Stratergic Communication The Communication Plan

7/29/2019 Stratergic Communication The Communication Plan

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The Communication Plan

Strategic planning can be a tremendous communication and marketing campaign, don't

miss the opportunity. Build your communication plan before strategic planning begins,don't wait until the end to do PR. You will benefit tremendously with a goodcommunication plan which:

Will act as a binding agreement. When you tell people you're going to do

something, having a communication plan or commitment in writing will force you

to carry through with your efforts and you will have given others the opportunityto provide you with input.

Assures that you will take advantage of all opportunities, including on-going

implementation.

Helps keep communication focused.

Helps prevent unwanted surprises.

When developing your communication plan, keep the following tips in mind:

Set up a tracking system (i.e., journal, scrapbook, video spots, photographs)

Have a creative person develop a look for all your strategic-planning documentsand printed material.

Incorporate two-way communication utilizing your local area network (LAN).

Consider all of your audiences as "customers."

Build in community involvement.

Use the plan to your advantage.

Segment the community into separate, manageable parts. Organize a steering committee where membership allows and encourages

discussion. Make sure the members understand their responsibility.

Possible communication vehicles include: PTA/Home-school meeting programs;

community town meetings; media releases.

Begin early. Announce the district's participation in strategic planning.

Announce public meetings, dates and locations.

Request volunteers for action teams.

Acknowledge significant milestones through the process (i.e., vision, beliefs,

environmental scan surprises).

After the draft plan is completed, allow for a 30-day public viewing. (Mark all

draft documents with DRAFT during a review.) Incorporate on-going implementation activities.

Include detailed information on beliefs, missions, etc in a district newsletter.

Allow the completed plan/final document to be used as a marketing tool for grouppresentations, discussion starters, town meetings, etc.

Tips for Communicating Change


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Ask people for their opinion before you implement change.

Be so thoroughly familiar with what you are communicating that you can

summarize it in a short sentence.

Explain the change in language people understand.

Explain the change in terms of how it will affect them rather than what's in it for

the school district. Anticipate how people will react, the questions they'll raise and the issues that

may result.

Design your communication to answer those concerns immediately.

Keep your personal key communicators up-to-date regularly.

Expect the change to generate a corps of resisters and appreciate them.

In addition to encouraging them to participate in the implementation of the

change, listen to what they have to say: Solicit ideas that will strengthen what you want to do.

Identify the people in your community who you can come to for advice regarding

new ideas.

Be direct in stating the change and explaining the rationale for the change inrelation to the overall goals you wish to achieve.

Keep communicating about the change after it has been made. Recognize andcelebrate its successful implementation.

The Importance of Internal Communication

Make sure your people know what is going on. It's demoralizing to hear about what's

happening where you work from someone outside the system.

Don't forget your support staff, research indicates that they are the most important

communicators/public relations specialists you have in your district.

Keeping staff informed can be done through:

Staff Newsletter

Volunteers

Strategic planning columns, ongoing updates regarding status Recognition for those involved in the process

Focus groups: building/staff/department meetings

Soliciting their input on mission, belief statements, vision

Build two-way feedback into already scheduled meeting

Strategic planning speakers bureau

Sharing the vision, mission, and strategic goals

Soliciting community members to participate on action items

Outreach Strategies for Involving the Community

As indicated above, involving the community can be a key ingredient in your vision.

When involving the community:


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Include results and activities from each in-district meeting in a newsletter.

Distribute broadly within the community and school system and post at media

centers. Ask for comments and suggestions.

Have planning team members review and discuss actions with colleagues,

neighbors, PTA members, etc. Ask for comments and suggestions.

Collect comments and suggestions and produce on overheads for discussion andaction as the first item on the next in-district meeting agenda.

Present a draft of the strategic plan at a public forum with community and all

school district employees invited to discuss and offer comments.

Encourage discussion and comments throughout the entire process. The more

people who own the plan, the better.

Prepare a communication plan.

(These materials are excerpted from the Washington State School Directors'Association's "Passport to Leadership" program materials.)

Community Support for ChangeThere are many ways to involve the community in your district's process of change and

development. They include:

Keeping the community informed

At Los Alamitos Elementary School, parents use electronic means to look up

what is being served for lunch, check on childs attendance record, monitornightly homework assignments. They have electronic mail conversations with

teachers. Eventually they will use the technology to check on their childrensgrades. (reported in New York Times, 3/30/94);

Inviting business partners to join the district technology committee;

Seeking advice from businesses in the community that are "heavy users" of

technology;

Promoting the change and technology in your district in all publications;

Making the technology available to the community;

For example, by opening the computer labs to public, the district can:

Help students who dont have computers;

Hold classes for parents and community members;

Offer access for a fee and raise money.


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Engaging in these practices and offering these services leads to gain in community

support for technology and draws on local expertise in developing your plans for

technology and change.

This section will offer tips and tools for securing community involvement:

Community Involvement in Change

Getting the Word Out

Turning Groans to Grins

Communicate, Communicate, Communicate

Community Involvement in Change

Using the tools of politics, marketing, and communications, education reformers can

build the public support needed to sustain their efforts to improve public education. These

tools include:

Polls and focus groups to listen to the public, the customer.

Brochures, newsletters, videos, radio and TV spots, web pages and other

mechanisms to publicize messages.

Community organizations for involving parents and other community members.

Public relations and media relations (though districts often mistake these

relatively limited tools as the whole tool kit).

Strategic planning, to ensure all activities work well together and supportpriorities.

Constant measurement and feedback to make sure your efforts are getting results.

Effective Public Engagement

Use the following five basic guidelines for effective public engagement:

1. Make communications a priority, factor it into your work from the very start.

(Companies like Proctor and Gamble spend up to 35% of their annual budgets onthis kind of work, car companies about 30%, and service companies about 15%.)

2. Get the substance right. Walk the talk.3. Make it real, concrete and visible. Personalize the improvements. Publicize student

work that embodies the changes.

4. Stress benefits. Understand where your audience is coming from and appeal to it.

5. Talk about your work in terms that your audience can relate to.
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Building Public Confidence

In order to build public confidence, a school district decided to reach out to the

surrounding community for help in planning the future directions of the district. Thedistrict wanted to do three things:

1. Connect with allcommunity members.

2. Gather community perceptions about district issues.

3. Use collected data to reexamine their long-term goals and strategic plans.

The district accomplished its mission by working through the stages listed below:

Stage 1: Comprehensive Public Input Process

Collect suggestions and ideas from a "community summit".

