This tool will systematically walk you through six steps for developing a targeted and focused communication plan. At each step, it will guide you through key decisions and point you to the information you need. The program will record your input at each stage and compile it into a communication plan. You can share this document with your colleagues and consultants so that everyone is on the same page regarding the purpose, target audiences, messages and style of your communication.

Every page of this tool has three tabs. The Overview tab describes what you need to decide at this planning stage and why that decision is important. The Tips and Ideas tab offers some helpful strategies to clarify your thinking and directs you to relevant information about landowners. The last tab--Instructions and Example--poses specific questions that you should address when entering your input. It also shows you how one campaign--Call Before You Cut (CBYC)--addressed these questions in its communication plan. We have used the CBYC campaign as an example for all the stages so you can see how the decisions made at each stage fit with each other.

Here are some technology-related tips to help you use this tool:

• After each step, click the Save & Continue to Next Step button to save your work so far and take you to the next section.
• In some places, you will be able to click to see more resources and materials. Some of these additional materials will open in a new window to save your place in your plan. This will work more smoothly if your browser is set to open new windows in tabs.
• To store your work on the website so you can finish, view or edit it later, you must create a login ID. To do this, click the Save Online for Later button.
• After you are done, you can download your plan as a PDF file by clicking the Save to PDF Now button. This button does not save the plan on the website; for that you must use the Save Online for Later button. We recommend saving to PDF only after you have finalized your plan and are ready to print it.
• If you prefer, you can download a version of the Make Your New Plan in Word and type in your answers, or print a copy and write in your answers.
• You can also download a 38-page Make Your New Plan Workbook that provides all instructions and tips found on the Make Your New Plan tabs of this website, as well as a plan template.
• See a sample plan from Call Before You Cut, a communications plan developed by six states using the TELE tools to help landowners make smart harvesting decisions.