How to create a communication plan for your club or organisation

Why a communication plan matters

Whether you run a club, membership organisation, or activity provider, members want to feel informed, included, and confident about what is happening. When communication is inconsistent or unclear, questions start building up, small issues take longer to resolve, and engagement can begin to drop over time.

A clear communication plan creates more structure around how and when you stay in touch. It also helps your organisation feel calmer and more organised as you grow and more people, sessions, or activities need coordinating.

The goal is not to communicate more for the sake of it. It is to make sure the right people receive the right information at the right time.

Start by understanding what your members need

Before building a communication plan, it helps to think about the questions your members are likely to ask throughout their time with your organisation.

For example:

• How do I get started?
• What happens next?
• Who do I contact if I need help?
• What opportunities or benefits are available to me?
• How will I stay updated?

Most member journeys naturally move through a few key stages:

• Initial consideration
• Onboarding
• Ongoing engagement
• Support and help
• Renewal or rebooking

The communication people need at each stage will usually look slightly different.

New members often need more reassurance and guidance early on, while longer-standing members may simply want clear updates around events, sessions, or changes.

Thinking about communication this way helps organisations stay proactive rather than constantly reacting to questions as they arise.

What should a communication plan include?

A good communication plan does not need to be overly complicated. In most cases, it simply needs to create clarity around five areas.

Goals

Start by identifying what you are trying to communicate.

This could include:

• Promoting an upcoming event or workshop
• Sharing organisation updates
• Informing members about new sessions or opportunities
• Recognising progress or achievements
• Providing reminders or important deadlines

Communication methods

Think about which channels make the most sense for your audience.

This will often include:

• Email
• Social media
• SMS or messaging apps
• Website updates
• Member or parent communications

Different messages may suit different channels, so it helps to avoid relying on only one method of communication.

Audience

Your communication plan should also identify who each message is intended for.

Depending on your organisation, this could include:

• Members or participants
• Parents and carers
• Staff or volunteers
• Partners or stakeholders

Clear targeting helps reduce unnecessary communication and makes messages more relevant for the people receiving them.

Frequency

Not every update needs to be sent immediately, and not every audience needs constant communication.

Some messages may only need to go out monthly, while onboarding communication or event reminders may need to happen more regularly.

Consistency tends to matter more than volume. People are far more likely to stay engaged when communication feels predictable and organised.

Ownership

It should always be clear who is responsible for creating and managing communication.

This becomes increasingly important as organisations grow because communication can quickly become inconsistent when responsibilities are unclear.

Having ownership in place also helps reduce pressure on one person carrying everything themselves.

Use the communication methods your members actually prefer

One of the most common communication mistakes organisations make is assuming everyone wants information in the same way.

Some members regularly check emails, while others are more likely to engage through social media, text messages, or app notifications.

A simple way to understand what works best is to review:

• Email engagement levels
• Social interaction and reach
• Responses across different communication channels

It can also help to ask members directly during onboarding how they prefer to receive updates.

This gives you a much clearer starting point and helps communication feel more personal and effective from the beginning.

How Thrive4 supports stronger communication

Thrive4 helps organisations create more clarity and consistency in how they communicate with members, families, and teams.

That could mean:

• Keeping communication more organised and predictable
• Helping families feel informed and reassured
• Creating clearer ownership across teams
• Reducing confusion around updates and responsibilities
• Making engagement feel more consistent as the organisation grows

The aim is not simply to send more communication. It is to help organisations create an experience where members feel connected, informed, and confident in how things are run.