Use input to help define district-wide goals and increase district accountability.

Develop quality indicators for each goal. Use quality indicators to define specific performance outcomes with annual

targets.

Stage 2: Create Performance Benchmark Question Pool

Define performance outcomes.

Help in collection of baseline performance data. Involve community in refining the final draft (focus group composed of

administrators, parents, and community members).

Stage 3: Recruit Response Groups

Invite randomly selected parents and community members (Key CommunicatorResponse Group, Employee Response Group, Student Response Group).

Extend an open invitation to any community members who wanted to provide

feedback.

You can use technologies such as automatic phone questionnaires, phone-inquestionnaires, web page questionnaires, and advanced technologies to further this

process.

For example, you can conduct an OutCall of 50-100 respondents, consisting, forexample, of PTA presidents, some staff, service club presidents, church leaders, businessleaders, etc. The purpose is to:

Easily gather direct, unfiltered feedback from a diverse segment of the community

about critical issues facing the district.

Ascertain the impact of front-page news stories about specific events.

Provide information to a group of people of influence (key communicators).


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Acquire some hard perception data, prior to embarking on a specific course of

action.

The benefits of doing this are that you can:

Balance pressure from a single interest group with immediate feedback fromseveral different perspectives.

Find out what various stakeholder groups know and want to know about a school

issue before election.

Build confidence in your schools.

Improve staff relations.

Improve accountability (institutional and individual)

Use the information to help prioritize budget expenses.

Gauge your community against national surveys by asking the same questions as

those included in Phi Delta Kappa/Gallup and Public Agenda polls.

Getting the Word Out

The Board Member's Role as the Media Relations Liaison

It is the board member's responsibility to act as the media-relations liaison. This is where

the board member will:

1. Develop a media policy and plan governing relations with the media. The policy

should cover such issues as:

o

Establishing a good working relationshipo Appropriate or designated spokesperson

o How the board provides information and access

2. Assure that the media is kept informed - especially when trouble is brewing.3. Develop a personal relationship with the reporters covering your district. Keep the

relationship friendly, but professional.

4. Provide media packages prior to board meetings. These should include:

Diagram of the seating arrangement and the name of eachboard member

Copy of the agenda

Copy of informational items given to the board, whenappropriate and not confidential.

Background information for each item - again, when

appropriate and not confidential

Name and phone number of a contact person

It is important that the board member follow the chain of command in the media - start

with the reporter. Always remember that your role is that of a school board member


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representing the district, not as an individual with personal issues. (excerpted from the

Washington State School Directors' Association's Passport to Leadership)

What Should I Put In A Press Release?

The crucial information to include in a press release is:

Who you are

What you are doing

When you are doing it

How youll do it

Where youll do it

Why youre doing it

Three Easy Steps to Media Coverage

Press releases are often sent out in a series of related releases, designed to build interest.Use the following steps as a guide to creating your media plan:

Step 1: Create a simple one-page factual release that explains who you are and what

youre doing.

Step 2: Two weeks later, release a second factual piece with new angle, emphasizing

when, where or how.

Step 3: Two weeks later, distribute a third release that has more of a creative angle. Seek

out things that highlight why your project is important to the community.

When developing your release:

Relate the facts of your project to the needs to the community.

Highlight your project with a real-life situation.

Explain how your project came into being.

Tell a story about an unexpected benefit to the community.

Turning Groans to Grins

Using Conflict to Your Advantage

How can education leaders take advantage of the conflict that often accompanies change

to garner even more support for their efforts from those who are disgruntled? TheWashington State School Directors Association offers the following techniques for

resolving conflict and working with pressure groups:


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Meet conflict straight on

Set goals

Plan for frequent communications

Be honest about concerns

Agree to disagree - understand healthy disagreement should build

Make better decisions Eliminate individual ego from management style

Empower your team to create - people will support what they help create

Conduct discussion of differences in values

Stress the importance of adhering to policy

Communicate honestly - avoid playing "gotcha" games

Provide more data and information than is needed

Develop a sound management system.

Pressure Groups: Turning Groans Into Grins

Pressure group tools are persuasion, pressure, protests, politics and the press. Yours areanticipation, communication and accommodation. Here's how each can work for you.

Anticipation: preparing ahead

Review your school board policies to be certain they are in place before you needthem.

Conduct formal or informal opinion polls of your staff and community to

determine feelings on various issues and communicate the results.

Give advance public notice on controversial agenda items. When dealing with

items that are likely to elicit a great deal of community interest, it is best to set

aside a period for public comment before the board is expected to take action. Solicit ideas from your community on a continuing basis. If a pressure group

represents a large portion of the community, it may well have a significant effect

on policies or programs. If is has little support, or

If its demands are detrimental for education, bringing to light other opinions in thecommunity will help to point this out.

Always try to work with people who have a complaint. Pressure groups

sometimes form as coalitions of people who are unhappy about a variety of issues.

Do a profile on your district to identify possible pressure groups.

Analyze where the district has a "presence" and where it does not.

Send school board minutes and materials to organization presidents.

Train your school board on how to handle confrontative meetings and situationsbefore they need it.

Maintain an open door....and ear.

Communication: recognizing they won't go away


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Involve members of special interest groups on study and planning committees.

Research shows that negative people do not sway the balance of a committee, but

involvement sometimes brings them to a more objective or positive view.

Take care not to stimulate additional grievances by appearing to be rigid, non-

communicative, uninterested or insensitive to the pressure group's goals.

Try to remain emotionally unattached. Avoid getting into a public debate with pressure group representatives.

Listen to what they have to say and use a reasoned, factual style for your reply.

Accommodation: emphasizing the positive

Sometimes it might seem impossible, but pressure groups have the potential ofbecoming very important school supporters.

Search for a common denominator. Try to reach agreement on some things and

exploit those areas of agreement. This will help you keep lines of communication

open.

Stop thinking of these groups as totally adversarial. Recognize that they aresimply using the techniques they know best to put their viewpoints and

preferences across.

Don't let communication be severed. Keep talking and listening.

Clear the air. Eliminate myths or incorrect assumptions.

