LeadershipPlenty

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• LeadershipPlenty
• Module 9
• Communicating for Change

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3 Key Strategies in Communication

• Identify your audience
• Develop your message
• Use a variety of methods and media to inform and
  engage people in your work

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OBJECTIVES

• To understand the reasons to communicate with the
  larger community about your work.
• To learn how to develop an effective message
  about a community program.
• To identify ways to reach different audiences
  with your message

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GUIDING QUESTIONS

• Why does our group need to communicate about its
  work to the larger community?
• How do we inform others about the importance of
  this work?
• How do we communicate our message to different
  audiences?

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ON CAMERA!

• Instructions
• Write the name of a movie or television show that
  relates to your life on the card in front of you
  with a brief descriptive phrase of how it
  relates.

EXAMPLE Survivor / Gladiator I want to win,
whatever it takes.
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How do you communicate the identity of a person
or group in afew words?

• Humor
• Surprise
• Drama
• Suspense

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REASONS TO COMMUNICATE

• Think of how you learned about the Horizons
  opportunity.
• What would have happened if you were the only one
  who heard about the program?

• Strategic communication should be a part of early
  program design and development.
• People do not support initiatives they have not
  heard of.

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Reasons to Communicate Relay
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Message Development

• Straightforward statement about what you are
  doing and why it matters.
• Clear, concise, free of jargon
• Stories about people
• Truthful
• Identify specific audience
• Local
• Visually interesting
• Include logos, Web addresses, phone numbers,etc

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DEVELOPING A MESSAGE

• Consider your audience
• What aspect of the issue affects them? Why
  should they be interested?
• What do you want them to do when they hear
  your message? (volunteer, raise money, enroll)
• In 2-3 sentences, how can you project your
  groups issue to this audience in an interesting
  way?

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DEVELOPING A MESSAGE

• Consider Your Message
• What is a powerful message for a volunteer?
• What is a powerful message for a parent?
• What is a powerful message for an
  established community leader or potential funder?

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Identifying Ways to Communicate Your Message

• It is usually necessary to use a variety of ways
  to deliver your message to diverse audiences.
  There is no one-size-fits-all way of informing an
  entire community about your work.
• From the Catch-All Communication List select
  three forms of publicity you have never tried.
  Why not?!

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ONE SIZE DOESNT FIT ALL

• Using Handout 4
• What is the best way to reach this person with
  info about the program?
• What does this person see/read?
• What does this person listen to?
• With whom does this person regularly communicate?

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ONE SIZE DOESNT FIT ALL

• Questions to Consider
• What individuals do you think it could be hardest
  to communicate with about the program? Why?
• What are ways to reach hard-to-find people with
  information about the program?
• What are ways to share your message with
  established community leaders, such as elected
  officials and business and nonprofit executives?

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Working with the Media

• Think of the media as a potential partner with
  whom you can build a relationship. You need them
  and they need you. It is the job of reporters to
  identify and cover interesting stories about
  people and events in the community.
• Your responsibility is to be constantly aware of
  communication opportunities and providing
  up-to-date and accurate information about your
  program and its results.

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Working with the Media
Four Principles of Good Media Relations

• Honesty
• Deadlines
• Accessibility
• Accuracy

• Be truthful and to the point. Dont exaggerate or
  mislead.
• Get reporters information when they need it.
  Dont procrastinate.
• Return reporters calls promptly. Be available.
• Do your homework. Be prepared. Admit when you
  dont know the answer.

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Working with the Media

• Topics addressed in Handouts 6-11
• Attracting Media Attention A Guide
• Tips for Gaining Media Attention
• Identifying Major Media Outlets
• Writing a News Release
• Using Community Calendars and Public Service
  announcements
• Holding a News Conference
• Staging an Event

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Evaluation and Closure

• Communication skill-building pervades all aspects
  of community leadership.
• Modules 1 3 Examined reflection and listening
  as disciplines of leadership and explored issues
  of cross-cultural communication.
• Module 2 Introduced groups to a new language
  of leadership that emphasizes strengths rather
  than weaknesses through an assets approach to
  community development.

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Evaluation and Closure

• Modules 4 5 Equipped group members to manage
  meetings and resolve conflict so meaningful
  dialogue can occur.
• Modules 6-8 Looked at the role of communication
  in specific areas of program development
  partnership, strategic planning, and evaluation.
• Module 9 Covered the importance of developing
  and sharing powerful messages with different
  audiences to make real change in the community.

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GUIDING QUESTIONS

• Why does our group need to communicate about its
  work to the larger community?
• How do we inform others about the importance of
  this work?
• How do we communicate our message to different
  audiences?