Its Really that Simple

The Essential Nonprofit

Communications Plan
March 15, 2012
Martha Wells
Susie Bowie

The single biggest problem

in communication is the illusion
that it has taken place.
George Bernard Shaw

Lets look at a
plan.

What were covering today

Whats a brand?
Your audiences
Message development
Goals vs. strategies
Tools & tactics
-Media relations 101
-Self-generated communication
101
-Successful partnerships

How do you feel

about plans?

Nonprofit
Communicatio
n

Myth

Nonprofit Communication
Myths & Stumbling Blocks

Myth 1:

Because we do good
work
Myth 2:
Who

wouldnt be
interested?

Nonprofit Communication
Myths & Stumbling Blocks

Myth 3:

Your audience is
everyone
Myth 4:

We need a billboard

What is a brand?

Whats your nonprofits

personality?
Whats your position relative to
competition?
What brand characteristics are
delivered well and not so well?

Whats in a
communicatio
n plan?

The communications plan

Situation Analysis
SWOT
Goals, Strategies, Tactics &
Tactics
Whos responsible
When its going to be done

The communications plan

does NOT include

Common sense
Policies
Internal processes
(management)

PR & Marketing Basics

Earned media
Paid media
Self-generated
communications

Communication does not

equal management

Your
Audiences

 Who are you talking to?

What do you want
them to know about you?

Lets do an exercise.

Did you just have a birthday?

Your 3 most important audiences.

Are they internal or external?

Are you ignoring

an important audience?

Internal Communication
Who are internal
audiences?

Message
Staf
Clients
Board
External
Audiences

Its not rocket science!

Board
Web
Volunteers
Public
Officials

Exhibits
Members

Media

Clients

MESSAG
E

Peers

Education
Programs

???

Publications

Regulator

Donors Staf

Making Internal Communication

Work
Step 1. ASK!

Need to know?
Want to know?
Frequency?
Method?
Step 2.

PROVIDE!
Staff Meetings.
E-Mail.
Phone.
Memos.
Lunch room.

Board Members are Ambassadors

Frequent & informal communication

Formal presentations through

Speakers Bureau
Joining staff for donor meetings
Sitting at tables at YOUR events
Representing your organization at
community events

Message
Developme
nt

A few good
message tests
1. Is it personal?
2. Are you conveying uniqueness?
3. Is there a call to action?
4. Does it add value?

Where can people turn when they are

desperate for help with their housing
situation? Our team at the One Stop Center
provides friendly, caring, compassionate
assistance to people that come for help with
a wide variety of issues. No one chooses to
be homeless - it is not something young
children aspire to. But when it happens to
you or a loved one, we are here to provide
basic services and help people move on a
path to improve their situation, and

Charis, age 12, was 20 pounds overweight and very

unhappy about it. Each day, she would endure
teasing and ridicule at the hands of her schoolmates.
She tried dieting but never seemed to have any luck.
At times, she even contemplated suicide. One day, a
counselor at the Boys & Girls Club gently suggested
that Charis try the Triple Play program. After 4
months in the Triple Play program, Charis was at her
normal body weight and feeling very, very good
about herself. Her newfound love of fitness has even
led her to try out for the track team at school!

Stroke is the leading cause of adult

disability and can happen at any age.
Its the 4th cause of death nationwide.
More women die of stroke every year
than of breast cancer. Approximately
2,800 strokes happen in Sarasota and
Manatee counties annually. With over
8,000 baby boomers turning 65 every
day for the next 19 years, that number
will significantly rise!

Stories +
Facts
emotion
heart
connection
selfidentification

proof
statistics
numbers
a need beyond
one

Lets do an exercise.

Is it your birthday next?

Creating a sound bite message

for a new potential donor:
The 36-Hour Giving Challenge.

Goals vs.
Strategies

Goal

What are you

trying to accomplish?

