This document provides an overview of strategic communications for progressives. It discusses defining strategic communications and examining corporate spending on communications. It also defines progressive strategic communications and covers topics like understanding goals and audiences, evaluating niche and messaging, and selecting communications strategies and tools. The document provides guidance on developing a strategic communications plan including evaluating goals, objectives, and success.
Too often nonprofits are scrambling to post on Twitter and Facebook, without thinking through how digital tools should be part of your organization's strategic goals.
In this presentation for the 2014 Peace and Security Funders conference, See3 CEO Michael Hoffman and digital strategist Laura Wilson walk through creating a strategic communications plan, theories of change, and how to use the tools at our fingertips - like Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube - to achieve the change your organization seeks to make.
This document provides an overview of strategic communications planning. It discusses key components of an effective communications plan including context, environmental scan, stakeholder analysis, objectives, strategy, audiences, announcements, messages, tactics, issues, budget, and evaluation. The document is intended to serve as a comprehensive guide for developing strategic corporate communications plans.
Alliance for Nonprofit Excellence Training 5.4.10 Strategic Communications fo...jleigh206
Need basic training in nonprofit communications? This workshop will help you assess your organization's communications work, and give you the tools to communicate more effectively with members, donors, and other constituents, even with a small marketing and communications budget. Content will include communications planning, crafting messages, targeting audiences, and choosing tools and technology to get your message across.
Strategic communications planning for not-for-profits - Jo ScardConnecting Up
This document outlines steps for developing a strategic communications plan for not-for-profits. It discusses identifying an organization's vision and desired change. Communications should be integrated into all activities and planning. The document provides guidance on developing a communications plan including reviewing engagement, identifying target audiences and key messages, selecting appropriate communication channels, and measuring success. It also addresses crisis planning and using social media. The goal is to help organizations strategically think about and integrate communications to achieve their goals and ensure long-term sustainability.
Basic Idea of Strategic Communication, Barriers to Effective Communication, Benefits of Managers as Effective Communicators, The Seven Principles of Strategic Organizational Communications, Steps to Become a Good Strategic Communicator, 4 Step Model for Managers to be Strategic Communicators, Measuring Manager’s Communication Skills
CharityComms: What does a good communications strategy look like?Ben Matthews
The document provides guidance on developing an effective communications strategy by answering six key questions: 1) What resources do you have? 2) What are your goals? 3) Who is your target audience? 4) What is your message frame? 5) What is your core message? 6) What tactics will you use? It stresses starting by assessing available resources, setting goals and understanding the audience before crafting the frame, message and selecting appropriate tactics like events or social media. Regular evaluation of strategies is also recommended to improve future efforts.
If you’re been tasked with writing a communications strategy, let AB give you a helping hand. Our no-nonsense guide takes you through a 10-step process for planning and structuring your strategy.
Creating & Using Your Communications Plan: a workshop for the MetroWest Nonpr...NikiLamb
Presenter:
Marketing consultant and non-profit specialist
Niki Lamberg
www.nlamberg.com
Is your non-profit striving to grow? A communications plan gives you a framework for reaching your most important audiences more efficiently. With a basic, thoughtful plan in place, you can budget, benchmark, and breathe more easily. Whatever your budget--even if it's practically zero--you can take charge of your communications strategy.
Presented February 4, 2011 in Framingham, MA for the MetroWest Nonprofit Network
Too often nonprofits are scrambling to post on Twitter and Facebook, without thinking through how digital tools should be part of your organization's strategic goals.
In this presentation for the 2014 Peace and Security Funders conference, See3 CEO Michael Hoffman and digital strategist Laura Wilson walk through creating a strategic communications plan, theories of change, and how to use the tools at our fingertips - like Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube - to achieve the change your organization seeks to make.
This document provides an overview of strategic communications planning. It discusses key components of an effective communications plan including context, environmental scan, stakeholder analysis, objectives, strategy, audiences, announcements, messages, tactics, issues, budget, and evaluation. The document is intended to serve as a comprehensive guide for developing strategic corporate communications plans.
Alliance for Nonprofit Excellence Training 5.4.10 Strategic Communications fo...jleigh206
Need basic training in nonprofit communications? This workshop will help you assess your organization's communications work, and give you the tools to communicate more effectively with members, donors, and other constituents, even with a small marketing and communications budget. Content will include communications planning, crafting messages, targeting audiences, and choosing tools and technology to get your message across.
