Making the Casefor Smart Beginning

Brand Frame Strategize Engage Deliver

What is a Brand?

Who are we, anyway?

Smart Beginnings

Brands

Smart Start

Start Strong Success By 6

VECF

Partnership for ChildrenKids First Coalition

Confused?

Virginia’s Brand forEarly Care and Education

• Use it on everything

• Brand your initiative

• Show that you are a part of a unified effort

• Use it with care

• Don’t forget to ask permission

Framing Smart Beginnings

Communicating to a Specific Audience

Berkeley Media Studies Group

Making the Case of Early Care and Education

Check it Out at www.BMSG.org

5 Core Messages

• Support Our Youngest Citizens

• Our Can-Do-Spirit Will Get Us There

• With So Many Kids In Care, Let’s Do It Right

• Child Care is Early Learning

• Take Advantage of Early Brain Growth

Support Our Youngest Citizens

• Public good frame

• Benefits to all of society

• Neighborhoods, communities, states

• Workforce and economy

• Early ed. today democracy tomorrow

Our Can-Do-Spirit Will Get Us There

• American’s can solve our toughest problems

• Barn raising – man on moon – rebuild WTC

• Military model

• If military can do it, so can government for all

• Together we can realize accomplishments

With So Many Kids In Care,Let’s Do It Right

• Pragmatic frame

• American realize most kids in outside care

• Make sure that care is highest quality

• Society has to find solutions

• Public see’s economic connections

Child Care is Early Learning

• When done right, more than babysitting

• Enhances development and social skills

• Reduces behavioral problems

• Prepares children for school success

• Increased opportunities for life success

Take Advantage ofEarly Brain Development

• The stakes are high

• Enhances development and social skills

• Reduces behavioral problems

• Prepares children for school success

• Increased opportunities for life success

The Hierarchy of Frames

Most likely to inspire policy and business support

Least likely to inspire policy and business support

Societal

Personal

Strategic Communications

Surprising Solutions

The Strategic Approach

Where to Start?

Let’s Have a Press Conference!

Where to Start?

We Need to Make 10,000 Calls!

NEVER START WITH HOW!

What Needs To Happen?

• We need to announce our grant

• We need to get business support

• Our lawmakers need to know our success

• People need to know it’s important

REALLY?

We Need Local Business to Support Us

• Funding our initiative

• Influence

• Leadership

• Family friendly workplaces

Who can make it happen?

• People with connections/relationships

• Chamber leadership

• CEO

• Faith Leader

• You decide! You strategize!

What Story Do They Need to Hear?

• We need productive workers and leaders

• We will do it - quality of life is at stake

• Fed says doing it right is best investment

• Every experience early on impacts us later

• First five years of brain growth is key

Look familiar?

• Support Our Youngest Citizens

• Our Can-Do Spirit Will Get Us There

• With So Many Kids In Care, Let’s Do It Right

• Child Care is Early Learning

• Take Advantage of Early Brain Growth

Who Should They Hear It From?

• CEO colleague

• Economist

• Educator

• Mayor

• Person of influence

HOW Can We Tell Them?

• Phone call

• Letter or flyer

• Breakfast spot

• Op Ed in newspaper

• Targeted message

• Press release?

Assignment

• Divide into groups of 3-5

• Your group needs something to happen

• Decide on your strategy

• Choose the right message frame

• Create your story

• Use “Smart Beginnings”

Assignment

• Prepare 5 minute group presentation

• Explain what needs to happen

• Share your strategy

• How message frames are used

• Tell your group’s story

• Presentations after lunch

Groups: What Needs to Happen?

• 1. Funding for ECE needed from Assembly

• 2. Business leadership needed for council

• 3. Matching support required from city

• 4. ECE providers to participate in QRIS

• 5. Need matching $$ from major employer

• 6. Gain support of K-12 education