SESSION 1

Why are we here?

Our expectations

• Intensive series of workshops

• What you put into them will dictate what you get out of them

• By the end of the series of workshops you should have acquired the skills to; Communicate effectively online

Workshops

Session One – Why you are here

Session Two – The Art of Storytelling

Session Three – The Mechanics of writing

Online only session – Legalities & Conventions

Session Four – An introduction to Social Media

Session Five – Getting Technical – blogs & websites

Session Six – Building your site and your audience

Session Seven – Promoting your self and your stories

Session Eight – Representing yourself and your organisation

Session One

By the end of this session you will be able to recognise the role that good communication plays in reaching a desired audience.

We do this by considering:• Why we want to communicate?• How people consume ideas• Elements of good communication

Reasons to communicate

• to entertain

• to compel action

• to impart knowledge

• to raise awareness

• to get noticed – eg press coverage

• to contribute to a larger body of knowledge

• to refute something someone else has said/written

• to create community

• for their own sake;• for clarity• self expression• personal enjoyment• to unburden• to document, to record, to remind

Different avenues for communication

Printed & Visual media:• Newspapers & Magazines• Books• Pamphlets, posters & billboards• TV

Considerations : • expensive,• can be used to target specific groups, • has the potential for high circulation

Aural media:• Radio• Talks, Presentations• Meetings & Forums

Considerations:• Hard to produce• Relies on promotion for attendance• Best used for specific, detailed

discussions

Different avenues for communication

Online• Blogs• Websites• Social Media

Considerations:• Widespread, growing audience• Easy to access • Opens up a range of different types of

communication: visual, aural, written, images, short pieces, longer narrative s etc

Via a hand held device• Widely used• Entertainment driven• Brevity is best• Potential as a catalyst for change

Good communication

Features of good communication:

• It contains ideas that are interesting and important .

(Exercise – In pairs consider the headline handout. Identify some

interesting and some as important.)

• It is ordered, comprehensive and easy to understand (http://www.tie-

tie.net/)

Features of Good

Communication:

It is of an appropriate length and complexity for its delivery method?

Good communication (continued)

Features of good communication:• The language used, the spelling, grammar, and layout are all

both the idea being communicated and its audience (http://www.tie-a-

• It engages its audience - the power of storytelling, leave them wanting

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8K9Gg164Bsw

Good communication (continued)

Features of good communication:

• Its voice is individual and appropriate.

• Its intent is clear and transparent

http://www.abc.net.au/rampup/articles/2014/06/12/4024165.htm

Review

Today we have considered:

• Motivations for communication• Avenues for communicating • Elements of good communication

You should now have a general understanding of some of the ways in which good communication is an essential part of reaching a desired audience

Next Steps

Tasks:

1. Access the WIKI and review this session’s material. Consider the case studies found on the WIKI.

2. Search the web and identify other examples of good communication. We will compile a list of links during this course which illustrate good communication (and bad if you find that).

3. Consider why you want to communicate. Define it.

Next session

The Art of Storytelling:• Sourcing Ideas for stories• Should you write it? - Ensuring subject/author authenticity• Planning – How to outline an article • Methods for conveying an idea or concept:

− Building a story− Characters− Context

• How to edit your work