Strategic communications planning for not-for-profits - Jo ScardConnecting Up
This document outlines steps for developing a strategic communications plan for not-for-profits. It discusses identifying an organization's vision and desired change. Communications should be integrated into all activities and planning. The document provides guidance on developing a communications plan including reviewing engagement, identifying target audiences and key messages, selecting appropriate communication channels, and measuring success. It also addresses crisis planning and using social media. The goal is to help organizations strategically think about and integrate communications to achieve their goals and ensure long-term sustainability.
Basic Idea of Strategic Communication, Barriers to Effective Communication, Benefits of Managers as Effective Communicators, The Seven Principles of Strategic Organizational Communications, Steps to Become a Good Strategic Communicator, 4 Step Model for Managers to be Strategic Communicators, Measuring Manager’s Communication Skills
CharityComms: What does a good communications strategy look like?Ben Matthews
The document provides guidance on developing an effective communications strategy by answering six key questions: 1) What resources do you have? 2) What are your goals? 3) Who is your target audience? 4) What is your message frame? 5) What is your core message? 6) What tactics will you use? It stresses starting by assessing available resources, setting goals and understanding the audience before crafting the frame, message and selecting appropriate tactics like events or social media. Regular evaluation of strategies is also recommended to improve future efforts.
If you’re been tasked with writing a communications strategy, let AB give you a helping hand. Our no-nonsense guide takes you through a 10-step process for planning and structuring your strategy.
Creating & Using Your Communications Plan: a workshop for the MetroWest Nonpr...NikiLamb
Presenter:
Marketing consultant and non-profit specialist
Niki Lamberg
www.nlamberg.com
Is your non-profit striving to grow? A communications plan gives you a framework for reaching your most important audiences more efficiently. With a basic, thoughtful plan in place, you can budget, benchmark, and breathe more easily. Whatever your budget--even if it's practically zero--you can take charge of your communications strategy.
Presented February 4, 2011 in Framingham, MA for the MetroWest Nonprofit Network
These slides present and explain the three fundamental stages of communication strategy – vision, audit, and snapshot – along with the steps needed to achieve them.
Launch Communication Plan: A Guide and Template to Provide Effective Communication for a Successful Launch.
You’re launching a new program or platform to increase partner engagement and you can’t wait to get your partners using it.
Consider that how you communicate what you’re offering your partners is just as important as what you’re offering them.
Learn how to make your new initiative successful with a communication plan that educates your partners on the value for them, stokes excitement, and gets partners engaging with the platform after launch.
This document outlines a communications plan template for MIT Libraries projects. The template includes sections for intended audiences, main and secondary messages, time frame, relevant research, objectives, associated activities, required resources, responsibilities, internal communications, and evaluation metrics. The plan provides a framework to develop targeted communications that convey key messages to relevant stakeholders and measure the impact.
4 Steps for Improved Stakeholder EngagementBrightWork
Project managers need to secure stakeholder support early on to help work proceed smoothly. Creating a stakeholder engagement strategy involves four principal steps - Define, Analyze, Plan and Engage.
Social Media and Your Communication StrategyDPCdigital
DPC and Mitchell & Partners presented the eighth Digital Communication in Government Seminar on 27 June 2014.
Joined by communication practitioners from across the Victorian Government, Marcus Betschel and Trent Light from Mitchell & Partners shared their experiences about how to best use social media as part of a broader communication strategy.
This document outlines the communications processes used by AIESEC, including communication analysis, planning, internal communication, media communication, and brand management. It presents the logical flow of the communications processes and provides a high-level overview of the core activities within each process. The goal is to present the structure of the communications processes to facilitate discussion on how to best deliver communication activities and support local committees. Key processes discussed include stakeholder analysis, self-analysis, competitors analysis, environmental analysis, stakeholder communication planning, media communication planning, internal campaigns, communication flow management, press releases, and building relationships with media contacts.
How to write a marketing and
communications strategy
Bringing together all you’ve learned and all elements of the marketing mix to make a positive impact on
your target audience, here’s a simple accessible guide to creating future campaigns and a communications
strategy.
A Refreshing Approach to Strategic Communication Planning by Robin Russell Mc...IABC Houston
* step-by-step through a modern, uncomplicated planning process;
* gather data to ensure measurable impact in audience actions & behaviors;
* use social media tools to promote and persuade
by Robin Russell McCasland, Brain Biscuits Strategic Communication, Dallas TX
The document provides a communications workbook to help organizations lay out a communications plan from start to finish. It outlines 9 key sections to consider: 1) establishing a clear goal, 2) researching the internal and external landscapes, 3) identifying decision makers, 4) determining influencing audiences, 5) understanding audience values, 6) developing an effective message, 7) choosing appropriate messengers, 8) targeting communications, and 9) selecting tactics to implement the plan. Filling out the workbook with a team allows an organization to strategically develop and execute a communications strategy to achieve its goals.