Be willing to give a little on minor points so you can stand firm on the importantones.

Make your decision, but continue to listen. Make allowances for valid concerns

and ideas missed in the initial process.

Keep in touch with pressure group leaders. You might even want to see if theywould like to be on your Key Communicators list.

Communicate, Communicate,

Communicate

Communication Efforts

There are many reasons boards should pay attention to and formalize their efforts to

communicate. The Washington State School Directors Association offers the followingtips for formalizing the board's communication efforts.

The need to be accountable.

The board's dual role of representing both the schools and the community.


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The need to grasp and influence public opinion about the direction and function of

public education

The board's obligation to communicate the reasons for its actions and the way theschools operate.

Planning Your Communication Plan

Elements of a board's communication plan include:

A policy commitment - to ensure that the communication between the school

system and the public goes both ways, the board must define the process clearlyin a written policy.

A provision for internal (school) communications.

A component for external (community) communications.

A commitment of funds - allocation of budget resources to a communication

program is an essential companion to the board's policy commitment to

communicate.

How good is your district's communication plan?

Is there a policy in place that defines the communication process the district will use to

ensure two-way communication between the school system and the public?

Is your public relations program evaluated regularly?

Does your public relations program involve as many people as possible?

Do all school board members, top-level administrators, department heads, faculty andon-academic staff contribute to your public relations program?

Do the board and superintendent provide leadership and gear district or school policies

and actions toward good public relations?

Do the board and superintendent provide clear lines of authority and responsibility for

public relations procedures?

Are the duties related to public relations delegated in terms of district priorities,

objectives, functions and jobs to be done?

Do the board and superintendent understand clearly the purpose and organization of

public relations program activities for the district?

Is a written statement of public relations policies given to each staff member?

Does the staff promote good public relations?


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Are all available media used?

Are the publics served by the district identified?

Are surveys conducted regularly?

Are topics of human interest used for news releases?

Does the superintendent make full use of the district's annual report as a public relationsinstrument?

Using the Communicator System

A useful tool for improving communication with the community is the key communicator

system. Using this system, education leaders target opinion leaders who:

Have a demonstrable following Have credibility on many topics

Are generally positive

Are activists - they do more than talk

Get around - they're everywhere

Have a potential interest or concern for the issue or subject


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The five major steps to develop a key communicator system are:

Step 1

Identify eight to ten people whom you believe are will known and respected in the

community using what you know about opinion leaders. Coordinate with other members ofyour board to be sure you aren't all converging on the same people.

Step 2

Call the identified leaders on the phone personally. Tell them you are trying to improve

two-way communication about the schools and want to identify key opinion leaders who

can help you. Ask them to identify 10 such leaders and invite them to include themselves,as well. Try to get both names and phone numbers.

Step 3

Compare the lists from these calls. Several names should pop up on more than one list.

These are your potential Key Communicators.

Step 4

Call each of these people. You don't have to know them. Tell them you want to improvetwo-way communication between the community and yourself as a school board member.

Ask them if they would be interested in being part of a cadre of community leaders who

will:

Receive a personal monthly update on school board activities and districtissues and help provide reaction and feedback to you;

Be willing to keep their ears open about the schools and pass on rumors,

commonly held perceptions, and questions they can't answer to you; and

Be willing to share what they know about the schools with others.

Step 5

Schedule time to call each one. Spend more time listening than telling. Take notes on the

questions they ask and issues they raise. Look for trends.

Elements of a Strategic Communications PlanDetermine Goal

Identify and Profile Audience


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Develop Messages

Select Communication Channels

Choose Activities and Materials

Establish PartnershipsImplement the Plan

Evaluate and Make Mid-Course CorrectionsPage 2

Step 1: Determine GoalTo initiate a successful and effective communications effort, start

with an

assessment of your current organizational goals. Examine what

your

organization stands forits mission, values and beliefs. Look

closely at who your

organization is serving. This process will help narrow and sharpen

the focus for

yourcommunication initiative(s).

What issue is most important to your organization right now?

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Who is most affected by the issue stated above?


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Who makes decisions about the issue?

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What is the overall goal you want to achieve? (i.e., What changewould you be

able to observe?) (Be specific.)

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What tangible outcomes would you like to achieve through a

communications

effort? i.e., How will you know you are achieving your goals? (Be

specific. Whatwould you see, hear, or have in-hand that would let you know you

are making

progress toward the goal?)Page 3

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Step 2: Identify and Profile the AudiencesOnce youve identified your key issues, its time to identify and

profile specificaudiences to target with a communications initiative.

The reason for taking the time to look this closely at your

audiences is that this

kind of background information is essential in choosing the most

effective ways

to communicate with the audience. Madison Avenue has learned

this lesson well,now we need to apply some of the same kind of thinking to

communicating about

your issue.Page 5


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Audience Definition WorksheetOf the audiences listed on the Step 1 worksheet, whose knowledge,

attitudes

and behavior must be changed in order to meet your goal? (These

groups now

become your primary audiences.)

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Who else is affected if you succeed in your goal? (secondary

audience)

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Are there others who can influence primary and secondary

audiences? (tertiary

audiences) (You may wish to design a communication initiative to

reach some of


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these audiences as well. Or you may see a role for these folks as

allies and

partners.)

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________________Now you are ready to complete worksheets for each of your

audiences identified

above. (see next page)Page 6

Audience Segmentation Worksheet(Note: you will probably need to make multiple copies of this worksheet.)

Audience:_____________________________________________________

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Describe what you know about this audiences knowledge,

attitudes and

behaviors as they relate to your issue:

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What are the barriers to this audience fully supporting or

participating in reaching

your goal? What are the benefits if they do?

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What are the characteristics of this audience? How do they spendtheir time?

What is their gender, ethnicity and income level? How have they

been

educated? What are the language considerations? What or who are

they

influenced by? What makes new information credible for them?

What or who

could motivate change or action?

