Planning Your 2026 Comms Strategy.
As 2026 kicks off, like many New Zealanders, you likely spent the first half of the summer enjoying time with whānau and friends, before jumping back into mahi and reviewing the previous twelve months and considering all that was learnt, what was done well, and what leaves room for improvement. As many businesses are in their planning phase of the year, we’ve outlined the ‘what, how and why’ of a great comms strategy, complete with our top tips to get you ready for the year ahead.
Why do you need a comms strategy?
A well-designed comms strategy ensures that every element of your organisation is aligned with your business objectives for the year ahead, with consistent messaging across channels and teams. It enables you to anticipate future trends and to position your organisation as a thought leader, while ensuring the right message lands with the right people, at the right time.
What should your comms strategy include?
Clarity is paramount to a successful plan; make sure your objectives and target audience are clearly defined. Whether your priority is to increase brand awareness or to grow customer engagement (or a combination of both), you’ll need to refine your key messages and storytelling themes to suit before looking at what channel mix will be most effective – there's no point doing a deep dive into a TikTok strategy if your target audience is 65+.
Compile a list of key spokespeople who can represent your organisation, and don’t be afraid to think outside the box on this one – there are no rules that require your CEO to be the sole face of your brand. Look for people with passion, enthusiasm, warmth and expertise, and let us worry about getting them media-ready. People connect with people, and letting authentic voices shine through can make the difference between cutting through the noise and adding to the chorus.
Build out your content calendar, bringing together which audiences receive what message, and when. This will give you oversight across different campaigns, key moments and always-on messaging to help you strike the right cadence and avoid bombarding certain groups.
Now is a great time to review and update your risk matrix to ensure you’re ready to roll if you need crisis comms. Don’t have one? Get in touch and we can set you up with a basic template to get you started.
Keep in mind:
Flexibility – leave some space in the calendar for unexpected opportunities that arise during the year. You’re aiming for a framework, not a rigid prescription.
Content calendar – align your plan with key moments such as new product launches, campaigns and seasonal activities.
KPIs – know what success looks like before you start, and review your KPIs regularly to assess what’s working (and what isn’t) and ensure that you remain on track. Remember that “a goal without a plan is just a wish,” and a SMART plan needs to get into the nitty-gritty details.
Budget – lofty ideas don’t mean much if you don’t have the bucks to back them up. Remember to leave a little in the kitty for those unplanned extra opportunities too.
If you’d like to chat more about what your specific business should have in a comms plan, please get in touch. We’re here to help, whether that means collaborating on a full road-map or just getting a little help with defining your objectives.