This document outlines the ROPES model for developing and implementing public communication campaigns. The model consists of 5 stages: Research (20%), Objectives (15%), Programming (30%), Evaluation (15%), and Stewardship (20%). Each stage is described in detail, from conducting research on the organization, opportunity, and publics in stage 1, to setting specific and measurable awareness, acceptance, and action objectives in stage 2. Stage 3 involves creating a detailed programming plan including tactics, schedules, and budgets. Stage 4 focuses on evaluating the campaign throughout its implementation. The final stage of Stewardship emphasizes maintaining relationships through reciprocity, responsibility, reporting, and relationship nurturing.
The document provides guidance on developing an evaluation strategy for communications. It stresses the importance of first determining what aspect of communications will be evaluated, as evaluating all aspects would be too broad in scope. Examples given include evaluating a strategic initiative, tactical effort, or specific media. The document also emphasizes defining a clear goal for communications to support, as the goal will help determine the evaluation approach. The goal represents the long-term desired outcome or change. With a focused area to evaluate and a defined goal, an organization can then develop an effective evaluation strategy.
The document outlines Purple Door Communications' goals to increase awareness and usage of their My Purple Door portal and services through a targeted communications strategy. This includes increasing social media promotion, placing posters and flyers across campus, engaging directly with students at events, and analyzing usage metrics and feedback to optimize the strategy over time. The long-term goals are to redesign the Purple Door website to improve student experience and increase interactive and video-based content.
The document discusses communication planning and outlines how mission statements, business plans, and communication plans are interrelated. It provides details on how mission statements should communicate an organization's purpose and direction. Examples are given of mission statements from various companies and how they guide priorities and decision making.
The document outlines a communications plan for a company undergoing an Oracle implementation. It includes:
1) Identifying stakeholders and analyzing their needs to develop tailored messaging to help stakeholders move through stages of change acceptance.
2) Guiding principles for communications, including using a variety of channels to deliver consistent, honest messages from leaders.
3) A communications approach including stakeholder analysis, key messages for each group, and vehicles like meetings, newsletters and surveys.
4) An overview of the communications plan framework for mapping out when and how to deliver tailored information to stakeholders throughout the implementation.
The document discusses strategies for effective charity campaigns. It recommends having one overarching goal supported by smaller, targeted tactics. It also suggests breaking larger campaigns into smaller audience segments and customizing messages for each. Additionally, it advises tapping into existing communities and letting community members choose how to support in order to build a strong base that will provide help when most needed.
This document provides guidance on creating an effective story to help accomplish project goals. It recommends identifying the target audience, explaining why the project is important by specifying the needs it addresses, leveraging strengths while acknowledging challenges, setting action items and timelines, crafting a concise project statement, and practicing the story for presentations. Following these steps can help strengthen a project's mission and secure additional resources.
These slides present and explain the three fundamental stages of communication strategy – vision, audit, and snapshot – along with the steps needed to achieve them.
Launch Communication Plan: A Guide and Template to Provide Effective Communication for a Successful Launch.
You’re launching a new program or platform to increase partner engagement and you can’t wait to get your partners using it.
Consider that how you communicate what you’re offering your partners is just as important as what you’re offering them.
Learn how to make your new initiative successful with a communication plan that educates your partners on the value for them, stokes excitement, and gets partners engaging with the platform after launch.
This document outlines a communications plan template for MIT Libraries projects. The template includes sections for intended audiences, main and secondary messages, time frame, relevant research, objectives, associated activities, required resources, responsibilities, internal communications, and evaluation metrics. The plan provides a framework to develop targeted communications that convey key messages to relevant stakeholders and measure the impact.
4 Steps for Improved Stakeholder EngagementBrightWork
Project managers need to secure stakeholder support early on to help work proceed smoothly. Creating a stakeholder engagement strategy involves four principal steps - Define, Analyze, Plan and Engage.
Social Media and Your Communication StrategyDPCdigital
DPC and Mitchell & Partners presented the eighth Digital Communication in Government Seminar on 27 June 2014.
Joined by communication practitioners from across the Victorian Government, Marcus Betschel and Trent Light from Mitchell & Partners shared their experiences about how to best use social media as part of a broader communication strategy.
