgrade the existing ones.

B. What channels will you use to deliver your message, and why will they be the most effective?

I. Billboards; the billboards attractive nature gains the attention of clients especially when marketing a product. Billboards should be strategically positioned so that they can serve the desired purpose.

II. Emails; emails are used to send important message to clients, they carry the intended information and is one most effective way.

III. Marketing brochures; these are well written detailed document containing policies, cost of premiums also terms are defined in the same paper.

IV. Company’s website; updates on events and new products and services will be posted on the company’s official website.

V. Video conferencing; this will be purposely used to convene meetings with other departmental members and admistrators without having to physically relocate to the conference room. With internet, computer and a camera you are set to go.

Action Request

A. Is your call to action you are making to your audience clear, concise, and easily actionable?

The call to action, that is bridging communication barrier by employing better communication skills across the department, up down or down up so as to create sustainability of the new consignment premium insurance policy is more than clear, memorable and actionable.

 

 

 

 

References

Develop a Communication Plan. (2013). Risk Communication, 135-143. doi:10.1002/9781118645734.ch12

Kelly, L. D., Jugenheimer, D. W., & Sheehan, K. B. (2015). Advertising Media Planning: A Brand Management Approach. London, England: Routledge.