Strategic communications:
Communicating the best message, through the right channels, measured against well-considered organizational and communications-specific goals. In the world of nonprofits, strategic communications is an orchestrated use of channels of communication to move and influence public policy decision-makers or to promote an agenda. [Georgetown Dept. of Communications]
Getting Started
• You need a plan!
• What’s the goal? How can you reach it?
• Who are your target audiences?
• What message will move them?
• How will you convey the message?
Develop Messages
• Start with the “frame”
• Frame= how an issue is presented
JOBS
ENVIRONMENT
CLEAN WATER
LOGGING POLLUTION
CORPORATE GIVEAWAYS
OUTDOOR FAMILY TRADITIONS
Develop Messages
• Focus on values
Primary Secondary Tertiary
Prosperity Stewardship Process
Family Fairness
Faith Accountability
Messaging Tips
Do Don’t
Focus on values, outcomes: fairness, cost/prosperity, preserving outdoors/stewardship, family, faith, accountability
Delve into process or issues of constitutionality
Make it real, highlight the threat, use examples
Spend too much time on the villain (specifically for public lands attacks)
Put people first Neglect to recognize human toll of events, overlook need for community protection
Use accessible language so everyone can understand
Use acronyms, jargon
Messaging Tips
Do Say Don’t Say
Wildlife, plants, animals Species
Natural areas, natural systems, wild places
ecosystems
Pollution and toxins Greenhouse gasses and CO2
Logging, mining, water pollution Non-climate stressors
People Humans
Message BoxProblem
Special place is at risk
Solution
Save it! (planning process,
designation, etc.)
Call to Action
Submit a comment, enact a
plan
Benefit
Good for families, outdoor economy,
climate
Tools for Communication
• Reporter Outreach
• Opinion Press Outreach- Op-eds, editorial boards, columnists
• Phone and in-person pitches supplemented with fact sheets, background information
• Press Statements--to react to breaking developments
• Press Releases-- to push out news
• Blog and Twitter outreach (ongoing conversation can create buzz to generate mainstream media coverage)
• Sierra Club channels: Lay of the Land blog, social media, newsletters
Tools for Communication
• Press Teleconferences--reach local reporters in multiple locations, more chance for in-depth discussion
• Events for volunteer recruitment that have a local/national media component.
• Visibility tactics for specific campaigns: Print ads, billboards, bumper stickers, online or radio ads
• Radio tours/actualities--can be planned or used reactively
• Fact Sheets--must be fully cited with credible sources (not other environmental groups)
• Online Video--short (2-3 minutes MAX), pithy, B-Roll
• Sierra Club channels: Dan Chu blog
Tools for Communication
• Press Conferences--to announce major breaking news, new coalitions, major campaigns, major reports
• Reports--Increasingly only successful when written in partnership with an independent, impartial, science-based source
• Sierra Club channels: Michael Brune blog, Sierra Club radio, Sierra Magazine
Plan it Out
• Develop a strategic communications plan
• Match tactics with campaign timeline
• Map how message should evolve
Resources
• Volunteer and Chapter Communications Handbook
• Clubhouse
• Virginia Cramer, [email protected]
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