This document outlines the communications processes used by AIESEC, including communication analysis, planning, internal communication, media communication, and brand management. It presents the logical flow of the communications processes and provides a high-level overview of the core activities within each process. The goal is to present the structure of the communications processes to facilitate discussion on how to best deliver communication activities and support local committees. Key processes discussed include stakeholder analysis, self-analysis, competitors analysis, environmental analysis, stakeholder communication planning, media communication planning, internal campaigns, communication flow management, press releases, and building relationships with media contacts.
How to write a marketing and
communications strategy
Bringing together all you’ve learned and all elements of the marketing mix to make a positive impact on
your target audience, here’s a simple accessible guide to creating future campaigns and a communications
strategy.
A Refreshing Approach to Strategic Communication Planning by Robin Russell Mc...IABC Houston
* step-by-step through a modern, uncomplicated planning process;
* gather data to ensure measurable impact in audience actions & behaviors;
* use social media tools to promote and persuade
by Robin Russell McCasland, Brain Biscuits Strategic Communication, Dallas TX
The document provides a communications workbook to help organizations lay out a communications plan from start to finish. It outlines 9 key sections to consider: 1) establishing a clear goal, 2) researching the internal and external landscapes, 3) identifying decision makers, 4) determining influencing audiences, 5) understanding audience values, 6) developing an effective message, 7) choosing appropriate messengers, 8) targeting communications, and 9) selecting tactics to implement the plan. Filling out the workbook with a team allows an organization to strategically develop and execute a communications strategy to achieve its goals.
This document outlines the ROPES model for developing and implementing public communication campaigns. The model consists of 5 stages: Research (20%), Objectives (15%), Programming (30%), Evaluation (15%), and Stewardship (20%). Each stage is described in detail, from conducting research on the organization, opportunity, and publics in stage 1, to setting specific and measurable awareness, acceptance, and action objectives in stage 2. Stage 3 involves creating a detailed programming plan including tactics, schedules, and budgets. Stage 4 focuses on evaluating the campaign throughout its implementation. The final stage of Stewardship emphasizes maintaining relationships through reciprocity, responsibility, reporting, and relationship nurturing.
The document provides guidance on developing an evaluation strategy for communications. It stresses the importance of first determining what aspect of communications will be evaluated, as evaluating all aspects would be too broad in scope. Examples given include evaluating a strategic initiative, tactical effort, or specific media. The document also emphasizes defining a clear goal for communications to support, as the goal will help determine the evaluation approach. The goal represents the long-term desired outcome or change. With a focused area to evaluate and a defined goal, an organization can then develop an effective evaluation strategy.
The document outlines Purple Door Communications' goals to increase awareness and usage of their My Purple Door portal and services through a targeted communications strategy. This includes increasing social media promotion, placing posters and flyers across campus, engaging directly with students at events, and analyzing usage metrics and feedback to optimize the strategy over time. The long-term goals are to redesign the Purple Door website to improve student experience and increase interactive and video-based content.
The document discusses communication planning and outlines how mission statements, business plans, and communication plans are interrelated. It provides details on how mission statements should communicate an organization's purpose and direction. Examples are given of mission statements from various companies and how they guide priorities and decision making.
The document outlines a communications plan for a company undergoing an Oracle implementation. It includes:
1) Identifying stakeholders and analyzing their needs to develop tailored messaging to help stakeholders move through stages of change acceptance.
2) Guiding principles for communications, including using a variety of channels to deliver consistent, honest messages from leaders.
3) A communications approach including stakeholder analysis, key messages for each group, and vehicles like meetings, newsletters and surveys.
4) An overview of the communications plan framework for mapping out when and how to deliver tailored information to stakeholders throughout the implementation.
The document discusses strategies for effective charity campaigns. It recommends having one overarching goal supported by smaller, targeted tactics. It also suggests breaking larger campaigns into smaller audience segments and customizing messages for each. Additionally, it advises tapping into existing communities and letting community members choose how to support in order to build a strong base that will provide help when most needed.
This document provides guidance on creating an effective story to help accomplish project goals. It recommends identifying the target audience, explaining why the project is important by specifying the needs it addresses, leveraging strengths while acknowledging challenges, setting action items and timelines, crafting a concise project statement, and practicing the story for presentations. Following these steps can help strengthen a project's mission and secure additional resources.
This document provides an overview of a fundraising fundamentals course. The agenda includes introductions, exercises on existing fundraising plans, lectures on fundraising cycles and techniques like grants, major gifts, social media, and special events. Course outcomes focus on developing skills in areas like fundraising programs, income sources, budgeting, storytelling, and technology planning. The document then provides content on various fundraising topics including introductions, statements of purpose, fundraising plans, grant proposals, individual and major gifts, social media, and special events.
