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The Communication Plan
Strategic planning can be a tremendous communication and marketing campaign, don't
miss the opportunity. Build your communication plan before strategic planning begins,don't wait until the end to do PR. You will benefit tremendously with a goodcommunication plan which:
Will act as a binding agreement. When you tell people you're going to do
something, having a communication plan or commitment in writing will force you
to carry through with your efforts and you will have given others the opportunityto provide you with input.
Assures that you will take advantage of all opportunities, including on-going
implementation.
Helps keep communication focused.
Helps prevent unwanted surprises.
When developing your communication plan, keep the following tips in mind:
Set up a tracking system (i.e., journal, scrapbook, video spots, photographs)
Have a creative person develop a look for all your strategic-planning documentsand printed material.
Incorporate two-way communication utilizing your local area network (LAN).
Consider all of your audiences as "customers."
Build in community involvement.
Use the plan to your advantage.
Segment the community into separate, manageable parts. Organize a steering committee where membership allows and encourages
discussion. Make sure the members understand their responsibility.
Possible communication vehicles include: PTA/Home-school meeting programs;
community town meetings; media releases.
Begin early. Announce the district's participation in strategic planning.
Announce public meetings, dates and locations.
Request volunteers for action teams.
Acknowledge significant milestones through the process (i.e., vision, beliefs,
environmental scan surprises).
After the draft plan is completed, allow for a 30-day public viewing. (Mark all
draft documents with DRAFT during a review.) Incorporate on-going implementation activities.
Include detailed information on beliefs, missions, etc in a district newsletter.
Allow the completed plan/final document to be used as a marketing tool for grouppresentations, discussion starters, town meetings, etc.
Tips for Communicating Change
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Ask people for their opinion before you implement change.
Be so thoroughly familiar with what you are communicating that you can
summarize it in a short sentence.
Explain the change in language people understand.
Explain the change in terms of how it will affect them rather than what's in it for
the school district. Anticipate how people will react, the questions they'll raise and the issues that
may result.
Design your communication to answer those concerns immediately.
Keep your personal key communicators up-to-date regularly.
Expect the change to generate a corps of resisters and appreciate them.
In addition to encouraging them to participate in the implementation of the
change, listen to what they have to say: Solicit ideas that will strengthen what you want to do.
Identify the people in your community who you can come to for advice regarding
new ideas.
Be direct in stating the change and explaining the rationale for the change inrelation to the overall goals you wish to achieve.
Keep communicating about the change after it has been made. Recognize andcelebrate its successful implementation.
The Importance of Internal Communication
Make sure your people know what is going on. It's demoralizing to hear about what's
happening where you work from someone outside the system.
Don't forget your support staff, research indicates that they are the most important
communicators/public relations specialists you have in your district.
Keeping staff informed can be done through:
Staff Newsletter
Volunteers
Strategic planning columns, ongoing updates regarding status Recognition for those involved in the process
Focus groups: building/staff/department meetings
Soliciting their input on mission, belief statements, vision
Build two-way feedback into already scheduled meeting
Strategic planning speakers bureau
Sharing the vision, mission, and strategic goals
Soliciting community members to participate on action items
Outreach Strategies for Involving the Community
As indicated above, involving the community can be a key ingredient in your vision.
When involving the community:
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Include results and activities from each in-district meeting in a newsletter.
Distribute broadly within the community and school system and post at media
centers. Ask for comments and suggestions.
Have planning team members review and discuss actions with colleagues,
neighbors, PTA members, etc. Ask for comments and suggestions.
Collect comments and suggestions and produce on overheads for discussion andaction as the first item on the next in-district meeting agenda.
Present a draft of the strategic plan at a public forum with community and all
school district employees invited to discuss and offer comments.
Encourage discussion and comments throughout the entire process. The more
people who own the plan, the better.
Prepare a communication plan.
(These materials are excerpted from the Washington State School Directors'Association's "Passport to Leadership" program materials.)
Community Support for ChangeThere are many ways to involve the community in your district's process of change and
development. They include:
Keeping the community informed
At Los Alamitos Elementary School, parents use electronic means to look up
what is being served for lunch, check on childs attendance record, monitornightly homework assignments. They have electronic mail conversations with
teachers. Eventually they will use the technology to check on their childrensgrades. (reported in New York Times, 3/30/94);
Inviting business partners to join the district technology committee;
Seeking advice from businesses in the community that are "heavy users" of
technology;
Promoting the change and technology in your district in all publications;
Making the technology available to the community;
For example, by opening the computer labs to public, the district can:
Help students who dont have computers;
Hold classes for parents and community members;
Offer access for a fee and raise money.
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Engaging in these practices and offering these services leads to gain in community
support for technology and draws on local expertise in developing your plans for
technology and change.
