CMP CMP Communication Planning 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the PRIMARY purpose of a communication plan in the CMP framework?
- To document all past communication activities
- To align communication efforts with organizational goals and audience needs (Correct answer)
- To list all available communication channels
- To assign tasks to team members only
Correct answer: To align communication efforts with organizational goals and audience needs
A communication plan aligns messaging efforts with organizational objectives and ensures audiences receive relevant, timely information.
Question 2: Which step comes FIRST when developing a communication plan?
- Selecting communication channels
- Drafting key messages
- Conducting a situational analysis (Correct answer)
- Setting a distribution schedule
Correct answer: Conducting a situational analysis
A situational analysis assesses the current environment, strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats before any planning decisions are made.
Question 3: In CMP communication planning, SMART objectives are defined as:
- Simple, Manageable, Actionable, Relevant, Timely
- Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound (Correct answer)
- Strategic, Meaningful, Accurate, Realistic, Transparent
- Structured, Modular, Attainable, Resourced, Trackable
Correct answer: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound
SMART objectives must be Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound to effectively guide communication programs.
Question 4: Which component of a communication plan defines HOW success will be measured?
- Communication objectives
- Key messages
- Evaluation metrics (Correct answer)
- Budget allocation
Correct answer: Evaluation metrics
Evaluation metrics specify the indicators and methods that will be used to determine whether communication objectives have been achieved.
Question 5: A communication audit conducted during the planning phase is used to:
- Approve budget expenditures
- Assess the effectiveness of existing communication efforts (Correct answer)
- Train new communication staff
- Select technology platforms
Correct answer: Assess the effectiveness of existing communication efforts
A communication audit reviews current messaging, channels, and processes to identify gaps and opportunities before developing a new plan.
Question 6: When prioritizing audiences in a communication plan, the CMP approach recommends:
- Treating all audiences identically to ensure fairness
- Segmenting audiences by their level of influence and interest (Correct answer)
- Focusing exclusively on the largest audience segment
- Relying solely on demographic data
Correct answer: Segmenting audiences by their level of influence and interest
Audience segmentation by influence and interest allows communicators to tailor messages and allocate resources where they will have the greatest impact.
CMP CMP Communication Planning 1
What is the PRIMARY purpose of a communication plan in the CMP framework?