Public relations (PR) involves planned communication to inform various audiences about an organization. PR is important for increasing visibility, credibility, and finding information online. Effective PR requires defining target audiences, developing a strategy that meets their needs, and going beyond press releases to other opportunities. Key elements of successful PR include identifying newsworthy stories, crafting releases with graphics and contacts, building media relationships through service and accessibility, and measuring success through various metrics. Overall, PR is about engaging in dialogue to shape perceptions.
This document provides tips for CDC nonprofits on marketing at the neighborhood level. It discusses that CDCs are community-based nonprofits that focus on housing, jobs, and services. The document outlines CDC activities, challenges, and strategies for effective communications planning including defining goals and target audiences, using signature events and collaborative partnerships, and selecting appropriate marketing tools.
The document discusses how to identify key publics and their characteristics, determine the best combinations of publics to target, develop primary and secondary message strategies tailored to each public's interests, and use slogans, themes, taglines, and staged events consistently across publics while still addressing each group's unique motivations. It emphasizes the importance of research in understanding publics and designing effective public-specific messages to accomplish communication objectives.
Public Relations- A Non-profit Outreach ToolAnusha Sherazy
The document discusses public relations for non-profit organizations. It defines public relations and outlines its diversity, including crisis management, issues management, and media relations. It describes how public relations can help non-profits distinguish themselves by gaining media attention and notices from potential donors and clients. The document then provides examples of effective public relations strategies for non-profits, including determining key messages, developing a communications plan, and implementing the plan. It outlines various public relations tools and strategies non-profits can use, such as front door PR, maintenance PR, outreach PR, and collaborative PR. Finally, it provides a top 10 list of public relations tips for non-profit organizations.
The document discusses communications strategies for small science-focused businesses. It provides tips on developing an integrated marketing program including defining objectives and messages, identifying target audiences, and leveraging upcoming events and milestones. Examples are given of repositioning companies through improved communications around new indications or leadership changes. The importance of visual design, social media, and choosing experienced agency partners is also addressed.
This document provides an overview of developing a public relations strategy. It includes an agenda that covers advertising versus public relations, identifying challenges and opportunities, setting goals and planning, public relations tactics and tools, and next steps. The document discusses defining target audiences, timelines, budgets, identifying a PR team, and selecting spokespeople. The goal is to help companies and organizations craft a strategic public relations plan to increase awareness, change perceptions, and achieve other communication objectives.
This document provides a 12-step workbook to help organizations create a social media strategy. It includes sections to assess goals and objectives, define target audiences, choose appropriate tactics and tools, integrate social media with other marketing efforts, and address potential barriers to adoption within the organization. The workbook provides questions, templates, and examples to guide the planning process.
Martin Waxman Loyalist PR Social Media presentation march 2011Martin Waxman
Martin Waxman presented to Loyalist College in March 2011 on how social media is changing communications. He discussed how social media has disrupted traditional assumptions about how information and communication works. It has become a democratic, transparent, and conversational way for organizations to build relationships. Waxman outlined several social media platforms like blogs, podcasts, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and mobile and provided tips for how PR professionals can engage with and leverage these channels as part of an overall social media strategy. He emphasized the importance of listening, conversing, engaging and developing relationships across social media to help build brands.
The document outlines the key components of an effective media planning process, including situation analysis, goals, objectives, target media, key messages, strategies, tactics, budget, and measurement. It explains that media planning is crucial for PR practitioners to achieve organizational goals and should be done before implementing media relations activities. The plan provides a basis for media relations campaigns and guides the practitioner in analyzing the situation, defining the goal and objectives, identifying the target audience and key messages, and developing strategies, tactics, and a budget to achieve the desired objectives. Measurement of the plan is also important to evaluate effectiveness and make revisions for future media relations efforts.
PR is a distinctive management function that helps establish communication between an organization and its publics. It involves managing issues through a four step process of research, planning, communication, and evaluation. PR encompasses many components including counseling, research, media relations, publicity, community relations, and financial relations. PR aims to raise awareness, build trust and credibility, and create a climate for consumer acceptance in support of marketing goals. It is a growing industry with opportunities in many sectors.
PR is a distinctive management function that helps establish communication between an organization and its publics. It involves managing issues through a four step process of research, planning, communication, and evaluation. PR encompasses many components including counseling, research, media relations, publicity, community relations, and financial relations. PR aims to raise awareness, build trust and credibility, and create a climate for consumer acceptance in support of marketing goals. It is a growing industry with opportunities in many sectors.