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Page 8

Step 3: Develop MessagesYour messages are closely tied to your goal and objectives. They

deliver

important information about the issue and compel the targeted

audience to think,


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feel, or act. They can:

Show the importance, urgency, or magnitude of the issue

Show the relevance of the issue

Put a face on the issue Be tied to specific audience values, beliefs, or interests of the

audience

Reflect an understanding of what would motivate the audience to

think, feel,

or act

Be culturally relevant and sensitive

BeMemorable

The messages you develop by using the worksheet provided in this

section can

be used in many ways. First, they are a set of statements that you

and your

team agree upon as conveying the key information for your

initiative. They willnot include all the detail and supporting ideas and data that you

may use in

printed materials or other forms ofcommunication. The messages

you develop in

the worksheets can become the underlying themes for your

materials and

activities. You may develop slogans based on them. You may

develop sets of

talking points that members of your team will use in making

presentations. And


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they easily become the basis for radio and print PSAs, the genesis

for posters,

and may suggest topics for fact sheets, drop-in articles, and even

letters to theeditor or newspaper editorials.

Before turning to the Message Development Worksheet, take a few

moments to

read Considerations for Message Construction.Page 9

Considerations for Message Construction

Both the channel (the conduit for sending your message to the

chosen target

audience) and thepurpose of communicating environmental

information

influence message design. Information may be designed to convey

new facts,

alter attitudes, change behavior, or encourage participation in

decision-making.

Some of these purposes overlap; often they are progressive. That

is, for

persuasion to work, the public must first receive information, then

understand it,

believe it, agree with it, and then act upon it. Regardless of the

purpose,

messages must be developed with consideration of the desired

outcome.

Factors that help determine public acceptance include:

ClarityMessages must clearly convey information to assure the publics


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understanding and to limit the changes for misunderstanding or

inappropriate action.

Clear messages contain as few technical/scientific/bureaucratic terms as

possible,

and eliminate information that the audience does not need in order to make

necessary decisions (such as unnecessarily detailed explanations).

Readability tests

can help determine the reading level required to understand drafted material

and

help writers to be conscientious about the selection of words and phrases.

ConsistencyIn an ideal world there would be specific consensus on the

meaning

of new findings, and all messages on a particular topic would be consistent.

Unfortunately, consistency is sometimes elusive. Experts tend to interpret

new data

differently, making consensus among government, industry, and public

interest

groups difficult.

Main pointsThe main points should be stressed, repeated, and never

hiddenwithin less strategically important information.

Tone and appealA message should be reassuring, alarming, challenging,

or

straightforward, depending upon the desired impact and the target audience.

Messages should also be truthful, honest and as complete as possible.

CredibilityThe spokesperson and source of the information should be

believable

and trustworthy.Public needFor a message to break through the information clutter of

society,

messages should be based on what the target audience perceives as most

important


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to them, what they want to know, and not what is most important or most

interesting

to the originating agency.

Prior to final production, messages should be pretested with the target

audiences (and in

some cases with channel gatekeepers) to assure public understanding and

other

intended responses.

Page 10

Source:Making Health Communication Programs Work: A Planners Guide, Office of Cancer

Communications, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health (1992).

Page 11

Message Worksheet(one for each audience)

Note: Refer to your completed worksheets for Steps 1 & 2.

Audience

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What are the barriers and benefits to your audience thinking,

feeling, or acting on

your issue?

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What change in attitude (the way they feel about the issue) do you

want to

motivate in your audience to meet your goal?

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________________What change in the behavior (day-to-day actions) of your

audience are trying to

achieve?

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Now, based on what you know about your audience needs to hear

in order to

think, feel or act, what are the three most compelling sentences you

could use to

motivate the audience? These are your messages.

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Step 4: Select Communication ChannelsCommunications channels carry the messages to the target

audiences.

Channels take many forms and there is an infinite list of

possibilities. Answering


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some key questions will aid you in identifying the most effective

channels for

reaching your audiences.

Sample ChannelsTelevision stations

Radio stations

Newspapers

Web sites

Community centers

Street festivals

Laundromats

City government offices (e.g. Division of Motor Vehicles)Malls

Parks

Schools, colleges, vocational and language training centers

Libraries

Recreation centers (e.g. basketball courts or soccer fields)

Community non-profit offices

Transportation depots/stations

SupermarketsFast food restaurants

Literature Racks

Page 14

Channel Worksheet(one worksheet for each audience)

Note: Use the work you did in Step 2 to help you with these

worksheets.Audience:

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Where or from whom does this audience get its information? Who

do they find

credible?

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Where does this audience spend most of its time? Where are they

most likely to

give you their attention?

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________________Complete list of channels your team wants to use to reach this

audience:

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Step 5: Choose Activities and MaterialsWhat are the activities, events, and/or materialsto be used in

your selected

channelsthat will most effectively carry your message to the

intended

audiences? In choosing these, you should consider:

Appropriateness to audience, goal, and message

Relevance to desired outcomes


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Timing

Costs/Resources

Climate of community toward the issue/activity

Culturalappropriateness (including language)

Environmentgeographic

considerations

Sample Activities

News conferences

Editorial board meetings at newspapers

Radio talk or call-in showsA benefit race

Parades

Web links

Conferences

One-on-one meetings

Open houses

Speeches

HotlinesListservs

Information Fair

Materials to Support Activities

News releases

Fliers and brochures

Opinion editorials (op-eds)

Letters to the editor

PostersPublic service announcements (PSAs)

Bookmarks

Video presentations

Web pages

A float in a parade


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Buttons, pins, and ribbons

Promotional items and giveaways

Page 16

Step 6: Establish PartnershipsGroups, organizations, or businesses may exist that would aid youin reaching

your goal by providing funds, expertise, support, or other

resources. Please list

allies or partners who support or work with your audiences or

share in your goals.

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________________Page 17

HARNESSING THE POWER OFPARTNERSHIPSAllies and Partners

Groups, organizations, or businesses may exist that would aid you in reaching

your goal by

providing funds, expertise or other resources toward your communications

The prospect of developing partnerships with area businesses and local

organizations mayseem overwhelming if you havent had much experience in working with the

private sector.

However, there are some practical steps you can follow that will focus your

energies and

resources where they will be most effective.

Determine Your Needs

Before you ask for help, its important to identify what you need most. Make a

Wish List and

include areas like equipment (computers, vehicles, or supplies); services;

educational

activities and materials; and specific products that can be donated. This list will

help set your

priorities and guide who you need to contact.

