tips for optimizing your communications dollars & creating messaging that works

Tips for Optimizing Your Communications Dollars & Creating Messaging that Works

National Disability Institute’s REI TourMayor’s Leadership AcademyFederal Reserve Bank of BostonSept. 27, 20114:40 – 5:40 p.m.

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introductions Andrew Houghton – Moderator

Disability Inclusion Solutions, Inc./President, NDI Board of Directors Paula Kelley

Client and Business Management Executive, Northeast and Southeast Trust Divisions, U.S. Trust, Bank of America/NDI Board of Directors

Michael JensenPartner/Consultant, Mission Control Media/NDI Board of Directors

Lisa Stockmann KarpDirector of Communications, National Disability Institute

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Communications What is it? Why do we do it?

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what is it?

COMMUNICATION COMMUNICATIONS Transmitting or imparting

information (one-way) Sharing or exchanging

information (two-way)

The field of expressing ideas effectively

The practice of imparting or sharing information

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Communication:why do we do it? Transmit information Seek information Share ideas Educate/Understand Develop relationships/rapport Influence/Persuade Inspire/Motivate

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Communications: the practicekey components Strategy Planning Implementation

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Communications strategy STEP 1: STRATEGIC PLANNING - ORGANIZATION

MISSION Who are we? What is our purpose?

VISION What do we want to accomplish? What would success look like? Who are our stakeholders/customers?

STRATEGY How are we going to do achieve our mission and vision? What specific action steps do we need to take?

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Communications strategy STEP 2: COMMUNICATIONS STRATEGY

RULE #1 – YOU CANNOT DEVELOP AN EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATIONS STRATEGY IF:

You don’t know who you are You don’t know why you’re here You don’t know what success looks like for your organization You don’t know or understand your stakeholders/target audiences

BOTTOM LINE: YOU NEED A SOLID STRATEGIC PLAN TO DEVELOP A SOLID COMMUNICATIONS STRATEGY!

COMMUNICATIONS STRATEGY IS SIMPLY ONE OF THE MANY ACTION STEPS NEEDED TO EXECUTE YOUR OVERALL PLAN.

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Communications strategy THE ‘BACKBONE’

Branding Positioning Messaging

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branding

WHAT IS YOUR BRAND?

YOUR PERSONALITY!

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YOUR BRAND IS . . . What your organization or company stands for What you’re known for How stakeholders/ customers perceive you What stakeholders/customers say about you

A PROMISE YOU MAKE TO THE WORLD!

The key to your brand promise?YOUR PEOPLE

Build brand ambassadors!

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positioning Owning a word or category in your

stakeholder’s/customer’s mind What makes you different – your unique position?

What makes you “unique” in the crowded field that is your category?

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messaging What you want to say about your brand How you want to say it (tone, angle, keywords, etc.) A good message is:

Memorable Frames problem Offers solution Call to action Verbal and visual

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Mapping your message

Do Now

Think Now

Do in the

Future

Think in the

Future

Differentiator

MESSAGE

TAILOR MESSAGE TO AUDIENCEMARKET ACCESS PRIMARY

NEEDSSECONDARY NEEDS

RESULTS

Low-Income WrittenOnline

IncomeNavigating benefits

Financial Stability

Basic Financial Independence

Middle-Income

OnlineWritten

Navigating benefits

Financial Planning

Financial Independence

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Next steps Branding, positioning, messaging finalized Create & implement a communications plan

How reach target audience (vehicles) Specific objectives/deliverables for each vehicle type Timeline Measureable outcomes

What does success look like? Metrics

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Implementation:communications vehicles Collateral/Marketing Material Advertising Public Relations

Media Relations Community Outreach/Education/Partnerships

Email Marketing Online/Web Social Media Text Message/Mobile Marketing

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Collateral/marketing materialPrint or electronic

Brochures Newsletters Flyers Posters Postcards Mailers, etc.

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Collateral/marketing materialWAYS TO SAVE Get writing, design and printing donated

Offer established designer, firm and/or printer sponsorship/publicity in your initiative in exchange for pro bono services

Give aspiring professionals an opportunity in exchange for pro bono services

Local college or university Local chapter of professional organizations

AIGA (graphic design) PRSA (public relations) IABC or WIC (communications/editorial) AMA (marketing)

Volunteer or one of their contacts

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Collateral/marketing materialWAYS TO SAVE Tricks of the Trade

1-C or 2-C printing Digital Press (low quantity) Existing Photos (with permissions, of course!) Royalty-Free Stock Photography/Illustrations/Video

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Collateral/marketing materialWAYS TO SAVE Online Resources

DESIGN 99designs.com

ROYALTY-FREE STOCK PHOTOGRAPHY/ILLUSTRATIONS/VIDEOS/AUDIO iStockphoto.com (very affordable!)

PRINTING 48HourPrint.com Vista Print FedEx Office AlphaGraphics

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ADVERTISING Print Broadcast Online (more later)

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ADVERTISING – PRINT

Newspaper Magazine Billboard Direct Mail

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ADVERTISING - PRINTWAYS TO SAVE Ad Space Donation/PSA

Know your print media, sizes Have ads & campaign ready to go, or ready to be tailored when ask

Sponsored Ad Sponsor or local business pay to place Request discount Sponsor logo/ “brought to you by”

Spotlight Ad With other partners or non-profits Go in to buy a page together, each getting portion of space

Local college/university, professional organization/club/publication’s ad or creative dept./volunteers and their contacts

Donate creative services

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ADVERTISING - BROADCAST Television Radio

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ADVERTISING – BROADCASTWAYS TO SAVE Produced Spots

Ad Space Donation/PSA Know your broadcast media lengths - :15, :30, 1:00 Have ads & campaign ready to go, or ready to be tailored when ask

Sponsored Ad Sponsor or local business pay to place Request discount Sponsor logo or mention/ ”brought to you by”

Live Read - On- Air Mention by Personality (radio) Local college/university, professional organization/local on-air

personality/station’s ad or creative dept./volunteers and their contacts

Donate creative services

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PUBLIC RELATIONSPromoting and developing goodwill between your organization and the public, your target audiences/stakeholders, the community.

