Project 4: Tactical Annex
Step 1: Outline Your Tactics (Submission)
hand writing in a notebook
Karl Tapales / Moment Collection / Getty
THE TWO TACTICS ARE ENGAGEMENT CRITERIA AND SCARCITY OR VOLUNTEERS
PLEASE FILL THE FORM OUT THAT WILL BE SENT AS A FILE FOR EACH TACTIC. I WILL ALSO SEND YOU MY PROJECT 3 FILE IF YOU NEED INFORMATION
FROM THERE TO USE ON THE FORM.
In Project 3, you selected the tactics that your client’s communications team will implement. In this project, you’ll draft or storyboard a few specific tactics to
be deployed at specific points in your timeline. These will be sample tactics provided in a tactical annex to your plan. These tactics should be as ready-to-use
as possible. You might not have all of the details needed for the final version of each tactic at this time, but you can create client-ready polished drafts, mockups, storyboards, and treatments to be finalized later. Recall Crisis Messaging: Tactics and Templates; although your templates for this plan will probably not
pertain to crisis, the information and examples should be helpful.
All of your tactics should be formatted and written in accordance with the generally accepted standards for that tactic, while accounting for submission
standards of any receiving outlets (newspapers, etc.). Remember to use AP style and don’t forget about the inverted pyramid structure for news releases.
Note that, even if you occupy a senior position in an organization, it is important to refresh yourself on how successful tactics are created so you can advise
and communicate with team members who are responsible for producing high-quality products that align with campaign goals and objectives.
For this project, you will create the following sample tactics:
one traditional tactic for the media or the client’s website;
one audio scriipt (speech, spokesperson statement, PSA bundle);
either a short-form social media schedule OR one piece of long-form social media content;
either a fully composed visual with text OR an audiovisual storyboard, scriipt, or treatment; and
an event plan with (a) event activities, (b) event timeline, (c) event location, (d) crew agenda, (e) event map, and (f) one event product (fact sheet, poster,
media advisory, Tweet with hashtag, etc.).
Before you begin writing your tactics, you’re going to engage in an exercise that will help your client to understand how your tactics align with the plan. For
each of your tactics, you’ll fill in the Tactical Alignment Form shown below. This will help you ensure that the tactic syncs up with the relevant objective(s),
publics, strategy, and messaging.
For example, if your objective is to increase awareness in parents of children ages 5–12 about juvenile diabetes, an event at a trade fair probably won’t be as
effective as a feature release sent to a parenting magazine, or a brochure distributed at a neighborhood block party. Similarly, if your client is a local pet
rescue, and you hope to increase local pet adoptions, earned media placement in a nationwide outlet like USA Today might be less attainable (and therefore
less effective) than a social media post shared by an influencer with 5,000 local, dog-loving followers, or a feature on a local morning news show.
The form will also help you to consider your tactic not only from the perspective of the organization, but through the eyes of your target publics. What type of
appeal will work best to reach these publics? How can you flesh out the schematic elements of the plan to create a product that will win hearts and minds?
Please fill out and submit one form (five total) for each tactic or tactic type. Review the rest of the project steps before you select your tactics, as they
provide more information and guidance.
Tactical Alignment Form
Here are the fields of the form. Click here for a downloadable version.
Tactic type:
Deployment date:
Related objective(s):
Target publics:
Product purpose (inform/persuade):
Outcome(s) desired from public(s):
Knowledge (specify what they should know):
Attitude (specify how they should feel):
Behavior (specify what they should do):
Nature of the appeal—what is the best way to connect with your publics? (emotional, logical):
Main information or key message to be conveyed:
Related strategy:
Specific media outlet or method for dissemination:
Related communications activities with media or other relevant publics, if applicable (media kit, media advisory, pitch letter, phone call, etc.):
Sources of information for the tactic (articles, research, organization’s website, personal communication with client):
