I need help writing a 5 page paper for my Communications class. Topic is : What makes someone a great communicator?

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WEEK 1
IT’S A DIGITAL WORLD

ASSIGNMENT 1

STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS PLAN
Due Week 4, worth 150 points
The ability to effectively communicate is one of the most in demand and sought
after skills in today’s workforce. As a business professional, you will be
expected to not only communicate in a clear and concise way, but to do so
strategically. These communication skills are necessary to manage personnel
effectively and to drive your organization toward its strategic goals and
outcomes. Effective communication starts with planning. By developing a
strategic communications plan you will be more intentional in your messages
and the actions you ask of your audience. This plan is the foundation for
Assignments 2 and 3.

INSTRUCTIONS
Create a written strategic communications plan for the professional communi-
cation challenge or opportunity of your choice. Your plan should include the
following components and may be written in a professional report format. See
the formatting requirements for additional information.

1. Description
a) What is your challenge or opportunity?
b) Why is this professionally important to you?
2. Goal
a) What goal or outcome do you want to achieve with
this communication?

3. Audience
a) Who is your target audience?
i. What are the professional positions of the
audience members?
ii. What demographic characteristics will the
audience comprise?
iii. What is your relationship to the audience?
iv. What background knowledge and expertise does
the audience have?
v. What does the audience know, feel about, and expect
concerning this communication?
vi. What preconceptions or biases do you possess
that might prevent you from building rapport
with your audience?
b) What information is available about your audience?
i. What research/sources will you use to obtain information
about the audience?
ii. What conclusions have you been able to draw about
the audience?
c) What tone will you use to convey your message?
i. Is the setting casual or formal?
ii. Is the communication personal or impersonal?
4. Key Message
a) What is the primary message you must convey to
your audience?
i. Is the message compelling and memorable?
ii. Is the message clear and concise?
iii. Is the message aligned with your audience’s goals
and needs?
5. Supporting Points
a) What three to four points, reasons, or justifications
support your message?
i. What research/sources will you use to obtain facts/data
about your message?

6. Channel Selection
a) What communication style will you employ
(Tell/Sell or Consult/Join), and why?
b) What channel(s) will you use to deliver your message,
and why will they be the most effective?
c) What purpose is served by each channel you have selected?
7. Action Request
a) Is your call to action you are making to your audience clear,
concise, and easily actionable?

Note: You may create and establish all necessary assumptions needed for the
completion of this assignment. The scenario is yours to explain.

PROFESSIONAL AND APA FORMATTING REQUIREMENTS
Your assignment must follow these general APA formatting requirements:
Your document must be typed, using Times New Roman font (size 12),
with one-inch margins on all sides.
Resources must be cited using in-text citations and a reference list.
Your document must include a cover page containing the title of the
assignment, your name, the professor’s name, the course title,
and the date.
Professional report format may be used. This includes the use of
headers, single spacing, no paragraph indents, and use of bullet
point lists. It should be skimmable.

Grading for this assignment will be based on the following criteria
and evaluation standards:

POINTS: 150

Criteria

1. Description
Weight: 10%

Does not or
incompletely
describes
challenge or
opportunity
and/or may
not provide
information on
why this topic
is profession-
allyimpor-
tant/relevant.

Partially
describes
challenge or
opportunity
and/or pro-
vides some
information on
why this topic
is profession-
ally impor-
tant/relevant.

Adequately
describes
challenge or
opportunity
and/or
provides
information on
why this topic
is profession-
ally impor-
tant/relevant.

Fully
describes
challenge or
opportunity
and provides
information on
why this topic
is profession-
ally impor-
tant/relevant.

The communi-
cation goal is
unclear or is
not defined.

The communi-
cation goal is
fairly defined.
It is somewhat
clear, and may
need further
refinement to
be concise
and clearly
actionable.

The communi-
cation goal is
satisfactorily
defined. It is
mostly clear,
is actionable,
but could be
more concise.

The communi-
cation goal is
exceptionally
well-defined. It
is clear, con-
cise, and
actionable.

2. Goal
Weight: 5%

Unacceptable
Below 70% F

Fair
70-79% C

Proficient
80-89% B

Exemplary
90-100% A

ASSIGNMENT 1: STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS PLAN

The communi-
cation does
not include an
audience
analysis,
draws irrele-
vant conclu-
sions about
the audience,
or incomplete-
ly addresses
the character-
istics, motiva-
tions, and
expertise of
the audience.
Does not
identify the
tone to be
used to
convey
message.

The communi-
cation
includes an
analysis of the
audience, but
this is insuffi-
cient. The
communica-
tion includes
some relevant
conclusions
about the
audience, the
characteris-
tics, motiva-
tions, and
expertise of
the audience.
Identifies only
one element
of the tone to
be used to
convey
message.

