A well-thought-out communications plan serves as your essential roadmap to articulating your mission, vision and values via various tools and platforms that will ultimately boost your impact on beneficiaries and donors. Effective communication is crucial for the success of any nonprofit organization.
There is a lot of information out there on nonprofit communications, and at The Dennis Group Inc. we specialize in communication plans for small to mid-sized organizations. Regardless of size, knowing your audience is key because a tailored message resonates best with those you are trying to reach and build a rapport. In this blog kicking off 2024, we guide you through the process of creating an effective communications plan for a strong year of powerful connections and outcomes!
Define Your Objectives
Clearly outline your organization’s goals and objectives via your communication efforts. This could include raising awareness, increasing donor engagement or promoting a specific campaign. Clear key messages are essential for garnering support and maintaining relationships, and a well-defined plan will help ensure your donors, volunteers and the public have a clear understanding of your organization’s goals and values. They care most about the WHY of your mission.
Identify Your Target Audience
Understand who you are communicating to each time you send a message out in the world. Tailor your messages to resonate with each group, considering their needs, interests and communication preferences. If you’re communicating about fundraising, your audience includes individual donors, corporations, foundations and governments. If you’re advocating for your organization’s cause, you’re talking to community leaders, policy makers, media and influencers.
Craft Your Key Messages
Develop concise and compelling key messages that reflect your organization’s mission and resonate with your target audience. The tone and style of these messages should be consistent across all communication channels to build a strong and unified brand identity. Focus on standing out because you want your values to be remembered. Start with three key words that describe your organization’s best qualities quickly and clearly to develop each of your three key messages.
Select Your Communication Channels
Use tools that target your audience and tailor your content accordingly. This could include e-newsletters, social media, press releases, your organization’s website and community events. Consider the strengths and weaknesses of each tool or channel to reinforce the same message. Focus on the tools or channels that provide the best return on investment, such as leveraging the power of social media to engage an audience. For example, by encouraging your internal team to get involved in social media engagement by sharing and commenting on posts, your organization’s reach expands, and messaging is amplified.
Create a Content Calendar
Develop a content calendar outlining the topics, theme and key messages you want to communicate throughout the year. This ensures a consistent flow of information and helps you plan ahead for important events or campaigns.
Build Media Relationships
Cultivating relationships with local media and journalists goes a long way when you have an urgent news story or are being proactive in seeking media coverage for your special events and initiatives. Have a digital media kit, also known as a press kit, ready to go – they are simpler than their paper predecessors, being compact, easier to update, share and adapt. This public relations tool is essential for sharing your story with the media, and it can be printed as needed. Keep the kit short and eye-catching, covering just the essential information about your organization, key spokespeople and relevant stories. And release good news as soon as it happens.
Three basics to every media kit:
- Fact Sheets with eye-catching images
- Short history of your organization and its impact
- Frequently Asked Questions, kept succinct
Measure Your Results
Establish key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure the success of your communications efforts. This could include metrics like website traffic, social media engagement and press mentions. Regularly evaluate your performance and adjust your strategy as needed, avoiding repeating anything that didn’t work or didn’t meet your KPIs. You can also actively seek feedback from your audience to understand what is resonating and what can be improved. This feedback loop is essential for refining your communications strategy over time.
Your Compass to Success
Building a successful nonprofit communications plan that’s tailored to your audience serves as a compass through the ever-shifting landscape of delivering your organization’s mission. Managing the plan is an ongoing process that requires flexibility, adaptability, and a commitment to constant improvement. By following these steps and staying attuned to the needs of your audience, your organization can create a communications strategy that fosters engagement, builds trust, and ultimately contributes to making a lasting impact on those you serve.
The Dennis Group Inc. can help your organization create strategies to achieve success in all areas of non-profit management, including research, campaign and fund development expertise, organizational development and planning, communications and stewardship. Contact us to learn more.
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