The Ultimate Communications Toolkit: Tried and True Resources Everyone Can Use

“Team of one.” “Winging it.” If you’ve ever described yourself with these phrases, we get you. Your time is split between a million high-priority tasks, some you’ve never even done before! We’ve been there, too.

Enter the Ultimate Communications Toolkit! [*jazz hands*] This comprehensive guide offers practical information in virtually every area of communications, from how to develop a communications plan to what tools you need to raise awareness and funds. You’ll receive templates, checklists, and case studies that will help newbies and veterans alike tackle a variety of communications conundrums.

Learning Outcomes
- Learn core communications principles for your day-to-day activities and your long-term strategy
- Take home templates, checklists, and worksheets to help strengthen your organization's communications
- Understand best practices and considerations for moving a printed piece online (a PDF doesn't cut it!)

Transcript

1. #19NTCcommtools The Ultimate Communications Toolkit Tried and True Resources Everyone Can Use March 13, 2019 • #19NTCcommTools Gabriel Sanchez First 5 LA @ItsGabeSanchez Vanessa Schnaidt Cause Communications @causecomm Courtney Clark Forum One @circlish
2. #19NTCcommtools Follow along! Collaborative Notes - http://po.st/CommTools-19NTC Twitter - #19NTCcommTools
3. #19NTCcommtools Who’s in the room?
4. #19NTCcommtools Outcomes • Core communications principles and best practices • Practical resources for you and your team • Real-world examples • New friends
5. #19NTCcommtools Case Study 1 Digital Toolkit Breaking Free From the PDF
6. #19NTCcommtools • All nonprofits, all the time • Nacho average cooking obsession • Humor at its highest form Vanessa Schnaidt @CauseComm
7. #19NTCcommtools Background
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9. #19NTCcommtools Process • Set goals • Assemble the team • Identify audiences • Conduct research & discovery • Develop a strategy/solution • Make a workplan & use it to keep you accountable • Course correct along the way
10. #19NTCcommtools Creative Brief What do we want? What do our audiences need?
11. #19NTCcommtools TOOL Sample Creative Brief
12. #19NTCcommtools TIP Get buy-in from internal and external stakeholders along the way.
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14. #19NTCcommtools TIP Don’t make assumptions about your target audiences. Engage them to get the facts! What matters to them should matter to you.
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17. #19NTCcommtools TIP Plan for evaluation at the beginning of your project.
18. #19NTCcommtools Planning for Eval • Goals • Outcomes •
19. #19NTCcommtools Planning for Eval • Goals • Outcomes •
20. #19NTCcommtools TOOL Measurement & Eval Worksheet Tracking Your Impact
21. #19NTCcommtools Tips • Be clear and brief. • Internal comms is key. • Don’t assume. Engage! • Stretch yourself. • Evaluation comes first.
22. #19NTCcommtools Case Study 2 Audience Research on a Shoestring
23. #19NTCcommtools • VP of Design at Forum One • Jayhawk (Rock Chalk!) • Over 100 usability tests conducted Courtney Clark @circlish
24. #19NTCcommtools User Experience (UX) Intersection of information, organization needs, and audience needs
25. #19NTCcommtools User Experience (UX) Intersection of information, organization needs, and audience needs What do they want?
26. #19NTCcommtools TALK TO THEM
27. #19NTCcommtools TIP Talk to them right after they completed an action. Ask them open-ended questions. Don’t lead them.
28. #19NTCcommtools Talk to them What made you donate today? How was your experience today? What was the best/worst experience with our organization?
29. #19NTCcommtools Talk to them What made you donate today? How was your experience today? What was the best/worst experience with our organization? Motivation User Journey Highlights / Lowlights
30. #19NTCcommtools TIP Never ask “What do you want?” or “Would you use this feature?”
31. #19NTCcommtools “A lot of times, people don’t know what they want until you show it to them.” Steve Jobs
32. #19NTCcommtools Washington All Payer Claims Database Project App to compare health care costs and quality Audience Healthcare consumers and shoppers Hypothesis They don’t understand medical claims data or the jargon that accompanies it.
33. #19NTCcommtools Test Comparator Research Method • Usability Testing (comparator) Investment • 20 hours + 6 pack of beer Outcome • Identified key gaps in usability. • We need to spend more time on language.
34. #19NTCcommtools Test Comparator Research Method • Usability Testing (comparator) Investment • 20 hours + 6 pack of beer Outcome • Identified key gaps in usability. • We need to spend more time on language.
35. #19NTCcommtools TIP Test a competitor or comparator. You can learn a lot before you start! Competitive Worksheet
36. #19NTCcommtools “Elaborate usability tests are a waste of resources. The best results come from testing no more than 5 users and running as many small tests as you can afford.” Nielsen Norman Group
37. #19NTCcommtools TIP Start with 5-10 people. Nielsen Norman Group
38. #19NTCcommtools Record it!
39. #19NTCcommtools TIP Record your conversations! That quote or video clip is going to convince the rest of your team. Fifine USB mic • Temi.com • Rev.com
40. #19NTCcommtools Researching for a New Product Challenge We didn’t think audiences would understand medical jargon. Solution Conduct usability testing with a comparator site. Lessons Learned Test hypothesis and gather audience feedback as early as possible.
41. #19NTCcommtools Tips • Talk to audiences right after they complete an action. • Ask open-ended questions. • Don’t ask leading questions. • Never ask “What do you want?” • Start your research with 5-10 people • Record your conversations
42. #19NTCcommtools Ask an Expert What’s the best piece of communications advice you’ve received?
43. #19NTCcommtools Case Study 3 Like It or Not, Everyone’s a Spokesperson
44. #19NTCcommtools • Storyteller • Dad • On the Phone (a lot) • Passionate About Sharing Ideas • Have Work/Life Integration Gabriel Sanchez @itsgabesanchez
45. #19NTCcommtools Organizational Change Challenge Staff struggled with understanding our organizational change Solution Applied external communications strategies internally Lessons Learned Continual emphasis on internal communications, put staff first
46. #19NTCcommtools Internal communications shouldn’t be an accident At First 5 LA our staff is some kind of wonderful because they are all working to help all kids in L.A. County! Your Staff is Some Kind of Wonderful
47. #19NTCcommtools TIP Your staff are (untapped) messengers. Use those channels!
48. #19NTCcommtools Link Your Strategies Internal and external communications are linked If you can’t convince your staff, how can you hope to convince donors? What staff says informally should sync up with “official” messages
49. #19NTCcommtools TIP Change is not linear.
50. #19NTCcommtools Harness internal comms Get buy in Adapt your approach Look Inward Kübler-Ross Model
51. #19NTCcommtools TIP Ask new staff “How did you describe our organization to your friends and family?”
52. #19NTCcommtools Reach New Audiences Employees have families, friends and social media followers You can expose new audiences to your work Your organic reach could expand exponentially
53. #19NTCcommtools “Be like water” Bruce Lee
54. #19NTCcommtools TIP Apply external communications strategies internally. The Internal Comms Podcast • For Immediate Release SWOT Analysis
55. #19NTCcommtools Questions & Answers
56. #19NTCcommtools Resources • Digital Lessons http://causecommunications.org/lessons • Communications Toolkit http://causecommunications.org/toolkit/
57. #19NTCcommtools The most powerful tool in our toolkit is each other.