fifth estate toolbox

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The Fifth Estate

Five Steps to Communicating EffectivelyIn Our New and Shifting Landscape

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The Fifth EstateFor the first time in post-literate human history, those who control content are on an equal strategic playing field with those who control distribution.In such a world, advocacy communications has – for good or ill – entered a place in our political and policy landscape where it is now effectively a fifth “branch” of government, sometimes complementing, sometimes confounding, and sometimes supplanting the traditional role of the media.

This self-guided series of exercises – a scaled-down version of our full training – can help you successfully navigate your organization through this new reality.

Step 1:Understand why People Hate PR PeoplePeople hate all sorts of things for all sorts of very good and completely understandable reasons. They hate PR people for completely understandable but very poor reasons. And that’s the way PR people think:

Goal. The first thing we do in the morning is ask ourselves: “How can I make the world different tomorrow than it was yesterday?”

Audience. Then we ask ourselves, “Who, exactly, do I need to reach to make that thing happen, and what, specifically, do I need them to do?”

Channel. Next we say, “OK, given my goals, who I need to reach, and the means at my disposal, what communications vehicles am I going to use to reach them?”

Message. Finally – after all that – we pose the question, “OK, now what am I going to say that will travel effectively through my channels to resonate with my audience so that they will help me achieve my goals?”

Step 1:Understand why People Hate PR People

In other words …

PR people put the development of the message last, at the end of a long process that begins with establishing what we want to accomplish.

“Spin!” they say. “Manipulation!!” “Twaddle!!! [though rarely “twaddle”.] If your message really mattered, you’d start with that!”

In other words …

PR people put the development of the message last, at the end of a long process that begins with establishing what we want to accomplish.

“Spin!” they say. “Manipulation!!” “Twaddle!!! [though rarely “twaddle”.] If your message really mattered, you’d start with that!”

But that’s not how things get done.

In life … in business … in advocacy … to achieve an outcome we want we have to begin the process by defining what it is we actually want, not by defining what it is we think we want people to hear.

But that’s not how things get done.

In life … in business … in advocacy … to achieve an outcome we want we have to begin the process by defining what it is we actually want, not by defining what it is we think we want people to hear.

Step 2:Integrated Goal-Setting

One of the chief mistakes an organization makes in developing a communications strategy – or development strategy or policy strategy or any strategy – is stovepiping one part of the process from the others.

Compounding this mistake, most often communications is considered a support function to other functions,

to wit:

Traditional Organizational Model

DevelopmentDevelopment ProgramProgram

CommunicationsCommunications

MediaMedia PublicPublic

ExecutiveExecutive

Rather, goal-setting should be integrated. This is critical for two reasons:Otherwise, each department can achieve its individual goals but the organization as a whole can fail to achieve mission success.

In the Fifth Estate, failing to account up front for how information will be sent and received is tantamount to unilateral surrender. Rather than support, communications is a strategic function, the central clearinghouse of all inbound and outbound information.

to wit:

The Fifth Estate Organizational Model

ExecutiveExecutive

Step 2:Integrated Goal-Setting EXERCISEFirst …Download the handy “plan-in-a-box” template or take a piece of paper and divide it into three columns, DEVELOPMENT, PROGRAM, COMMUNICATIONS. (Modify to match your structure.)

Fourth …Draw lines between the goals in each column that are directly related to a goal in another column.

Second …Write down the goals of each department as articulated by the board or organizational leadership.

Fifth …CROSS OFF every goal that is NOT connected to EACH of the other columns on the sheet.

Third …CROSS OFF everything on the list that does not have a specific, quantifiable measurement associated with it (e.g., “raise awareness” or “promote public understanding”).

What you’ll have left …Is your integrated goal set, upon which you can build your strategic plan. Or, a lot of crossed off goals that might be worth re-evaluating.

Step 3:Who You Are

Who you think you are is one thing, but the assumption that who you think you are is the same as who other people think you are is a dangerous one.