This document discusses maximizing public relations efforts through effective planning. It emphasizes that a solid PR plan starts with realistic goals and objectives to generate awareness, attract funding, and recruit volunteers. The plan should include research on audiences and competitors, goals, objectives, strategies, tactics, and responsibilities. Regular review and updates help ensure the plan stays focused on what stakeholders define as success. Mixing tactics keeps the PR efforts fresh.
Public relations (PR) are the activities organizations engage in to create a positive image for a company, product, service, or a person. Press releases, a commonly used PR tool, are designed to generate publicity, but there is no guarantee the media will use them in the stories they write. Sponsorships are designed to increase brand awareness, improve corporate image, and reach target markets. Product placements are designed to generate exposure, brand awareness, and interest.
This document provides guidance on creating a social media strategy map for a nonprofit organization. It discusses establishing objectives, identifying target audiences, integrating social media with communications plans, addressing culture change, building staff capacity, selecting appropriate tools and tactics, and measuring performance. The strategy map is presented as a framework to help nonprofits systematically plan their social media presence across various channels to achieve their goals.
The document summarizes a group presentation on public relations. It includes the group profile, definitions of public relations, descriptions of common public relations plans and processes, tools used in public relations, advantages and disadvantages, and how to evaluate a public relations program. The group's presentation covered the key aspects of developing and implementing an effective public relations strategy and evaluating its impact.
The document discusses using a holistic "Paid, Owned, Earned" (POE) model for guiding brands through social media. It states that a one-dimensional communications strategy is not effective and that disseminating messages relies on converging paid, owned, and earned media tactics. It asserts that the whole of the POE communications model is greater than the sum of its individual parts, and taking a holistic POE approach can help consolidate return on investment.
Similar to Strategic communications for_progressives (20)
2. Your Goals
Why are you here at Btm! today?
Why did you decide on this workshop?
What specific takeaways are you looking
for?
December 6, 2012 Strategic Communications for Progressives
3. Strategic Communications Defined
The use of outreach tools and programs
designed to create, strengthen and/or
preserve opinions by your key audiences
that lead to the attainment of your
institutional goals and objectives.
December 6, 2012 Strategic Communications for Progressives
4. Corporate Communications
Corporate communications
spending, which includes
advertising, marketing and strategic
communications, will grow to $1.4 trillion
by 2015.
- Public Relations Society of America
Progressives can never much these
dollars, but we can be strategic.
December 6, 2012 Strategic Communications for Progressives
5. Progressive Strategic
Communications Defined
The use of messages, images, reputation
and ideas to persuade others to accept your
ideas, policies or courses of action:
persuading allies and friends to stand with you
persuading neutrals to come over to your side (or at
least stay neutral)
persuading adversaries that you do have the power
and the will to prevail
December 6, 2012 Strategic Communications for Progressives
6. Getting the Lay of the Land:
From a Tool Created by Dr. Charlotte Ryan, Professor, Sociology Dept., UMass Lowell
December 6, 2012 Strategic Communications for Progressives
7. Purpose, Priorities and Goals
Purpose is pretty clear: You want to move a
progressive agenda forward, specifically about
your organization’s issues.
BUT be much more specific. Determine your high-
level strategic communications priorities and goals
by reviewing the organizational goals and
objectives. Alignment is key, as is what is
doable.
For example, Fabulous Nonprofit wants legislation
passed in FY13 which overturns Citizens United.
December 6, 2012 Strategic Communications for Progressives
8. Audience
Who do you want to reach?
Primary, secondary (not media at this point)
Why do you want to reach them?
Grassroots stalwarts, colleague groups, grass tops
influencers, funders, volunteers, gov.
officials, politicians, youth served, populations
served, new participants, others??
What measurable behaviors are you looking for?
Looking for their votes? Need calls made? Others??
December 6, 2012 Strategic Communications for Progressives
9. Audience cont’d
Why should they help you?
Benefits-orientation: What will they get
from this?
List several benefits for each audience
type. Put it on paper
December 6, 2012 Strategic Communications for Progressives
10. Your Niche
Who do you serve? Where? How? (this
should overlap with audience)
List all groups, including
volunteers, funders, etc.
Who don’t you serve that you should?
What other organizations/government
agencies/businesses do what you do?
December 6, 2012 Strategic Communications for Progressives
11. Your Niche cont’d
What are your strengths?
What are your weaknesses?