Identify Potential Partners

There may be hundreds of organizations to approach in your communitywhere

do you

start? Let your fingers do the walking and start with the Yellow Pages. By usingyour Wish

List to identify categories of need, you can narrow the types of organizations that

can help

you. Dont limit yourself at this stage and try to be imaginative. For instance, a

local pizza


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parlor may not have an obvious link, but if it is a popular hang-out for high school

students,

the restaurant might host a pizza party and allow you to hand out information on

ORVs.

Other sources for potential partners are your Chamber of Commerce directory,general

corporate directories, and personal contacts, including your board of directors or

existing

coalitions. For national contacts as well as local, there are several national

directories that

are available at your local library. The Corporate Giving Directory, which is

updated annually,

is an excellent choice. Dont forget to monitor the local media. Who sponsored

that nonprofit

ball and where was it held? What company bought the T-shirts for the annual 10K

Run to

support environmental research? Also, if you have a good relationship with other

nonprofits

or agencies, they may share their giving list.

Prioritize Your Contacts

When you have a list of possible contacts, begin making your partnership circle.

This circle

will help you further identify your most important contacts so you can prioritize

your efforts.

Youve chosen possible partners by categorynow look forpersonal contacts.

Think of

dropping a pebble in the water and watching the ripples spread out. By putting

organizations

where you already have contacts in the center, you will anchor your effort as you

movefurther and further out.

Start with organizations that have helped in the pastthey will be the very center

of your

circle. Then talk to employees, your board of directors, or coalition members.

Who do they


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know? You may discover that someone on staff went to school with the president

of a local

bank. Put organizations where you have close personal contacts on the next

wave of your

circle. After examining personal contacts, look for those organizations that wouldmake

perfect partners, i.e., organizations that have supported environmental issues in

the past.

Keep going until you get to the very outer layer, which would be organizations

where you

have no contacts at all and no apparent links. Now you have prioritized your

outreach list!

Page 18

The final step before preparing your proposals is finding the correct contact. You

may have

this information if youve used an up-to-date directory or have a personal contact,

but if

youre not sure, make a phone call. Ask to whom you would send a partnership

proposal; be

sure to get the persons name, title, full address, and phone number. And finally,

dont

overlook the importance of using the Internet to research target organizations.Make Your Proposal Strategic

Companies have a giving strategy, so your proposal should be strategic too. A

fundraiser for

a major national nonprofit once said, There is no corporate philanthropythey

all give for a

reason. Most organizations give strategically, meaning they give in an area(s)

where they

have an interest, want to influence someone or something, or stand to gainsomething

employees, customers, and the community influence those decisions as well. We

all know

that there can be tough competition for nonprofit support, and that decisions are

sometimes


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made on small details. Look at your partnership circle and carefully look for

connections. Has

a city councilperson recently dealt with an environmental issue? Look for logical

allies and

mutual goals and put that information in your proposal.Make the proposal mutually beneficial. Just as you have asked for something, be

prepared

to offer something in return. Try to at least reward the organization with positive

community

exposure and recognition for its efforts.

Use your best judgment on the proposal. If you know someone, a letter may

suffice. If youre

sending a proposal to a large company, you may want to send a letter, an

information kit,

and a recent newspaper article on what your organization is doing in the

community. Always

demonstrate the importance of the issue, the importance of the program in the

community,

specifically how the organization can help strengthen your efforts and how the

organization

will benefit from its participation.

Face-to-Face Follow-up

About a week after sending your proposal, call the contact to verify that he/she

received the

information. At this point, introduce yourself (if you dont know the contact

already) and offer

to answer questions or send more information. Ask when would be a good time to

call back

to schedule an appointment; mark the date and call promptly at that time.

The best way to sell the proposal is face-to-face where you can talk about thecampaign, its

goals, and its accomplishments. Its important to be realistic. Smaller businesses

may not

have extra funds to support community programs, but may be able to provide in-

kind


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support. They may be willing to include information on ORVs in their mailings to

the

community, fliers to circulate to their employees, in their stores, etc. If youve

done your

homework, you will be able to request help that the company will gladly agree toprovide.

Make Your Community Partners Part of Your Team

Dont ask for something and then never contact the organization again! Keep a

database of

all donors (even listing those who said they might give in the future) and

recognize them

periodically with a personal note or newsletter. Keep them informed on whats

happeningwith ORVs and other environmental issues in the community and continually offer

opportunities for participation, including volunteering. Also, offer a chance for

feedback so

you can establish a two-way dialogue with your partners. A town meeting, an

online seminar,

or a presentation, are all ways to share information with your partners. Make them

team

members and they will continue to support you for years to come!

Page 19

Step 7: Implement the PlanThere are many tools for organizing yourself around time, dollars,

and staff

needed to implement an initiative. One approach is given here as

an example.

Of course you should feel free to use your own tried and truemanagement tools.

Use the following steps to determine time, budget and staffing

needs:

1. List all activities


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2. Under each activity, outline the steps, in order, that will lead to

its completion

3. Assign a budget estimate to each step

4. Assign a staffing needs estimate to each step5. Working backwards from the activity completion point, assign a

date for each

step in the activity.

You can plot your dates on calendar pages if youd like, or you can

organize

them in another timeline such as a Gantt chart (date/timeline runs

horizontallyacross page; tasks are listed in chronological order down left-hand

side. A line

extends across the page from each task, showing the date work

begins and ends

on that task or subtask).Page 20

Sample Timeline Planning SheetActivity: Place print PSAs in up to 25 periodicals, newsletters, or

bulletins

[Preliminary Work] Design camera-ready PSA slicks ;10 person

hours.

[Weeks 1 & 2] Identify list of potential placement opportunities

and get names

and addresses of public service director or advertising manager for

each

publication; (local phone charges); 4-6 person hours.

[Week 1] Draft/review/refine cover letter to director/manager;

$0.00; 2 person


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hours.

[Week 2] Print letters; $0.50 (paper); 1 person hour.

[Week 2] Acquire flat envelopes and blank labels for mailing;

$10.00; 1person hour.

[Week 2] Create labels for mailing; $0.00; 3-4 person hours.

[Week 2] Assemble mailing; $0.00; 2-3 person hours.

[Week 2] Mail print PSAs; $13.75 (.55x25); .25 person hour.

[Week 3] Begin follow-up calls to PSA directors to encourage

placement;

(local calls); 6-8 hours (could be done by 2 persons;).[Weeks 3-10] Monitor PSA placement; $5.00 to purchase papers;

3-4 person

hours.

