There is a warning on the box of my steam iron that says, "Do not iron clothes while wearing them." This prompted me to think about the kind of lawsuit that led to such a warning and the crisis communication plan that followed. Effective communication is crucial for running a company, as any gap can lead to difficulties ranging from minor project issues to absolute disasters. A communication plan serves as a blueprint for delivering key information to stakeholders, outlining the information to be communicated, who it's meant for, the channel, and the folks in charge of it. There are various types of communication plans, including marketing, crisis, internal, social media, change management, non-profit, product launch, public relations, employee, and event communication plans. Each type has its unique elements, but the process of putting a communication plan together remains the same, involving setting goals, identifying the audience, outlining key messages, choosing channels, creating a timeline, allocating resources, designating responsibilities, creating contingency plans, setting metrics for evaluation, and performing testing and gathering feedback. An effective communication plan is essential for establishing messaging and branding guidelines, monitoring and adjusting, reporting and reviewing, documenting the plan, maintaining consistency, and defining how an organization communicates both internally and externally.