Zoe Amar www.charitycomms.org.uk/events

1. Making the Business Case for
Comms to Trustees and Senior
Management Seminar
08 December 2011
www.charitycomms.org.uk
www.twitter.com/CharityComms
www.facebook.com/CharityComms

2. Getting buy-in for your communications

3. • We provide knowledge, support and resources
• We work with thousands of charities across the UK
including Shelter, Age UK and Citizens Advice
Bureaux
• We focus on technology and welfare benefits

4. Today we’ll look at:
1. How to build good foundations for demonstrating the
business case for communications
2. On-going stakeholder management
3. How to maintain and consolidate success

5. Recap on why Lasa needed to rebrand
Extensive stakeholder research in 2008-2010 told
us that:
• We needed wider recognition for our reach across the
UK and globally
• More organisations across the sector needed to know
we could help them
• Our vision, values and beliefs were unclear
• In such a competitive market these risks must be
resolved

6. Top tip: timing your ask
1. Pick the right moment for ‘the big
ask’
2. Don’t forget to ‘plant a seed’ for
smaller asks
3. After a ‘yes’ move swiftly to ‘thank
and bank

7. Getting initial buy-in
1. Sell them the benefits
2. Frame choices- make it hard to
say ‘no’
3. Turn negatives (e.g. tight
budget) into positives

8. How to use planning to assist buy-in
1. A strong project plan will
reassure board/ SMT
1. A strong project plan will
2. Clarify roles andboard/ SMT
reassure your
responsibilities at outset
3. Show the outcome at each
stage

9. Managing your stakeholders
1. Listen, listen, listen
2. Manage expectations
3. Be firm about deadlines

10. Understanding your stakeholders
1. Do your research
2. Find out their drivers
3. Establish who influences
them

11. Managing potential dealbreakers
1. Take a step back- use a
sounding board if necessary
2. Find a way to ‘neutralise’ the
situation
3. Talk to people individually

12. Consolidating success
1. Don’t forget to say ‘thank you’
2. Celebrate success
3. Keep reminding people of what you
have achieved

13. Finally, don’t forget to…

14. Thanks for your attention
Zoe Amar MCIM Chartered Marketer
Head of Marketing and Business Development
www.lasa.org.uk
zamar@lasa.org.uk /020 7426 4488
Twitter: @zoeamar