Strategi
es

Game plan
for accomplishing
goals

Tactics &
Tools

Activities-how you
execute
your
strategies.

Goals

The outcome of what youre trying to

accomplish vs. how you will accomplish it
Whats going to change as a result of
your communications/ marketing?
Linked to your organizations
organizational objectives
SMART
Specific Measureable Attainable Realistic
Timely

Strategies
Big picture approaches to meet your goal,
supported by tactics and tools.

Tactics and Tools

Media Relations & Paid Media
Print media, TV/radio

Self-generated messages
Newsletter, annual report, brochures, flyers, direct
mail
Website, E-news, Social media

Strategic Partnerships
With other nonprofits, with businesses, with
government, etc.

Media
Relations
101

Reporters are people who like to

Be approached as individuals, not as a
blast.
Receive information in certain ways.
Know you are considerate of their time.
Be called back. Now.
Be thanked.
You have a job to do. They have a job to do.
Are you helping them do their job?

Know what is news.

Know what is not news.
Know the beats and how your story
relate.
Calendar items are NOT news!
Is your pitch interesting to anyone
outside of your organization?
TIP: Relate it to a national or local issue
thats big right now?

Message Development

Do
nt

Bu
ild

Yo
ur
C

as
e

Message Development
Use the Inverted Pyramid
Your Message
= Conclusion
More
Info
Basic
Info

Self-Generated
Communication
s
101

Integrate, integrate, integrate

Step 1. The right message for the right
audience
Step 2. Delivering your message in the
way(s)
they would like to receive it.

Links, QR codes on printed material

Links to website/ FB from e-news

Sign ups for e-news on website,

printed materials and direct mail

Oneness in look

By the time youre getting

sick of
your logo, your audience is
just
starting to associate it with
you.

Oneness in look

Style guide

Core values

Color palette

Typography

How to use your logo

5 key questions for your website

1. Can visitors easily find contact
information?
2. How many clicks does it take to get the
information youre seeking if you are
-a donor? -a volunteer? -a client?
3. Are there pictures of people?
Are they smiling?
4. Are you maximizing SEO?
5. Is there too much text?

Quick guide to efective e-newsletters

The subject line
Our Newsletter: Volume XVI Really?
Make me want to open it
The content
Short articles, clickable to your website.
Use the does anyone care? test
Doesnt have to be all original
Ask what people want!

Quick guide to efective e-newsletters

The look
Easy to click through
Pictures
Two-column
The frequency
Twice a month is enough

Fundamental Principles of Social Media

Add value.
Have a personality.
If youre pitching for a need,
make it timely, relevant and
urgent.
Use your networks.
Same principles of audience,
goals and strategy apply.

The new Facebook timeline

Large cover photo taking up much of the
vertical space of the top screen.
Can highlight a key post at the top of your
timeline for up to 7 days (call to action)
People can see what their friends
are saying about your org.
Thanks, Nancy Schwartz!

Engagement vs. Numbers

Whats more important
How many fans, or the quality
of your interactions with
them?

Leveraging partnerships
for communication reach
Develop a clear partnership agreement
-Who takes the lead
-Single point of contact
-What items does everyone have input
on
Reaching alignment
Joint press releases
Be careful of sharing distribution lists.

Crisis
Communicatio
ns

What you need to know

about a crisis
It can happen to any organization.
One spokesperson.
No comment or off the record will
come back to get you.
The truth always wins.
Make sure they hear it from you.
People assume what they dont hear
directly.

Evaluating
Your
Eforts

The 3 Key Questions of Evaluation

1. Did our messengers know the

message?

2. Did our messages reach our

audiences with minimal
ambiguity?

3. Did you accomplish your goal?

Qualitative vs. Quantitative

Quantitative:

Google analytics (website)

Click-thrus & opens (e-newsletter)
Readership (print publications)
Facebook insights

Qualitative:
Surveys (formal, informal)
Action based

Thats it.

Any questions?