[Week 10] Write report about initiative, its outcomes, midcourse

corrections,

and things you would do differently next time; $2.00 paper &

repro; 4-6person hours.

[Week 10 or 11] Circulate to appropriate members of your

organization;

$0.00; 1-2 person. hours

Total direct costs: $31.25

Labor: 28-38 person hours (over 4-10 weeks time after acquiring

PSAs)Page 21

Step 8: Evaluate and Make Mid-Course

Corrections


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Specify times to take stock of progress in completing

communications plan.

Determine strengths and weaknesses.

Identify obstacles. Create and implement new approaches for success.

Consult with communications technical assistance advisors.Page 22

Campaign Planning WorksheetConsider the following questions when planning a comprehensive

communications campaign:

1. What are your short-term and long-term campaign objectives?

2. What is your timeline for completion of the campaign?

3. Who are your target audiences?

4. What are the key communications messages (no more than

three,

please)?

5. What are your staff and financial resources?

6. What materials and activities will best disseminate these

messages?

7. What media have you targeted?

8. What specific roles have you identified for your spokespeople?

9. What role will consortium members, corporate partners, and

staff play?

10. How will you evaluate your campaign?

Strategic Communication Plan for the Research Profile Project

September 2003

The Message: Research Makes Sense For Students


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PROBLEM/OPPORTUNITY:

ISSUE

Perception that research takes away resources from teaching lack of awareness of

the role of research at U of A

Lack of Awareness of the Impact of research on the campus and external community

Lack of coordinated profile about research successes and the contribution of that

research to teaching

Lack of awareness of research opportunities for students (particularly undergrad)

Lack of awareness about the role of research students both grad and PDF

MESSAGES

Research activities directly impact the classroom and curriculum

Research is done in the context of training students

Research brings in resources for teaching

A quality research environment increases quality faculty which increases quality of

training for students

Research directly benefits the external community through breakthroughs, spinoffs,

technology transfer, etc.

Training of highly qualified personnel drives the knowledge economy

We are training of the leaders of tomorrow


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Graduate students and postdoctoral fellows play a crucial role as teachers,

researchers, mentors, etc.

Research students enhance the learning environment for undergraduate students

The U of A and external community needs to celebrate research success by linking

that success to students

We need to celebrate the success of our students involved in research

The University of Alberta believes in providing research experiences to ALL

students

STRATEGY AND TACTICS:

STRATEGY

1. Launch and promote the theme - "Research Makes Sense For Students"

2. Develop materials for the theme

3. Ensure all key members of administration acknowledge and utilize the theme and the

resources developed through the project

4. Work with university campus to develop tools (database, etc.)

5. Engage campus in debate on research and teaching

6. Get researchers (incl graduate students and PDFs) talking about research and teaching

7. Show examples of how classroom/curriculum content is impacted by research on

campus

8. Profile Department and Faculty Research activities

9. Market current research opportunities for undergraduate students

10. Work on developing communication about the impacts of research on community

11. Ensure that the University of Alberta Strategic Media Relations Team has stories of

students involved in research activities


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12.

Profile Undergraduate students conducting research projects

13.

Identify and profile graduate students and postdoctoral fellows from Alberta

14.

Profile convocating PhD students

15.

Profile major award winners in research

16.

Ensure every Alberta Bound incorporates students involved in research

AUDIENCE

Our target audiences for the Research Profile Project includes: current and prospective

undergraduate students, graduate students, and postdoctoral fellows; the rest of the U of A

campus community; the general public in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, and the world; the

Governments of Canada, Alberta, and Edmonton; and the media.

OBJECTIVES:

EXPECTED OUTCOMES

The campus community, students, external community, and government

will recognize the importance of research and teaching together at a university

The campus and external community will appreciate the impact that research has on

the economy, but also on teaching and on campus activities

Students, the campus and external community, and government will all realize the

importance of research students at the U of A


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Students, the campus and external community, and government will realize the

success of the U of A and will recognize the need of both teaching and research for

continued success in the future

Students, the external community and government will all realize that the U of A is

actively involving students in research, particularly at the undergraduate level

The ABCs of Strategic

Communications

This article details the process of designing a plan for strategic communications as

discussed in The Jossey-Bass guide to strategic communications for nonprofits, writtenby Kathy Bonk, Henry Griggs and Emily Tynes, 1999.

A communications plan is an important part of an organization's daily operation. As a

living document, it frames media activities, including internal and externalcommunications, clarifies the organization's priorities, target audiences, resources and

staff assignments.

What are the elements of a communications plan?

The elements are basically the same whether an organization is, for example, a large not-

for-profit hospital, a museum, a university, a small advocacy group, service provider, orfoundation. A communications plan affirms and is driven by the organization's goals and

outcomes, its vision, as expressed in a mission statement, and its values and beliefs.

Overall communications goals:

The organization's communications goals may include: Developing and implementing communications plans for enhanced visibility and crisis

management

Generating positive media coverage by cultivating relationships with reporters Increasing the awareness and involvement of specific, targeted groups of individuals

Changing attitudes or teaching new skills to clients and staff

Generating support from the public, policy makers, and clients for community reformsacross your state

Encouraging financial contributions

The activities in the communications plan should support the organization's overall

communications goals. It is important to set measurable goals in order to know when theyhave been achieved and to be able to gauge the progress along the way.


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Vision and mission statement

The organizational mission statement is the cornerstone of the communications plan,

driving the overall direction of media activities. The organization should include thismission statement at the very beginning of the communications plan to remind staff,

board members and other internal decision makers that media-related activities flow from

the organization's core mission and vision, not just from its communications department.Media activities enhance the organization's overall image, advance its agenda and

influence public will.

Organizational values and beliefs

Every organization, foundation, public agency and institution has at its heart a system ofvalues and beliefs. These values should be reflected in all that the organization plans and

does, including communications goals and strategic plans.

