You're doing amazing work, but no one seems to know! Today's session is designed to help you streamline & coordinate your communications and develop a communications plan. Communications planning helps you define how you communicate with your various audiences. Any questions please contact deborah@creative-si.com.
2. “If you don’t know where you’re going it doesn’t
matter which way you go!”
Said the Cheshire Cat in Alice in Wonderland
Creative Solutions & Innovations
July 2012
| www.creative-si.com | 404.325.7031
3. Why Strategic
Communications?
You’re doing amazing work, but no one
seems to know!
Today’s session is designed to help you
streamline & coordinate your
communications and develop a
communications plan.
Creative Solutions & Innovations
July 2012
| www.creative-si.com | 404.325.7031
4. What is a Communications
Plan?
Communications planning helps you define how
you communicate with your various
audiences.
An effective communications plan reflects
your organization’s mission, goals and
objectives, and is integrated into daily
operations.
Your plan informs everything from the content
of your website to the frequency of your
contacts with the media.
July 2012
Creative Solutions & Innovations
| www.creative-si.com | 404.325.7031
5. Step I - Research
Why do research?
– Sets foundation for all communications
– Provides audience insights
– Uncovers opportunities, threats, etc.
– Analyzes direction, position, messages
Creative Solutions & Innovations
July 2012
| www.creative-si.com | 404.325.7031
6. Research Tools
Brainstorming sessions
SWOT Analysis
Audience Discovery Interviews
Focus groups
Creative Solutions & Innovations
July 2012
| www.creative-si.com | 404.325.7031
7. What Do You Gain From
Research?
Foundation elements for Message
Framework
Positioning – statement of your mission
that drives your organization
Tagline – key words & phrases that set
you apart and make you special
Benefits and attributes – key messages
about what you offer
Features – talking points
Creative Solutions & Innovations
July 2012
| www.creative-si.com | 404.325.7031
8. Getting Started
Goal and objectives
Select Target Audience
Messages and Credible Messengers
Tactics, timelines, assignments and
budgets
Measurement of Success
Creative Solutions & Innovations
July 2012
| www.creative-si.com | 404.325.7031
9. Your goal is your vision for
change
How does your organization plan to
change the world?
1.
2.
3.
Creative Solutions & Innovations
July 2012
| www.creative-si.com | 404.325.7031
10. Objectives are the concrete steps
taken to reach your goal
Objectives must be:
Specific
Measurable
Attainable
Realistic
Time-bound
Creative Solutions & Innovations
July 2012
| www.creative-si.com | 404.325.7031
11. Your Mission Goes Here:
Objectives:
1.
2.
3.
Creative Solutions & Innovations
July 2012
| www.creative-si.com | 404.325.7031
12. How do you make your objective a
reality?
Identify the decision maker with the power
to make your objectives real
Whom would you identify as a decision
maker?
1.
2.
3.
Creative Solutions & Innovations
July 2012
| www.creative-si.com | 404.325.7031
13. Reaching Decision Makers
Who are the people who can reach your
decision makers and help achieve your
objectives?
1.
2.
3.
Creative Solutions & Innovations
July 2012
| www.creative-si.com | 404.325.7031
14. Target Your Audiences
Creative Solutions & Innovations
October 16, 2008
| www.creative-si.com | 404.325.7031
15. Identify Your Target
Audiences
Clients Faith Community
Former Clients Educators
Advocates Health Care Providers
Board members Business Owners
Volunteers Targeted Media
Donors Bloggers
Foundations Twitter Influencers
Local elected officials Partner Organizations
Community leaders Sponsors
Creative Solutions & Innovations
July 2012
| www.creative-si.com | 404.325.7031
16. Message Characteristics
Share Knowledge about your
organization and your issue.
Overcome barriers. Respect your
audience’s comfort zone and move
them forward in manageable steps.
When your audience takes an action,
remind them that they are doing a good
thing.
Creative Solutions & Innovations
July 2012
| www.creative-si.com | 404.325.7031
17. Creating Messages to Create
Action
Threshold Messages
What do people need to know, believe
or care about to become engaged?
What obstacles do you have to
overcome to get people over the
threshold?
Creative Solutions & Innovations
July 2012
| www.creative-si.com | 404.325.7031
18. Creating Messages to Create
Action
Solution Messages
And, the world would be a better place. . .
What is the projected positive outcome?
How would people’s lives be better?
Creative Solutions & Innovations
July 2012
| www.creative-si.com | 404.325.7031
19. Creating Messages to Create
Action
Action Messages
What is the purpose of the message?
What do you want people to do?
Hint:
Link it to the goal of a specific campaign.
Creative Solutions & Innovations
July 2012
| www.creative-si.com | 404.325.7031
20. Creating Messages to Create
Action
Reinforcement Messages:
How do you keep people involved?
Do your supporters carry your
messages?
What do you give them to do so?
Do you have statistics, anecdotes, or
sound bites?
Creative Solutions & Innovations
July 2012
| www.creative-si.com | 404.325.7031
21. Identify your messengers
Who is your best messenger?
1.
2.
3.
Creative Solutions & Innovations
July 2012
| www.creative-si.com | 404.325.7031
22. Strategy & Action
Communications Awareness Comprehension Conviction Commitment
Mass 40% 10% 5% 5%
Direct 40% 50% 20% 10%
Small Group 10% 20% 35% 15%
Person-to-Person 10% 20% 40% 70%
•Awareness brings your nonprofit to the attention of an
audience
•Comprehension develops an understanding of an
organization
•Conviction matches individual interests to institutional
offerings
•Commitment assists in the decision process
July 2012
Creative Solutions & Innovations
| www.creative-si.com | 404.325.7031
26. Ethics and Transparency
How do you make your clients feel
safe on your social networks?
SM is about trust & trust must be earned. Once lost, trust is hard to recover.
In SM, there may be no second chance to recover it
~Wayne Hurlbert, Social Media
Marketing GPS - https://www.box.com/shared/0n18eeycl4
27. Invite Your Audiences To Your
3. Create The Awareness
Party
Stakeholders
Strategies
Tactics
Banner Ad Signature
Twitter Blog Website
Enterprise
A Integrated Marketing Model
http://bloombergmarketing.blogs.com/
28. Traditional Public Relations
Speaking at Conferences
Press Releases
Press Conferences
Published Articles
PSA
Events [Fundraisers, Meet & Greet]
Broadcast Programming
Creative Solutions & Innovations
July 2012
| www.creative-si.com | 404.325.7031
31. Measuring Success
Use anecdotal as well as quantifiable
measurements
Identify a mix of outputs and outcomes.
Outputs are a measure of your efforts.
Outcomes are the changes that occur.
Build-in opportunities where you can
identify what is/is not working.
Creative Solutions & Innovations
July 2012
| www.creative-si.com | 404.325.7031
32. Reality Check
Do you have enough resources?
Are you finding ways to include key
staff, volunteers, and leadership?
Do you have buy-in from your chapter?
What about national?
Can you measure your success?
Creative Solutions & Innovations
July 2012
| www.creative-si.com | 404.325.7031