Are there legacy activities (activities that no longer
directly align with your mission but that you are known for)?
Are there weaknesses that need to be
strengthened?
December 6, 2012 Strategic Communications for Progressives
12. Reevaluate Goals. Add Objectives.
Incorporating audience and niche
information, restate your goals and
develop two to three communications
objectives for each high-level goal.
For example: Convince at least half of the
progressive caucus to sign on to legislation;
start 20 new campus chapters; etc.
Segment objectives according to audience
December 6, 2012 Strategic Communications for Progressives
13. Evaluation (yes, now!)
This is the time to decide how you will measure
success.
State exactly what you will evaluate.
Establish your baseline date: How many monthly web visitors? How
many letter to the editors by board members?
Decide which questions need to be answered to know if you are
successful.
Be clear about the results you seek to measure.
Decide which methods you will use to evaluate your results.
Qualitative: For example, focus groups, interviews, observation
Quantitative: Web stats, media hits, subscribers, new advocates
Budget dollars, if you have them, but always budget staff time.
December 6, 2012 Strategic Communications for Progressives
14. Individual & Group Work – 20 min.
State what your organization hopes to achieve
from communications work.
Decide on three to five high-level
communications goals for the year.
No more than five for the year to make sure they are
achievable.
Make sure they are measurable.
Determine your audience: Primary, secondary
Chart out your niche.
December 6, 2012 Strategic Communications for Progressives
15. Develop Your Overarching Message
Your message should:
Crystallizeyour mission and intended impact.
Clarify who you serve, where and how.
Subtly position you (with competitors, partners, etc.)
Include proof points
Data and specific evidence to substantiate the
claims found within your core messages and
positioning statements.
Move your audience to action to meet goals.
December 6, 2012 Strategic Communications for Progressives
16. Develop Your Targeted Messages
For each key group and/or program
Do you need different messages for each
stage of the goal?
December 6, 2012 Strategic Communications for Progressives
17. Communications Strategies/Tools
Strategies/Tactics: Corresponding Tools:
Media Press list, pitch letter
SM Outlets/platforms
e-Communication e-news
E-Commerce T-shirts, cups
Print Impact report, fact sheets
Mobile Phones Advocacy pieces
One-one-ones Talking points
Video series Video stories
December 6, 2012 Strategic Communications for Progressives
18. Moving From Strategy to Tool: Media
Media
Craft your story: Is it hard news, or a feature?
What tool makes sense?
Press release: For smaller local media that may use all or part of
the actual release; mass notice for “real” news events; less used
than previously
Pitch letters: For more feature oriented news; blog pick-ups
PR websites: Post your release for free or a fee and know that it is
actually in circulation for pick-up usually by secondary news sources
Media lists: Build your own or use a service.
Make your own media: Drive traffic to your website and/or social
media to give the message in your own way.
December 6, 2012 Strategic Communications for Progressives
19. Press Release Format
Contact Info FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 21, 2012 CONTACT: Denise
Moorehead, dmoorehead@buildinitiative.org, phone#
Michigan Hosts First-of-Its-Kind National Meeting to Improve Early Childhood Health and
Success While Controlling Costs:
Partners with BUILD Initiative and Kresge Foundation for 22-State Confab
City, State capped DETROIT, MICHIGAN – Set tone; give intent; tell where and who; prove
newsworthy In the midst of the national debate about healthcare quality vs. cost, Michigan has
quietly and steadily become a leader in creating “medical home care” that can improve health-care
quality and results for young children – all while controlling costs. On Monday, May
21, 2012, Michigan’s leadership will host a 22-state national meeting showcasing the state’s work
in establishing medical homes for young children, sharing strategies which have been
fundamental in reducing disparities in child health and ensuring that children start school prepared
for success.
More news and quote of name-dropping “worthy” people The conference is the first of its kind
nationally to examine how medical homes can be developed for very young children and their
parents. More than 90 top early childhood clinicians, policymakers, and nonprofit and foundation
leaders will attend the three-day, invitation-only conference, “Medical Homes for Young Children
in Early Childhood Systems Building.”
December 6, 2012 Strategic Communications for Progressives
20. Press Release Format cont’d
Action outcomes and name dropping According to Dr. Bruner, the conference will help states
identify strategic steps to take to further develop medical homes for young children and launch a
cross-state effort to better incorporate health and health practitioners into building effective,
coordinated early childhood systems and in federal policy development. More name dropping The
Early Childhood Investment Corporation is organizing the Michigan delegation and
presentations. National experts from the National Academy for State Health Policy, Zero to Three,
the Urban Institute, the Patient-Centered Medical Home Collaborative, and the Child Health
Development Institute will serve as moderators and panelists. Representatives from the Center for
Medicare and Medicaid Services and the Health Resources and Services Administration will offer
federal perspectives on how states can develop medical homes.
