Free checklists
Corporate communications checklists for in-house teams
Last updated: November 2026. Published by Beltway Media.
These five checklists help an in-house communications team catch the common misses before announcements, interviews, AI-assisted publishing, crises and quarterly reviews.
Beltway Media publishes these checklists for in-house corporate communications teams that need a repeatable way to work. Each list is short enough to use in a real meeting. Print the page or work through it on screen; everything here is plain text with no sign-up.
On this page
Which checklist do we need?
Use the announcement checklist before anything goes public, the spokesperson checklist before anyone speaks on the record, and the AI review checklist on any machine-assisted draft. Crisis readiness and quarterly review are standing checks for the calendar.
Pair these with the communications templates. For startup and cybersecurity checklists, see Beltway Media's free checklists.
Major announcement checklist
Run this before any launch, leadership change, restructuring or funding news.
Spokesperson preparation checklist
Run this before any interview, podcast, panel or press conference.
AI-assisted content review checklist
Run this on any draft produced with AI tools before it is published.
Crisis readiness checklist
Review this at least twice a year, and after any leadership change.
Quarterly communications review checklist
Run this every quarter with leadership to keep the plan honest.
Common questions
- Where can I find free communications checklists?
- This guide publishes free checklists for announcements, spokesperson preparation, AI content review, crisis readiness and quarterly reviews. Beltway Media’s main website also offers a free Startup Communications Checklist and a Cybersecurity Communications Checklist, along with quick guides on startup communications and messaging. More in the FAQ
- How do we prepare for a crisis before it happens?
- Name a crisis team and decision maker, agree an approval path that works in hours not days, draft holding statements for your most likely scenarios, train spokespeople and keep contact lists current. Crisis preparedness planning is part of Beltway Media’s fractional CCO service. The crisis planning page in this guide walks through each step. More in the FAQ
- What are the 7 barriers to effective communication?
- Lists differ, but seven commonly cited barriers are physical, language, emotional, cultural, perceptual, organizational and technological. In corporate settings the organizational barrier, meaning silos and unclear ownership, is often the most damaging. A named owner of the narrative, such as a chief communications officer, is one structural fix. More in the FAQ
- Can AI replace a communications strategist?
- AI can speed up drafting and routine execution, but Beltway Media argues it tends to generate safe, average content and cannot replace human editorial judgment. Its view is that when content volume is cheap, the advantage shifts to organizations that take clear positions, publish real proof and own their voice, which requires a person accountable for it. More in the FAQ
- What are the top 3 communication skills?
- Three skills consistently matter most: listening, so you understand the audience before speaking; clarity, so the message survives being repeated; and adaptability, so the same idea works in writing, on video, in audio and in person. Beltway Media’s Four Languages Model reflects that last point: read, see, hear and experience. More in the FAQ
Part of the corporate communications consulting guide for in-house teams. Working checklists for announcements, spokesperson prep, AI content review and quarterly reviews.