Presentation by Zahra Sethna, International Institute for Sustainable Development, as part of the NAP Global Network's Targeted Topics Forum on “Troubleshooting for NAP implementation and building support for the NAP process through strategic communications” held in Stone Town, United Republic of Tanzania, in February 2019.

1. Strategic Communication
Zahra Sethna
Director of Communications
International Institute for Sustainable Development
zsethna@iisd.ca

2. Strategic
communication is
purposeful
communication
“The purposeful use of communication
by an organization to fulfill its mission.”

3. Good communication
cuts through the clutter
It does this by getting the right
message, in the right channel, to the
right audience.

4. Three must-haves
for effective
communications
1) Clear, measurable objectives
2) Knowing who you want to reach
3) Tailored, compelling messages

5. WHY DO WE
COMMUNICATE?
MUST HAVE #1: CLEAR, MEASURABLE OBJECTIVES

6. IDENTIFYING THE RIGHT
AUDIENCE
MUST HAVE #2: KNOWING WHO YOU WANT TO REACH

7. Your target audience is
likely smaller than you
think
Not: ‘civil society’
But: ‘top 3 national NGOs working with
communities in the southern region on
climate change adaptation’

9. What is stopping them
from taking action
already?
If knowledge alone was enough to
inspire action, the world would already
be a better place. Real change requires
action.

10. CHOOSING YOUR
WORDS
MUST HAVE #3: TAILORED, COMPELLING MESSAGES

11. Good communication is,
above all else, authentic
Tailoring a message to your audience
means taking their perspective into
account — and speaking to them rather
than at them.

12. Did you know?
This phrase started
with a public
awareness
campaign to reduce
littering

13. GOAL: Reduce littering
AUDIENCE:AUDIENCE: Young men
aged 16-24
MESSAGE:MESSAGE: Tap into an
already held belief

14. It worked!
Year 1 29% reduction
Year 2 54% reduction
By Year 4 72% reduction
Plus, a new cultural zeitgeist – bumper
stickers, t-shirts, political speeches,
part of Texas’ DNA

15. Responsive chords
It is easier to motivate someone around
something they already believe than to
convince them of something new

16. Tell them a story
Humans have been telling each other
stories for millennia. Stories help us
connect, visualize the problem, the
solution and our role or place within the
larger context.

17. GROUP DISCUSSION:
WHAT ARE SOME
COMMUNICATIONS OBJECTIVES
FOR YOUR NAP PROCESS?
MUST HAVE #1: CLEAR, MEASURABLE OBJECTIVES
EXAMPLE: Convince the public of the need for investment in
climate change adaptation from both public and private
sources, and the benefits of investing sooner rather than later.

18. Strategic Communication
and the NAP process
• Expand financing for adaptation
• Get buy-in from other ministries
• Conduct public consultations with
affected groups
• Get high-level political support
• Get public support to drive high-level
political support