Community Capacity Building

Program

The Communications Planning Process

Agenda

• Icebreaker• Welcome & Overview• Agenda Review• Why Communicate• Communication Strategies• Types of Media• What to Communicate• Target Audience• Communication/Delivery Options• Establish a Communications Plan• Monitor and Evaluate Plan• Parking Lot• Discussion/Evaluation

Communications Planning

• Why communicate as an organization?

• Communication strategies• Media• What to communicate• Target audience• Communication/delivery methods• Communications plan• Monitor and evaluate plan

Why we communicate? - Exercise 1

• Discuss various reasons for your organization to communicate

Why communicate?

Why we communicate?

• Funding requirement• Legislative requirements• Due-Diligence (bylaws)• Change behaviors/attitudes• Build community support• Raise awareness• Exchange information

Why we communicate?

• Crisis/risk management• Build capacity• Advocacy• Improve volunteer and staff

morale• Recognize accomplishments

and achievements

Why we communicate?

Communications Planning - Exercise 2

• Identify various terms used by your organization to describe the communication activities

• What comprises public relations, marketing and advertising?

Communications Strategies

• Marketing• Overall plan to promote organization

• Advertising• Bring product to customer’s attention

• Public Relations• Ongoing activities for public image

• Promotion• Ongoing activities to create familiarity

Communications Planning - Exercise 3

Which media or distribution channels are used by your organization to communicate?

Media

• Newspapers• Radio• Television• Magazines• Industry/Community

Publications• Other

Social Media

• Facebook• Twitter• LinkedIn• MySpace• YouTube• Etc.Extremely useful tools for

interaction with a specific audience

Social Media

• Facebook – more “personal” – best for two-way interaction, photos, responding to comments

• Twitter – shorter, broader messages – best for frequent bursts of information

• Many social media accounts can be linked so that simultaneous posting is possible

• Popular platform for account linking: HootSuite

Social Media

• See additional resource for in-depth social media analysis

Communications Planning Exercise 4

What does your organization communicate?

What to communicate

• Good news• Best practices• Mission/mandate• Progress reports/achievement• New initiatives• Changes• Policy and opinions• Basic information and facts• Events • Research

Target Audience

• Internal• Staff• Volunteers• Committees

Target Audience

• External• Funding sources

• Governments• Business/foundations

• Partners• Governments• College/schools• Service clubs/volunteer organizations

• Elected officials• Others

• Media• Public

Tools to Reach Target Audience

• Social media -Presents effective method to reach

specific groups based on

interests/wants/needs/connections

• Facebook - Offers targeted ads based on search

patterns and “likes” of individual users

Communications Planning Exercise 5

• Who is your target audience?• Use small group discussion to

identify the various target audience(s) for the case studies

Communication/Delivery Methods

• Branding• News release• Public service announcement (PSA)• Brochure• Display/backdrop• Speeches/presentations

Communication/Delivery Methods

• Newsletters and circulars• General correspondence• Technology• Minutes• Reports• Sponsorships• Consultations

Communications Planning Exercise 6

• Write a public service announcement• Each participant to write their own

public service announcement• Identify which media you will use

Communications Planning Exercise 7

• Developing a communications plan• Identify the communication methods

that you would use to reach the target audience identified in Exercise 5.

• Record your responses on flipchart and report back to large group

Communications Planning

• Strategies and methods• Regular news releases• Regular speaking engagements• Submit articles to publications• Distribute annual report• Use website wisely• Arrange interviews with local media

Communications Planning

• Appoint official spokesperson• Ensures consistency and credibility• Provides consistent message and image• Provide person guidance and training

Communications Planning

• Budget• Develop budget for advertising• Develop budget for other

initiatives• Presentations• Printing• Special events

Communications Planning

• Interview Skills• Be prepared• Avoid “off the record” comments• Be eloquent• Be courteous• Tell the truth or don’t deny bad news• Ask for clarification• Be clear, brief and don’t chatter

Communications Planning Exercise 8

• Handling Media Interviews• Discuss media interviews• Role play a media interview

Monitor and Evaluate

• Implement continuous evaluation

• Determine some evaluation strategies or benchmarks, such as:• Brochure distribution• Website hits • Telephone inquiries• Types of inquiries • Media coverage• Attendance at events

• Prepare annual report

STRATEGY & PLANNING

RELATIONSHIP BUILDING

ORGANIZATIONAL SKILLS &

MANAGEMENT

CO-OPERATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Strategic Planning

Community Development

Organizational Governance

Basics of a Co-operative

Proposal Writing Public Participation

Board Orientation Co-operatives and the

Community Development

Process I

Project Management

Alternative Dispute

Resolution

Meeting Management Co-operative and the

Community Development

Process II

Opportunity Identification

Group Dynamics Leadership and Motivation

Opportunity Management

Interpersonal Communications

CommunicationsPlanning

Legal Issues

• Review objectives• Review any additional expectations• Review Parking Lot• Point out Certificates of Participation• Complete evaluation• Thank you!

Conclusion and Evaluation

Community Capacity Building Program www.intrd.gov.nl.ca/intrd/regionaldev/capacitybuilding.html