About you The BUILD Initiative (www.buildinitiative.org/content/about-us) helps state leaders
prepare young children aged birth to five to succeed by helping their families access high quality
early learning; family and parenting support; early intervention for children with special needs; and
comprehensive health, mental health and nutritional services. The national initiative assists states
in planning and implementing a comprehensive early childhood “system of systems” that crosses
policy domains and helps ensure that families get the services they need. Ultimately, the BUILD
Initiative serves as a catalyst for change and as a national resource on early childhood
development and policy.
-30-
December 6, 2012 Strategic Communications for Progressives
21. Media Advisory/Alert
MEDIA ALERT (actual format)
Headline (what is the event, and when is it?)
What: What is happening
When: date, time or range of date and time
Where: where will it take place, where can they park
Who: Who is holding the event and
Who will be there – name dropping
Why: Why is this even being held
Who Should Attend: Who should attend the event
Visuals
Media Contact:
Name, phone, email, website...
December 6, 2012 Strategic Communications for Progressives
22. Pitch Email
First paragraph: Let the media know you are familiar with what they do and that you
have an idea that’s a good fit with their format or programming. Mention, for
example, that you know that reporter XXX frequently writes about XXX and that you
fit the profile of the types of groups she has featured. Or compliment the media outlet
on a story you have read that you liked - something that ties into your story idea.
Second paragraph: Present your idea and explain who, what, when, where, why and
how. Provide enough information for them to know what the story is about, but don't
bog down the letter with extraneous details. This is also the place to suggest a name
and telephone number of another source who they can talk to, if appropriate.
Third paragraph: Suggest ideas for graphic elements. What can they photograph? Is
there a colorful event where TV crews can film footage? Can you offer statistics for a
bar chart or pie chart that will make it easy for readers to understand the story? If you
already have a chart or other graphic that illustrates your idea, you may send it along
with your letter.
Fourth paragraph: Tell them how to contact you. Offer your work, home, cell phone
and beeper numbers and the best times to reach you. Finally, tell them you will follow
up in several days to see if you can provide more information or answer questions.
December 6, 2012 Strategic Communications for Progressives
23. Contacting Press
Best tools to contact: HARO, Vocus,
Reuters, boston.com/yourtown, Patch, etc.
Determine best time of day
Determine best means: email, fax, etc.:
But follow-up calls are still important
December 6, 2012 Strategic Communications for Progressives
24. Social Media
Connect with your audience in less
formal, more interactive ways.
Usual suspects: FB, LinkedIn (best bet for
many
organizations), Twitter, YouTube, Pinterest
, Instagram, MySpace (it’s back!), etc.
What else?
December 6, 2012 Strategic Communications for Progressives
25. Grow Your Own: Have Control
e-Communication: Your e-news, message
from the ED, e-blasts, e-advocacy
e-Commerce: Your brand in homes/offices
Print: Use wisely; be green; PDFs are best
Mobile Phones: For all generations
One-one-ones: Prepare talking
points, print materials with heavy
visuals, video
Videos/video series: Compelling and more
affordable than ever before
December 6, 2012 Strategic Communications for Progressives
26. Group Work
Ask, how can I best reach my audiences?
December 6, 2012 Strategic Communications for Progressives
27. Evaluation
Time to do your evaluation.
What worked? What did not?
Make mid-course corrections.
Do a full-year evaluation.
December 6, 2012 Strategic Communications for Progressives
28. Fabulous Resources
PCN
http://progressivecommunicators.net/
Spin Academy
http://spinacademy.org/resources/
John Hartford Foundation
http://www.bandwidthonline.org/howdoi/communications_strategy.asp
Getting Attention
http://nonprofitmarketingtraining.com/
December 6, 2012 Strategic Communications for Progressives
29. Fabulous Resources cont’d
PR Ideas
http://www.publicrelationsideas.com/how_to_format_a_great_pitch_letter_000288.html
HARO
www.helpareporter.com
Free Press
http://www.freepress.net/contact
Are We There Yet? Media Evaluation Guide
http://www.mediaevaluationproject.org/AreWeThereYet.pdf
Social Media for Nonprofits
http://www.casefoundation.org/topic/social-media
December 6, 2012 Strategic Communications for Progressives