Practice of managing communicating between you and the public/stakeholders.

MAIN TYPES:Media RelationsCommunity Outreach/EducationPartnerships/Networking/Rapport Building

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PUBLIC RELATIONS – MEDIA RELATIONSWAYS TO SAVE

FREE – But deliberate, strategic, trend analysisMEDIA RELATIONSPlacing stories

Pitching news to local media (print, broadcast, online, social) Trend spotting and analysis News Cycle – “ The Tuesday Principal” Creating and placing your own online content

Articles, blogs – Online content is King (more on this later)Being an “expert” resource for media on your topic/brand category

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PUBLIC RELATIONS – MEDIA RELATIONSWAYS TO SAVE

FREE – But deliberate, strategic, trend analysisMEDIA RELATIONSGet to know your local media/relevant journalistsDevelop rapportLocal college/university, professional organization, PR agency, volunteers and their contacts

Donate media relations and PR services Generate media list

Local media contacts relevant to your cause/brand/category Database and platforms available (Cision, etc.)

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PUBLIC RELATIONS – community outreach, education, partnershipsWAYS TO SAVE

Marketing message to influencers, target market/stakeholders

Also FREE – But deliberate, time consuming and strategic

TYPES:Public Speaking/PresentationsCommunity Engagement/Customer ServiceCommunity Partnerships/Coalitions – Raise Issue VisibilityEducation ProgramsCustomer Service – Brand AmbassadorsWord of MouthSocial Media (more later)

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EMAIL MARKETINGFREE – But need to be mindful of privacy, permission-based

and spamming lawsOnly send marketing emails:

People who have requested to receive them Relevant content Engaging, collaborative tone but brief

Build and create email contact list Must avoid being flagged as “spam”

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Email MARKETINGTips for Strategy & Success

BUILD A TARGETED MAIL LIST Tips: Build your list with the aid of your best advocates & friends

BRING VALUE: Tips: Provide a well crafted content piece, tell a story

DEVELOP A STRATEGY Tips: Goals for new members, existing

GOALS: Tips: Know what you want!

TEST & MONITOR RESPONSE

Email MARKETINGMarketing Services Overview

Constant Contact Manage email database, provides design templates, monitoring,

metrics Set monthly fee based on size of list Constantcontact.com

Vertical Response Manage email database, more design freedom, monitoring, metrics Pay-as-you-go fee or pay monthly Non-profit program – up to 10,000 emails free per month for 501c3

orgs Verticalresponse.com

List of Online Services Available:http://email-marketing-service-review.toptenreviews.com

Website Marketing Website Development:

Make your website an information destination Building or adapting your website content for consistent updates & Social Media Integration Monitoring/Metrics

Tips & Resources Consider Use of WordPress format for Website build Offer established web designer, firm and/developer sponsorship/publicity in your initiative in

exchange for pro bono services Give aspiring professionals an opportunity in exchange for pro bono services

Local college or university, Local chapter of professional organizations

Finding Talent to build your site: Freelance talent – elance.com Design: 99designs.com Programming: codemyconcept.com

Online MARKETINGAdVERTISING Overview Advertising Basics

Pay Per Impression ( CPM or PPM): Banner Ads/Pop Up Ads Pay Per Click (PPC) : Google AdWords, etc., pay when ad is

clicked Pay Per Action (PPA): Pay per sale, affiliate programs

Online- MarketingOpportunities

Outreach Programs : Examples AOL Impact:

http://impact.aol.com/ Cause Cast

http://nonprofit.causecast.org

Regional Outreach Opportunities* Patch.com - Local! Digital sites in serving your communities

*Pew Research Jan 2011: Of 79% of Americans online. Internet was the second most

Relied on source, adults under 40, after local newspaper (many of which have digital sites)

SOCIAL MEDIA Facebook Twitter YouTube Others

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Communications vs. social media

COMMUNICATIONS SOCIAL MEDIA Brand-driven Educates Message delivery – One –

way Message repetition Brand creates content

User/Audience driven Influences, Participatory Conversation – Two-way Message evolution Audience and Brand

create content together

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SociaL mediaStRategy Overview

Design Strategy Craft Messaging/Voice Build Content Roadmap Identify Goals

Create Content – Drive Engagement Build Online Community Moderate Participation Support Listen & Respond Provide Value

SociaL media - BenefitsOpportunity

Engaging your AudienceImprove Loyalty with your AudienceAnalyze Insights and feedback to ImproveCreating Brand Advocacy The “Share” Factor – Friends tell Friends - Power of referrals

TEXT MESSAGE/MOBILE MARKETINGNOT FREE – But like email marketing, need to be mindful of

privacy, permission-based and spamming lawsOnly send texts to:

People who have requested to receive them –costs them to receive, you to send

Relevant content Engaging, Short, Collaborative tone

Build and create texting contact list Must avoid being flagged as “spam”

Questions & Answers

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Tips for Optimizing Your Communications Dollars & Creating Messaging that Works

National Disability Institute’s REI TourMayor’s Leadership AcademyFederal Reserve Bank of BostonSept. 27, 20114:40 – 5:40 p.m.

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