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Overview
By Carol Estocko, Freelance Content Developer/Retired PR Professional
Effective communication is essential to motivate, inform, and encourage your stakeholders – whether they be staff members, funders, the general public, or congregants. Everyone likes to believe they are being communicated with individually and are particularly receptive to communication that is delivered in a way that suits their preferences. It makes them feel valued.
Communication Ideas
1. Respect: Show people that you are listening to them and can have productive conversations with them, even if you might not agree with them on every point. Treat each interaction as an opportunity to learn from others and to effectively convey your message to them.
2. Encourage: Everyone works better knowing that what they are doing matters – even if some days are discouraging. Be an encourager and inspire people to do their best.
3. Motivate: If you want to spur stakeholders to action, give them a reason to realize the organization’s goals as their goals. Help them see the bigger picture, the end goal, the “this is what happens when we all work together” outcome.
4. Affirm: When someone does something great, affirm their talent, their action, their motivation to get the job done. Affirmation leads to creating even greater goals, trying new things and elevating the mission of your organization to always be moving forward.
5. Guide: When someone is lost or needs direction, spend the time necessary to get them back on track. The more they fumble and are unsure, the more your organization is held back. If someone asks for help, help them. If someone doesn’t ask for help and you can see they are struggling, be a mentor and ask what you can do to assist.
6. Inform: Nothing works very well in a vacuum. This leads to inertia and impedes growth. Give your stakeholders the tools they need to do their jobs effectively: as much information as possible for them to be successful and for your organization to thrive.
7. Listen: Always have your ears – and your door – open. Let stakeholders know that you are available for questions and conversation. Don’t give them a reason to hesitate in reaching out to you. Be available and eager to listen.
8. Appreciate: Good work should be rewarded. Praise people for doing a great job. Thank funders for their generosity. Thank God for the opportunities provided to you and your organization. Remember that it’s not all about you and that you are not in this alone, ever.
9. Know your audiences: Not everyone wants to be communicated with in the same way, so ask people how they prefer to be communicated with and use that method with them as much as is practical. Additionally, ask your audiences what topics they’re interested in learning more about and target your communications accordingly.
10. Network: Keep in touch with or initiate relationships with other leaders in your profession and in your community. Use these connections to brainstorm about ways to spur growth in your organization or just to talk, leader-to-leader. Two (or more) heads are usually better than one to develop new ideas for the benefit of all.
Marketing
1. The Power of Marketing for Nonprofits:
Marketing is a vital tool to bolster your nonprofit's visibility and forge relationships. A robust marketing strategy not only aids fundraising but also enhances recruitment efforts for quality employees and volunteers, while opening doors to potential collaborations. A well-prepared communication packet equips board members, employees, and stakeholders with the means for clear and consistent messaging. This unified message should permeate all communication channels, from brochures to the website and presentations.
2. Clarifying Terminology:
Certain terms, though sometimes used interchangeably, carry distinct meanings. Advertising involves purchasing airtime or space in outlets such as newspapers or billboards to promote your organization's work. Branding, on the other hand, shapes the mental image that your audience associates with your nonprofit. The goal is to create a positive emotional connection. Public relations encompass efforts to raise awareness of your nonprofit's mission and activities among the public, which may involve social media campaigns, advertising, or conference participation. Market research is invaluable for all communication efforts, providing data to substantiate the importance of your nonprofit's work and its potential impact on beneficiaries. When incorporating research data, it's imperative to source information from credible and reliable sources.
3. Utilizing Communication Tools:
Numerous communication tools are available today. Begin with an e-newsletter as an initial step. Collect email addresses through your website and include invitations on various materials, such as brochures. Engaging in blogging and podcasting can generate positive buzz around your nonprofit. A blog enriched with photos and testimonials is especially compelling. Podcasts offer the opportunity to interview individuals directly affected by your ministry. Social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter are cost-effective and straightforward to set up, usually focusing on concise content. Consider creating an annual report to disseminate to donors, board members, collaborators, and others. This report should provide updates on program and service performance, financial status, and a list of organization leadership. A piece of advice: start with one or two tools and keep them current, rather than attempting too many, only to see them become outdated.
Leader’s Wisdom
Effective Communication for Nonprofits
Effective communication is crucial for nonprofit success, and by following these principles, your organization can better connect with supporters and convey its impact.
1. Online Presence Matters:
- Validation Hub: Websites are often the first-place people visit to validate a nonprofit's work and impact.
- Storytelling Focus: Instead of describing programs, tell impactful stories about how people's lives are transformed.
- Authenticity Over Grandeur: Share the truest stories of impact, celebrating the beauty of the overall ministry. Do not just tell of an extraordinary case.
- Emotional Connection: Touch people's hearts by linking stories to the nonprofit's outcomes.
- Media Usage: Obtain proper permissions for photos and videos.
2. Choosing the Right Platforms:
- Avoid Overload: Don't try to maintain a presence on too many platforms. Choose a manageable number and plan to keep your message fresh.
- Core Platforms: Start with a focus on a newsletter, email, and website.
- Social Media Strategy: Be selective, as too much social media can be counterproductive. Find the right communication vehicle for your audience.
- Resources: Utilize resources from communications and public relations organizations to stay informed about industry trends and best practices.
3. Learning from Peers:
- Peer Insights: Learn from other nonprofits with similar missions and successful communication strategies.
