communications survival guide

Communications Survival Guide

Matthew PennPenn Communications

U TXT’d Up?

•EM?

U TXT’d Up?

•P911

U TXT’d Up?

•BFF

U TXT’d Up?

•LOL

U TXT’d Up?

•RUMOF

U TXT’d Up?

•L8R

U TXT’d Up?

•SOHF

U TXT’d Up?

•AIMP

U TXT’d Up?

•COS

U TXT’d Up?

•ROTFL

U TXT’d Up?

•OOTD

U TXT’d Up?

•OTL

U TXT’d Up?

•IIRC

U TXT’d Up?

•EM?•Excuse Me?

U TXT’d Up?

•P911•Parent Alert!

U TXT’d Up?

•BFF•Best Friends Forever

U TXT’d Up?

•LOL•Laughing Out Loud

U TXT’d Up?

•RUMOF•Are You Male or Female?

U TXT’d Up?

•L8R•Later

U TXT’d Up?

•SOHF•Sense of Humor Failure

U TXT’d Up?

•AIMP•Always in My Prayers

U TXT’d Up?

•COS•Change of Subject

U TXT’d Up?

•ROTFL•Rolling on the Floor Laughing

U TXT’d Up?

•OOTD•Out of The Office

U TXT’d Up?

•OTL•Out To Lunch

U TXT’d Up?

•IIRC•If I Remember Correctly.

Communications Survival Guide

• The “Big Picture” Stuff–RESPECT

• Communication without Respect of your audience, is a waste of time.

• Develop Respect & Trust…Effective Communications will follow.

Communications Survival Guide

• The “Big Picture” Stuff–RESPECT–CONSISTENCY

• Are you constantly banging the drum for your YM?

Communications Survival Guide

• The Toolbox–The Printed Word (ink & paper)–Verbal Communications–Online World–Connected Communications

Communications Survival Guide

• The Printed Word–Newsletters, Postcards, Letters,

Flyers, Bulletin inserts, Signage, Bulletin Boards.

–Essential Q#1 – Will it pass the 10 second test?

–Essential Q#2 – Is it “Fridge Worthy?”

Communications Survival Guide

• Resources to Have–New Visitor Letter (or packet)–Follow Up Letter–“Hey You” Cards (card stock)–Pre-printed Post Cards & Stamps–Database–Re-Purpose Common

Communications

Communications Survival Guide

• The Printed Word–Keep in Mind…Printed Word is

“Official” and sends permanent message.• Verify, Proof, and 3rd Party Test• Don’t send negative or mixed messages

Communications Survival Guide

DUE TO RECENTVANDALISM

LOITERING IS STRICTLY PROHIBITEDVIOLATORS WILL BE

PROSECUTED

Communications Survival Guide

DUE TO RECENTEVANGELISMLOITERING IS

ENCOURAGEDVIOLATORS MIGHT BE

FED AND WHOOPED UP ON IN BASKETBALL.

Communications Survival Guide

• The Online World–Websites, Email, Blogs–Survey your students to see how

they spend their online time.–Be careful of spending too much

effort here!

Communications Survival Guide

• Email–No Longer Effective for Reaching

Teens–Very Effective for Adults–So, How To Use Email?

Communications Survival Guide

• Mass Email Solutions?

Communications Survival Guide

• Blogs – Do You Need One? –Well, yes!–Content is Reusable (RSS)–Content is Subscribable (RSS) –Free!

• Wordpress.com, Blogger.com, LiveJournal.com

Communications Survival Guide

• The Connected World– Instant Messengers–SMS Messaging–Social Networking Websites–Viral Video

Communications Survival Guide

• All in One IM Programs–Trillian

www.ceruleanstudios.com–Pidgin

http://www.pidgin.im• MSN and Yahoo are now integrated

Communications Survival Guide

• JabberText.com–Bulk SMS Messaging–Upload Cell Phone

database– Integrate with your Website or

Email–Send mass SMS message to

students–Today’s Group - $Free!

Communications Survival Guide

• Social Networking–MySpace.com–Facebook.com–Yahoo360–Microsoft Live–Consider creating a “Group”

profile

Communications Survival Guide

• The Survey–Every community is unique. Find

your niche.–Every audience within your

ministry must be treated individually.

Communications Survival Guide

• Our Survey Results (Students)–Half of kids are “disconnected”

(no internet or cell phone)–Email not going to be reliable–Personal Phone Calls & Mail

Important–Website is waste of time–SMS Important–Staples & Duct Tap Might help!

Communications Survival Guide

• The Assessment–Honest Assessment of Where You

Are–Where Do You Need to Be?–How Are You Going to Get There?

Communications Survival Guide

• The Plan–Easier Than You Might Think!

• Especially when you timeline everything out.–What Happens When?–Who is Doing What?

Communications Survival Guide

• Gorilla Tactics–Mailing Label Puzzle–Change your IM “Display Name”–Write a letter in TXT language

(wiki)–Chalk the Message –Duct Tape Flyer to Their Shirt

(Seriously!)

Communications Survival Guide

• Gorilla Tactics–Write a “Blah” letter with a PS–Put Announcements to Music–Videotape Somebody Reading

Announcements–Group Hypnosis–Headline at top of next Bulletin

Insert -- “About the Carpet Stains…”