Forming communication priorities
After you have gathered all the information you need by listening to your communities and reflecting on that information, it is time to start forming your communication priorities.
First a dedicated communications group or your PCC needs to meet to discuss what your communication priorities should be. These could be anything from updating all your noticeboards, to producing a new deanery parish magazine or creating a new website.
SWOT criteria
To help you ensure that these ideas are realistic you can use the SWOT criteria (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats).This helps you think realistically about what might be possible. Remember to include financial considerations in the process. So take each of your ideas and go through the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats each have.
SMART objectives/priorities
Once you have done this and firmed up your priorities you can use the SMART objectives to help identify whether your priorities will work in your church.
Go through each priority using the criteria below:
S= Specific. The more specific the priority the clearer the action that is being undertaken.
M = Measurable. If you cannot measure what you are trying to do, how will you know when you have done it?
A = Agreed. Like any vision, priorities cannot be imposed from above. Your church members must sign up to promote your priorities.
R = Realistic. Describe how you can realistically deliver your priority.
T = Timed. Working towards a deadline is a helpful discipline for many people. It helps prevent the situation where good intentions are discussed but not acted on.
An example of a SMART priority
For instance ‘develop a parish magazine’ is a rather vague priority.
‘Set up a monthly deanery parish magazine’ makes it specific.
‘Set up a monthly deanery magazine, that is distributed free of charge to the church and wider community’ makes it measurable.
Is this idea on principal agreed?
Is this realistic? Can you afford to provide a free magazine? How many people will you distribute it to? Do you have enough volunteers available? Who will write the parish magazine etc?
‘Set up a monthly deanery magazine that is distributed free of charge to the church and wider community starting from January 2012’ is timed.
PCC meetings or an APCM can be times when priorities are reviewed, success celebrated, missed priorities acknowledged and openly discussed and the next stage agreed.