- Stakeholder Analysis: Identify key stakeholders and define your organization's purpose in communicating with them.
- Sustainability: Determine how your nonprofit is perceived by the rest of the world and differentiate your work from that of similar organizations.
- Active Listening: Avoid assumptions by closely listening to others' perspectives.
4. Effective Messaging:
- Problem Identification: Clearly define and understand the problem before brainstorming solutions.
- Precise Messaging: Develop a concise and compelling message that resonates with your audience.
- Impact Stories: Build your message around real-life stories of change and community impact.
- Annual Communications Plan: Create a comprehensive plan for your organization's annual communication efforts.
- Crisis Communications: Develop a crisis communications plan to address unforeseen challenges.
- Ownership of Story: Remember that if you don't tell your organization's story, someone else will. Know your story, your target audience, and the desired action you want them to take.
Data-Driven Stories: Supplement anecdotal stories with research data gathered from surveys.
Resources
Podcast
- The Art of Public Speaking by Liz Bohannon https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G78xP73WxWM
- Ted Talk by Dan Pallotta on “the way we think about charity is dead wrong”. https://www.ted.com/talks/dan_pallotta_the_way_we_think_about_charity_is_dead_wrong?language=en
Articles
- Public Relations Society of America Inc. has an article on “What are Public Relations?” https://www.prsa.org/about/all-about-pr#.VuCLDfkrLcs
- Donor Box Blog has an article on “Why is Public Relations Vital for Nonprofits? Building a Smart PR Strategy.”
- https://donorbox.org/nonprofit-blog/public-relations-for-nonprofits
- Nonprofit Mavericks has an article on “Public Relations Strategies for Nonprofit Organizations.” https://nonprofitmavericks.com/grow/nonprofit-public-relations/
Prosper Strategies has articles on Marketing and Communications:
- How to build a nonprofit marketing plan.
- How to set your nonprofit’s marketing budget.
- How to conduct a marketing audit.
- How to secure media coverage.
- How to move toward strength-based communication.
- INTERNATIONAL PUBLIC RELATIONS ASSOCIATION has an article on “Journey to Opportunity: Successful government and nonprofit capacity building requires strategic communication.” https://www.ipra.org/news/itle/journey-to-opportunity-successful-government-and-nonprofit-capacity-building-requires-strategic-communication/
- INTERNATIONAL PUBLIC RELATIONS ASSOCIATION has an article on “Organizations under Attack: Building reputations from the inside out.” https://www.ipra.org/news/itle/organizations-under-attack-building-reputations-from-the-inside-out/
- INTERNATIONAL PUBLIC RELATIONS ASSOCIATION has an article on “Donor Management – Dancing with donors: When the ability of NPOs to set their own direction is compromised.” https://www.ipra.org/news/itle/dancing-with-donors-when-the-ability-of-npos-to-set-their-own-direction-is-compromised/
- INTERNATIONAL PUBLIC RELATIONS ASSOCIATION has an article on “Crisis Leadership: What top leaders must to do guide their organizations.” https://www.ipra.org/news/itle/itl-369-crisis-leadership-what-top-leaders-must-to-do-guide-their-organizations/
- INTERNATIONAL PUBLIC RELATIONS ASSOCIATION has an article on “Opportunities and challenges of social media.” How to change old methods for new actions in the social media age. https://www.ipra.org/news/itle/goodbye-old-habits-new-behaviors-for-the-social-media-age/
- INTERNATIONAL PUBLIC RELATIONS ASSOCIATION has an article on “Strategic Foresight: 10 considerations for PR practitioners.” https://www.ipra.org/news/itle/itl-524-strategic-foresight-10-considerations-for-pr-practitioners/
Websites
- The Nonprofit Association of Oregon has several communication articles on Nonprofit Sector Reports, Advocacy & Lobbying, Public Policy & Public Relations, Marketing & Communications, and Social Media. https://nonprofitoregon.org/resource-library/
Books
- Do More Good: Moving Nonprofits from Good to Growth by Bill McKendry
- Beginner's Pluck: Build Your Life of Purpose and Impact Now by Liz Forkin Bohannon
- Building a Story Brand: Clarify Your Message So Customers Will Listen by Donald Miller
- Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die by Chip Heath & Dan Heath
- On Purpose: The CEO's Guide to Marketing with Meaning by Pete Steege
- Purple Cow, New Edition: Transform Your Business by Being Remarkable by Seth Godin
Subscriptions
- PR Daily and PR Week both offer free content including whitepapers, as well as news regarding what’s happening in public relations and a variety of other industries. https://www.prdaily.com/
Tools
There are free/inexpensive marketing tools available online:
- MailChimp (https://mailchimp.com/) is a very easy-to-use tool for sending emails, e-newsletters, and the like. It’s a great place to start reaching out to external audiences directly with updates, ongoing info, etc.
- SurveyMonkey (https://www.surveymonkey.com/) is also very easy to use and a great tool for gathering information from stakeholder audiences.
- Canva (https://www.canva.com/) helps you create images and simple graphics when there aren’t resources available to work with a graphic designer. Anyone can be a designer with this tool!
- Google (https://www.google.com) is an email provider, but it also offers tools like Google Analytics, where you can track your organization’s website performance; Google Alerts, where you can track media coverage for free; and Google Trends, where you can see what people are talking about related to different topics.
- LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com) offers networking opportunities and is a place to get inspired by seeing what other organizations and leaders are doing to engage their audiences.
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