A solid communications strategy can be critical to your work, as it will serve as the framework that will help you think through a whole range of challenges—whether it is engaging new people to join a task force, building awareness about your research, announcing the results of a study, or seeking the adoption of an innovative model, program, or service.
A strategic approach to communications and dissemination is relatively straightforward. Developing a good plan that powerfully connects your objectives with a dynamic set of messages and vehicles is harder. And creating a good plan you can actually execute against is even harder.
You will have limited resources dedicated to your communications and dissemination efforts, and your time is no doubt spoken for in a variety of ways. So when developing a strategic approach to any communications and dissemination challenge, try to be both ambitious and realistic. Look for ways you can leverage existing activities to support this work. Think about sources of supplemental funds that might pay for you to implement some of the strategies you set out. And when you actually begin doing the work, focus on your preparation so that each activity can be as effective as possible.
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