Strategic Communications: From the Plan to the Public

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Strategic Communications From the Plan to the
Public

• September 27, 2006
• Atlanta, GA

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(No Transcript)
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Todays Agenda

• Welcome
• HealthTecdl Goals
• Session Objectives
• Introduction of Speaker
• Session Presentation.Melissa Taylor
• Question Answer - Open Discussion
• Upcoming HealthTecdl Events Resources

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Goals of HealthTecdl

• Build Organizational Capacity
• Promote Organizational Effectiveness
• Support Nonprofit Collaboration

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Session Objectives

• Increased understanding of critical elements of a
  communications plan
• Increased ability to identify effective
  communications strategies about your
  organization, programs and issues

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Melissa Taylor
Senior Vice President, Strategic Planning and
Research
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Course Outline

• Communications Planning
• Media
• Partnerships
• Evaluation

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Planning for Communications
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What is communications?

• Marketing
• Public Relations
• Branding
• Social Marketing

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• Every minute you spend planning saves 10
  minutes in execution this gives you a 1,000
  percent return on energy!
• -- Brian Tracy, consultant

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Why Is Planning Important?

• Planning is starting with the end determining
  where you want to go and then laying out the
  steps to get there
• Identify challenges and opportunities
• Provides a common framework for all activities

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Step 1 Assess your organization

• Set the organizational mission
• Establish long-term goals
• Establish short-term objectives

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Step 2 Assess the Current Market

• Define the problem
• Identify others in the marketplace with similar
  goals
• Assess recent media coverage

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Step 3 Identify target audience(s)

• Whom you are trying to reach?
• Where do they go for information?
• Who influences them?
• Where do they live, shop and play?

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Step 4 Conduct a SWOT analysis
Strengths What do you have that will help you? Weaknesses What is holding you back?
Opportunities What is going on in the market that will help you? Threats What could prevent your success?
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Sample SWOT
Strengths Staff skilled in media Board is supportive New data Weaknesses Limited resources Not known in the market
Opportunities Community/media interest of people affected is increasing New treatments offer better outcomes Threats Competition from other NFPs Leg. defeated supportive bill in committee Parents afraid of diagnosis
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From SWOT to Insights

• Have new data, media interest, new treatments
• Parents afraid of diagnosis
• Insight media outreach to promote message of
  hope of new treatments

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Bringing It Together in A Plan

• Key Plan Components
• Goals
• Objectives
• Target audience(s)
• Channels to reach your audience
• Strategies
• Tactics
• Tools
• Evaluation

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What Approaches Will We Take?

• Strategy general communication approach
• Media outreach
• Health care professional outreach

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From Strategies to Tactics

• Tactic specific activities to help you execute
  your strategy
• Media release
• Attending health care professional conferences

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Tools of Trade

• Determine what you want to say key messages
• About your organization
• About your issue
• About your program

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Maximizing the Media
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What are the Media?
Media Outlet Overview
Television Watched by ALL audiences Highest impact Visual stories
Radio News with a community focus Good for targeting very specific audiences
Daily/Weekly Newspapers Reaches opinion leaders Appropriate for in-depth stories, promoting community events highlighting community stories Local angles, pre-prepared materials good for smaller newspapers
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What are the Media?
Media Outlet Overview
Magazines Specifics vary by type Opportunity to run softer, human-interest stories Less time sensitive 3 - 6 month lead time
Online/Internet Popular for reaching captive audiences May accept prepared materials
Newsletters Good for reaching very targeted audiences through a medium they trust Concise and brief
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What Makes a Story News?

• Is it new?
• Is it hard or breaking news?
• Is it local?
• Is it a famous or prominent person?
• Is it a common problem?
• Is it visual?
• Is it personal?
• The wildcard factor.

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Media Tools

• Media release
• Matte release
• Media advisory
• Media kit

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Writing a Media Release

• The Inverted Pyramid

The most newsworthy information
The least newsworthy information
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Is It News?

• No
• Its National Arthritis Month
• We have programs for people with arthritis

• Yes
• Age of arthritis diagnosis is decreasing
• Certain physical activities can delay onset
• Our new classes provide instruction

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Building Media Relationships

• Do your research!
• Respect their deadlines.
• Be prepared.
• Time is of the essence

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Preparing for the Interview

• Watch, read or listen in advance
• Think about likely questions
• Tailor information
• Review key messages

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Engaging Others to Your Cause
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Steps to a Successful Partnership

• Define your need
• Identify potential partners
• Make your case
• Sell your value
• Identify mutual benefit

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Types of Partners

• Not-for-profits reaching your target audience
• Public officials
• Corporate
• Health care professionals

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Partnership Example

• Arthritis organization hosts a walk
• Physical activity group promotes walk
• Local shoe shop offers walker discounts
• Arthritis organization
• promotes shop to walkers
• distributes physical activity materials
• mentions both sponsors in media outreach

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Measuring Your Success
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Why is evaluation important?

• Ensures messages are appropriate, effective
• Allows for mid-course corrections
• Assess short-term outcomes and long-term impact

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Research for Planning

• Assess baseline behaviors, attitude or knowledge
• Types of research
• Surveys
• Focus groups
• Literature reviews

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Evaluation of Effectiveness

• Process evaluation
• People trained
• Calls to organization
• Media hits
• Outcome evaluation
• Change in behavior, attitude or knowledge

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Questions Answers
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Resources

• www.healthtecdl.org
• Strategic Communications From the Plan to the
  Public

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Whats Next at HealthTecdl?

• Grantwriting for SuccessTBA

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(No Transcript)