Critical elements of a communications plan

In addition to the goals, vision and values that form the cornerstone of an organization's

communications strategy, there are six critical elements organizations need to constructthat strategy:

1. An understanding of the target audience and how to reach it

2. Research into past media coverage and public opinion about the issues3. Messages to be delivered

4. Materials to be produced

5. Financial resources from which staff and equipment will be drawn6. A written work plan

It is important to identify these elements and put them in place before implementing day-

to-day activities. Successful implementation of a communications plan depends onpulling these elements together:

Identification of the target audience

The first task is to identify who the target audience is and how to reach it. List categories

of people who are important to the success of the organization and identify ways to reach

them. Audiences may include donors, potential members, elected officials, churchgroups, judges and the legal community, business leaders, communities of color, trade

associations, women's leaders, teens, senior citizens, and the general public. In addition to

these important outside audiences, it is important for organization not to forget its internalaudiences, such as staff, board members and volunteers.

Research into media coverage, public opinion and facts How do target audiences perceive

the organization and its issues? With the Internet, it is not difficult to develop a profile of

how the organization's issues are covered in the media, how often the organization isquoted or described, and what public opinion polls have been done on relevant topics. A

short and simple media analysis can be an instructive tool and will indicate the amount of

resources necessary to increase name recognition.


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Good data can be a gold mine in outreach to the media. Most media use "factoids" to help

their audiences put stories in perspective. A good communications plan should collect

data on the important issues in formats that can answer the "who, what, when, where,why and how."

Message developmentDevelop a phrase of four to ten words to describe the organization that can be used every

time a reporter does a story about the agency. It is important to be able to tell reportershow the group wants to be described; otherwise, journalists will come up with

descriptions that may not be accurate.

The next step is to develop message points for the organization's spokespeople to usewhen they talk with reporters. One might consist of the basic facts about the group, but

should be limited to three or four points to communicate in each interview.

Answer the following questions in-house before every media event or interview: What

should the headline be? What should the article include? Answers given in the interviewor at the media event should always deliver the key points.

Production of high-quality public relations materials Public relations materials are

important tools for reaching reporters, donors, policy makers, and others in the target

audience. These should include:

A consistent and easy-to-recognize logo and stationery design An easy-to-understand, one page fact sheet about the organization

At least one press kit on the issues and activities to be highlighted in the media

Hard copy brochures and consistent Web site content

Videos, slides, overheads and computer presentations Reports and studies for public release as news items

One paragraph and one page biographies on spokespeople and agency heads Copies of the current newsletter, if there is one

Copies of newspaper articles about the group

Assessment of resources

The communications plan needs to spell out how resources will be allocated, includingstaff time, budgets, computers, software, equipment, databases, in-house and contract

services and volunteer help. For mid-sized to large organizations, it is prudent to hire

communications director. In agencies with fewer than ten employees, everyone from the

executive director to the person who answers the phone should be a part of thecommunications team. A resource review for the organization should do the following:

Assess staff time, in-house services and existing media technologies

Recommend and arrange for training and technology updates as needed Designate or decide to hire a communications director

Develop a budget that includes provisions for outside contracts and services, such as

freelance writing, video production, database management, graphic design and Web site


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management

Access funding and build programs for expanded activities that include executive loan

programs, internships, pro bono support from commercial media firms, donations fromlocal and regional corporations and grants from foundations.

Development of a work planOrganizations should develop work plans for each major activity or event and try to

review overall plans at least quarterly. Elements of a communications work plan shouldspell out assignments and important tasks:

Develop timelines, calendars of events and priorities Assign responsibilities to lead and support staff, giving each a list of specific tasks

Review progress and enforce or revise deadlines

Hold people responsible for completing work and reassign tasks as needed

Crisis control

The work plan should also include a crisis control plan. This should be thought of as afire drill, and regardless how non controversial the organization, there should be a plan in

place to deal with possible negative stories in the media. This plan should include theidentification of a crisis coordination team, a plan to ensure timely and appropriate

responses to negative press and regular internal briefings about the procedures for

implementing a damage control plan.

Evaluation

No strategic communications plan is complete without a built-in evaluation component as

a way to check accountability and make improvements over time. Major evaluation

activities might include analyzing media content and monitoring certain developments,

such as shifts in public opinion, policy changes, increased membership andorganizational participation, and improved institutional capacity.

Summary

A written communications plan should be easy to read and should have a formatadaptable for overhead or computer presentations to larger audiences. Most organizations

have been through a strategic planning process at some point; this effort is no different.

Remember, the elements of a communications plan are basically the same whether theorganization has thousands, hundreds, dozens, or a handful of employees

Strategic


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for Broward County

Communica

tions

Plan Page 2I am proud to be associated with Broward County, a vital, diverse

and

progressive organization. Through the efforts of a committed and

tal-

ented workforce, we have met significant challenges over the pastfew

years. An important goal we face today is to better coordinate our

internal and external communications to improve citizen

awareness of


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the services and programs provided by the Broward County Board

of

County Commissioners. Fundamental to this effort is practical and

abundant employee-to-employee communications at all levelsthrough-

out our organization.

This Strategic Communications Plan provides a framework for

achiev-

ing that goal.

Each and every employee fulfills a valuable role in this effort,

fromensuring customer service excellence to marketing our business

op-

erations effectively. Our organizational culture is highly

empowered

and, over the years, responsibility for all aspects of

communications

has been absolutely decentralized. At the same time, we have

devel-

oped unique identities within individual agencies which, to a large

degree, has compromised our organizational identity. Many of the

programs and services we provide are not well-recognized as

services

provided by the Board of County Commissioners. A major goal of

the

Strategic Communications Plan is to create a corporate identity

which

embraces all departments and agencies of the Broward County

Board


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of County Commissioners.

As we begin implementation of this plan, we welcome your input

and

ideas. The Strategic Communications Plan is a living documentwhich

will be modified and updated as systems change, projects are com-

pleted, and our goals evolve. Through our combined efforts, we

hope

to ensure that all our communications and contacts print,

electronic

or live reflect our corporate identity, and firmly establish our

reputa-

tion, within our communities and beyond, as a well-managed, high

performance, dynamic and caring organization.

