A communications strategy provides both a strategic vision and roadmap for communications over the long term. This helps to align communications activities and messaging with national statistical office processes and frameworks, such as the national strategy for the development of statistics (NSDS). A communications strategy helps an organisation to map out a series of activities and programmes that not only help it engage with key stakeholders (internal and external) in an effective and streamlined way, but also help reach the organisation’s core objectives.

This handbook provides strategic guidance and outline the practical steps and resources needed for national statistics offices (NSOs) to develop an integrated communications strategy. It covers in detail each step of a five-step strategy development process: scoping, research, analysis, drafting and launch. The handbook is intended for use by communications professionals working in national statistics offices. It is meant to be practical, with a mix of instructions, tips and resources. Some NSOs will find that this is all they need to proceed with strategy development independently. Others may find it necessary or valuable to engage external support for some or a large part of the analytical work.