Audience
analysis is
sufficient to
the task. The
author
thoughtfully
considers
most of the
characteris-
tics, motiva-
tions, and
expertise of
the audience,
drawing
mostly rele-
vant conclu-
sions. Identi-
fies both
elements of
the tone to be
used to
convey
message.

Audience
analysis is
thorough. The
author
thoughtfully
considers the
characteris-
tics,
motivations,
and expertise
of the audi-
ence, drawing
highly relevant
conclusions.
Identifies both
elements of
the tone to be
used to
convey
message.

The key
message is
unclear and/or
is illogical. It
does not align
with the
goals/needs
of the audi-
ence.

The key mes-
sage is fairly
clear, concise,
and logical. It
may be
somewhat
compelling
and memora-
ble and aligns
somewhat
with the
goals/needs
of the
audience.

The key mes-
sage is mostly
clear, concise,
and logical. It
is sufficiently
compelling
and memora-
ble and is
sufficiently
aligned with
the
goals/needs
of the audi-
ence.

The key mes-
sage is
completely
clear, concise,
and logical. It
is exceptional-
ly compelling
and memora-
ble. It is
well-aligned
with the
goals/needs
of the audi-
ence.

3. Audience
Weight: 20%

4. Key Message
Weight: 15%

The communi-
cation does
not provide
three or four
points,
reasons, or
justifications
to support the
key message,
and does not
list sources
to be used to
support the
message.

The communi-
cation pro-
vides three or
four points,
reasons, or
justifications
that support
the key mes-
sage to some
degree, but
this support is
incomplete,
and may not
list relevant
sources to be
used to sup-
port the mes-
sage.

The communi-
cation pro-
vides three or
four points,
reasons, or
justifications
that support
the key mes-
sage suffi-
ciently, and
lists mostly
relevant sourc-
es to be used
to support the
message.

The communi-
cation pro-
vides three or
four points,
reasons, or
justifications
that clearly
support the
key message
in a compel-
ling manner,
and lists
entirely rele-
vant sources
to be used to
support the
message.

The communi-
cation does
not identify or
incompletely
identifies the
communica-
tion style
and/or com-
munication
channel(s),
while failing to
provide suffi-
cient rationale
for the chan-
nel selec-
tion(s).

The communi-
cation identi-
fies the com-
munication
style and
communica-
tion chan-
nel(s), but to
an insufficient
degree. Ratio-
nale for the
style and
channel selec-
tion(s)
explains the
chosen
method of
delivery insuf-
ficiently.

The communi-
cation identi-
fies the com-
munication
style and
communica-
tion chan-
nel(s) suffi-
ciently. Ratio-
nale for the
style and
channel selec-
tion(s)
explains the
chosen
method of
delivery ade-
quately.

The communi-
cation style
and communi-
cation chan-
nel(s) are
thoughtfully
chosen. Ratio-
nale for the
style and
channel selec-
tion(s)
explains the
chosen
method of
delivery in a
compelling
and thorough
manner.

5. Supporting
Points
Weight: 15%

6. Channel
Selection
Weight: 10%

The request
made of the
audience is
unclear, or
action cannot
be taken
based on the
communica-
tion.

The request
made of the
audience is
fairly clear, but
may not be
actionable.

The request
made of the
audience is
sufficiently
clear and is
actionable.

The request
made of the
audience is
thoroughly
clear and
easily action-
able.

Writing does
not meet
minimal stan-
dards.
Tone is not
professional.
Communica-
tion is wholly
lacking in
logic, clarity,
and/or consis-
tent format-
ting.
Contains
many spelling,
mechanical,
formatting,
citation,
and/or gram-
matical errors.

Writing is
satisfactory.
Professional
tone is devel-
oping.
Shows moder-
ate logic,
clarity, and/or
consistent
formatting.
May contain
more than a
few spelling,
grammar
mechanical,
formatting, or
citation errors.

Writing could
be improved,
but meets
acceptable
standards.
Tone is profes-
sional.
Shows logic,
clarity, and
consistent
formatting.
May contain
few or no
spelling,
mechanical,
and/or gram-
matical errors.
There may be
a small
formatting or
citations
errors.

Writing is
excellent.
Tone is profes-
sional and
sophisticated.
Shows logic,
clarity, and
consistent
formatting.
Contains no
spelling,
mechanical, or
grammatical
errors, and
formatting and
citations meet
standards.

7. Action Request
Weight: 15%

8. Write in a
professional
manner using
proper
grammar,
mechanics,
spelling,
formatting,
and citations.
Weight: 10%