This gets to the heart of “brand,” which is not something, as commonly assumed, that you create for others to fall in line behind. Rather, it is a shared experience that you, your audiences, and even your critics, build and nurture together.

Step 3:Who You Are

Who you think you are is one thing, but the assumption that who you think you are is the same as who other people think you are is a dangerous one.

This gets to the heart of “brand,” which is not something, as commonly assumed, that you create for others to fall in line behind. Rather, it is a shared experience that you, your audiences, and even your critics, build and nurture together.

Step 3:Who You Are EXERCISEFirst …Find some people who’s opinion you’re seeking, both from within and outside your organization. You can do this yourself, or hire someone else to do it for you.

QuestionsWhat do you think we do?What do you think we want you to think we do? What do we do well? Poorly?How important is what we do?Who else does what we do? Better? Not as well?What are we not doing that we should be doing?What are we doing that we should not be doing?

Second …Recognize that absent a sophisticated representative survey, the results from this exercise are qualitative, they will provide insights but not statistical certainty.

What you’ll get …Are the gaps, if any, between who you think you are and who others think you are. Your strategic plan should seek to close those gaps either by changing who you are (generally not a good idea), or by more effectively relating who you are and why that’s important.

Third …Choose the way that fits within your resources (e.g., online survey; focus group facility; drinks at your favorite watering hole) to get these people together and ask them these questions:

Second …Recognize that absent a sophisticated representative survey, the results from this exercise are qualitative. They will provide insights but not statistical certainty.

Third …Choose the way that fits within your resources (e.g., online survey; focus group facility; drinks at your favorite watering hole) to get these people together and ask them these questions:

Third …Choose a methodology that fits within your resources (e.g., online survey; focus group facility; drinks at your favorite watering hole) to get these people together and ask them the following questions:

Step 4:Evaluating Organizational Structure

An army, it’s said, moves on its stomach. An organization that is seeking to get something done travels on its ability to:

Effectively communicate the value of that thing to audiences who can either …• Make that thing happen, or• Advocate to make that thing happen.

Maximizing communications effectiveness means defining – in a formal, clearly articulated way – the role each member of an organization and its board has as a communicator, whether that be answering the phones, speaking to the media, or networking at cocktail parties.

Note: This is a long-haul exercise, and not for the faint of heart.

Step 4:Evaluating Organizational Structure EXERCISE

First …Download the handy “plan-in-a-box” or write down on a piece of paper the name of each staff and board member. Include interns and especially engaged volunteers.

Fourth …Consider the time, energy, training and resources that would be required to have each function served, recognizing this could be as simple as a conversation or as complex as after-hours coursework.

Second …Put a check mark next to every individual who is CURRENTLY EVALUATED based on the performance of at least one communications function.

Fifth …As annual reviews, board nominations and renominations, and other opportunities cycle through the year, develop a mutually agreed upon communications job component with each individual on your list.

Third …For anyone who does not have a check mark by their name, write down the communications function they COULD BE serving.

What you’re working toward …Is a renewed set of organizational policies and metrics that recognize the invaluable contribution each and every member of your organization can make toward achieving each and every thing you do.

Step 5:Putting it all Together

These exercises should leave you with a clearly defined, metric-oriented, measurable set of integrated goals, the importance of which cannot be overstated. Once those are locked in, you will also have the information you need to identify your audiences, select your channels and develop your messages. Use the handy “plan-in-a-box” template to help assemble what you’ve got, or visit our Online Resource Library for tips and tools that others have developed.

These exercises should leave you with a clearly defined, metric-oriented, measurable set of integrated goals, the importance of which cannot be overstated. Once those are locked in, you will also have the information you need to identify your audiences, select your channels and develop your messages. Use the handy “plan-in-a-box” template as a reference in assembling what you’ve got, or visit our Online Resource Library for tips and tools that others have developed.

The Fifth Estate

Five Steps to Communicating EffectivelyIn Our New and Shifting Landscape

Got ideas for how to make this toolbox better?Give us a buzz at 202/525-1945 or e-mail [email protected]

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