Sincerely,

Roger Desjarlais

County Administrator

Fellow Employee:Page 3

Statement of Purpose/Overview of

Goals................................................ 2

Board of County Commissioners Six StrategicGoals ............................ 4

Core Communications

Team ................................................................... 5


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Guiding

Principles ................................................................................... 6

Major Themes and

Messages ................................................................. 7Official Logo - Branding/Corporate

Identity/Image ................................. 7

Communications Strategies and

Objectives ........................................... 8

Employee-Focused Communications

(Internal) ................................... 8

Citizen-Focused Communications(External) ..................................... 10

Media

Communications...................................................................... 12

Community Presence/Citizen Input and

Involvement ......................... 13

Resources

Required ............................................................................. 15Summary

Statement .............................................................................. 15

Appendices

Public Information/Graphics - Policies and Procedures

Checklist for Publications

Samples: Letterhead, Envelopes, Business Cards, Web Masthead,

Info Boxes, Press Release

Guide to Media Relations/Media Directory

Department Plans


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Index - Table of

Contents1

Page 4

The purpose of our Strategic Communications Plan is to enhance

citi-zen awareness of services and programs provided by the Broward

County Board of County Commissioners, create a corporate

identity

for our organization, and promote our presence in the community.

The Broward County Board of County Commissioners provides a

wide

variety of services to the citizens of Broward County, ranging fromathletics programs to xeriscaping advice, from newborn health care

to

indigent burial, from critical safety services to lifestyle

(recreational and

cultural) enhancements. We cover the landscape on land, in the

air,

or at sea. The cultural diversity of our population of 1.62 millioncreates

unique challenges in providing information and delivering services

to

our target publics which include children, elderly, families, busi-


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nesses, and people in need. Given the size of our organization

(7,000

employees and approximately 100 different agencies), we

encountersimilar challenges with internal communications.

Considering the scope of the Countys responsibilities,

accomplished

within a framework of limited resources, the importance of

effective

communications internal and external must be stressed.

Effectivecommunications can help identify needs and provide solutions.

Cur-

rently, citizens receive a wide variety of visual and verbal

messages

from County departments and agencies. Likewise, employees may

not

always get clear messages or signals. The following seven majorgoals

will help improve the efficiency and effectiveness of our

communica-

tions efforts:

Create a corporate identity for the Broward County Board of

County

Commissioners with one image or logo representing all agencies

of

the Board. This branding will require all agencies, many of

which


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have developed their own logos over the years, to utilize the

Countys

official logo for all communications, media and applications.

Second-ary logos should only be used when approved and appropriate.

Enhance internal and external communications, making sure that

accurate information is shared, in appropriate formats, in a

consistent,

timely and cost-effective manner. Ensure that key messages or

themes are incorporated into those communications. Coordination

ofthese efforts will maximize our resources, minimize duplication

and

Statement of

Purpose/Overview ofGoals2

Page 5encourage cross-pollination of information.

Develop a more clearly-defined community relations function

within

our organization, building partnerships and relationships with com-


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munity groups, local governments, chambers, civic and business

organizations, homeowners associations and individual citizens.

This

effort will help establish a stronger and more pervasivecommunity

presence.

Focus and expand our media relations efforts, emphasizing a

proac-

tive component, cultivating contacts with television and radio,

improv-

ing our coordination in sharing information, updating policies andprocedures, and providing appropriate training for staff.

Further develop new media efforts, including evaluation of

additional

interactive applications on the Countys web site which will

benefit our

customers and production of public service announcements and

monthly cable/video and radio programming. Engage citizens more fully in the governmental process,

soliciting

input and feedback on County issues, including the use of focus

groups, workshops in the community and customer satisfaction

surveys. Surveys in particular will provide baseline data against

which we can measure the success of our communications efforts

and more clearly understand citizen expectations. Constructive

citizen involvement will help increase awareness of the challenges

facing County government, instill confidence in decisions made,

and

improve overall customer satisfaction.


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Reinforce employee development and training opportunities,

across

the board, which provides tools, resources, incentives and recogni-

tion of outstanding efforts. Healthy internal communicationsdirectly

reflects on our external efforts and conduct.

With the proper branding, coordination and quality control of

our

communications efforts, citizens will gain a clearer understanding

of

our organization, and the services and programs provided by theBroward County Board of County Commissioners. We will

establish a

community presence for Broward County, and our corporate

identity

will be reinforced with each and every point of contact: a book

checked out of a library, a park visited, a water bill received.

3Statement of Purpose/Overview of Goals continued

Page 6

1. To continue efforts to protect the environment and develop a

com-

prehensive environmental strategy.

2. To enhance countywide economic development effortsincluding

urban redevelopment.

3. To unify our airport and seaport activities to attract business

enter-


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prises.

4. To review transit options with the goal of increasing mass transit

ridership and reducing traffic congestion and air pollution.

5. To create a new organizational culture that focuses on deliveringcore services as efficiently as possible and creates e-government.

6. To develop innovative human services strategies for assisting

chil-

dren, elderly and low income families.

Board of CountyCommissioners -

Six Strategic Goals4

Page 7

A Core Communications Team will facilitate a team approach to

our

communications efforts. In addition to developing, monitoring and

updating the Strategic Communications Plan, each member of the

Team will have an ongoing responsibility for coordinating theimplemen-

tation of all communications projects and activities within a

department.


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The Team will meet quarterly, or as required, and will serve as a

net-

working group. In addition, the Team will identify research and

trainingobjectives, monitor and recommend modifications to countywide

poli-

cies and procedures, and integrate department communications

plans.

Team members will coordinate with the dozens of County

employees

who perform a variety of public relations, community relations,market-

ing, communications, graphics, web and public outreach tasks.

County Administration

Director, Public Communications

Director of Corporate Communications, Port Everglades

Public Information Officer, Aviation Department

Vice President, Communications, Greater Ft Lauderdale CVBDepartment of Community Services

Department of Safety & Emergency Services

Department of Finance & Administrative Services

Department of Human Services

Department of Planning and Environmental Protection

Department of Public Works


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Core Communications

Team5

Page 8

The following principles will help guide our communications

efforts: Policy vs. Administration - The Board of County Commissioners

is the

policy-setting body and the Board of Directors for Broward

County.

The implementation of the Boards policy is the responsibility of

the

County Administrator. Sometimes Less is More - Two publications may not always be

better

than one, or ten pages better than four; two-color may be better

than

four-color; four interviews may not be better than none.

Quality Always Matters - Seek appropriate professional

assistance.Writers are not always good designers. Edit twice, backwards and

forwards, then ask a co-worker to edit again. Substance is comple-

mented by style. Impressions are easily made, but difficult to

change.


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In the Sunshine -

Stratergic Communication The Communication Plan

Documents