This section will offer tips and tools for securing community involvement:
Community Involvement in Change
Getting the Word Out
Turning Groans to Grins
Communicate, Communicate, Communicate
Community Involvement in Change
Using the tools of politics, marketing, and communications, education reformers can
build the public support needed to sustain their efforts to improve public education. These
tools include:
Polls and focus groups to listen to the public, the customer.
Brochures, newsletters, videos, radio and TV spots, web pages and other
mechanisms to publicize messages.
Community organizations for involving parents and other community members.
Public relations and media relations (though districts often mistake these
relatively limited tools as the whole tool kit).
Strategic planning, to ensure all activities work well together and supportpriorities.
Constant measurement and feedback to make sure your efforts are getting results.
Effective Public Engagement
Use the following five basic guidelines for effective public engagement:
1. Make communications a priority, factor it into your work from the very start.
(Companies like Proctor and Gamble spend up to 35% of their annual budgets onthis kind of work, car companies about 30%, and service companies about 15%.)
2. Get the substance right. Walk the talk.3. Make it real, concrete and visible. Personalize the improvements. Publicize student
work that embodies the changes.
4. Stress benefits. Understand where your audience is coming from and appeal to it.
5. Talk about your work in terms that your audience can relate to.
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Building Public Confidence
In order to build public confidence, a school district decided to reach out to the
surrounding community for help in planning the future directions of the district. Thedistrict wanted to do three things:
1. Connect with allcommunity members.
2. Gather community perceptions about district issues.
3. Use collected data to reexamine their long-term goals and strategic plans.
The district accomplished its mission by working through the stages listed below:
Stage 1: Comprehensive Public Input Process
Collect suggestions and ideas from a "community summit".
Use input to help define district-wide goals and increase district accountability.
Develop quality indicators for each goal. Use quality indicators to define specific performance outcomes with annual
targets.
Stage 2: Create Performance Benchmark Question Pool
Define performance outcomes.
Help in collection of baseline performance data. Involve community in refining the final draft (focus group composed of
administrators, parents, and community members).
Stage 3: Recruit Response Groups
Invite randomly selected parents and community members (Key CommunicatorResponse Group, Employee Response Group, Student Response Group).
Extend an open invitation to any community members who wanted to provide
feedback.
You can use technologies such as automatic phone questionnaires, phone-inquestionnaires, web page questionnaires, and advanced technologies to further this
process.
For example, you can conduct an OutCall of 50-100 respondents, consisting, forexample, of PTA presidents, some staff, service club presidents, church leaders, businessleaders, etc. The purpose is to:
Easily gather direct, unfiltered feedback from a diverse segment of the community
about critical issues facing the district.
Ascertain the impact of front-page news stories about specific events.
Provide information to a group of people of influence (key communicators).
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Acquire some hard perception data, prior to embarking on a specific course of
action.
The benefits of doing this are that you can:
Balance pressure from a single interest group with immediate feedback fromseveral different perspectives.
Find out what various stakeholder groups know and want to know about a school
issue before election.
Build confidence in your schools.
Improve staff relations.
Improve accountability (institutional and individual)
Use the information to help prioritize budget expenses.
Gauge your community against national surveys by asking the same questions as
those included in Phi Delta Kappa/Gallup and Public Agenda polls.
Getting the Word Out
The Board Member's Role as the Media Relations Liaison
It is the board member's responsibility to act as the media-relations liaison. This is where
the board member will:
1. Develop a media policy and plan governing relations with the media. The policy
should cover such issues as:
o
Establishing a good working relationshipo Appropriate or designated spokesperson
o How the board provides information and access
2. Assure that the media is kept informed - especially when trouble is brewing.3. Develop a personal relationship with the reporters covering your district. Keep the
relationship friendly, but professional.
4. Provide media packages prior to board meetings. These should include:
Diagram of the seating arrangement and the name of eachboard member
Copy of the agenda
Copy of informational items given to the board, whenappropriate and not confidential.
Background information for each item - again, when
appropriate and not confidential
Name and phone number of a contact person
It is important that the board member follow the chain of command in the media - start
with the reporter. Always remember that your role is that of a school board member
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representing the district, not as an individual with personal issues. (excerpted from the
Washington State School Directors' Association's Passport to Leadership)
What Should I Put In A Press Release?
The crucial information to include in a press release is:
Who you are
What you are doing
When you are doing it
How youll do it
Where youll do it
Why youre doing it
Three Easy Steps to Media Coverage
Press releases are often sent out in a series of related releases, designed to build interest.Use the following steps as a guide to creating your media plan:
Step 1: Create a simple one-page factual release that explains who you are and what
youre doing.
Step 2: Two weeks later, release a second factual piece with new angle, emphasizing
when, where or how.
Step 3: Two weeks later, distribute a third release that has more of a creative angle. Seek
out things that highlight why your project is important to the community.
When developing your release:
Relate the facts of your project to the needs to the community.
Highlight your project with a real-life situation.
Explain how your project came into being.
Tell a story about an unexpected benefit to the community.
Turning Groans to Grins
Using Conflict to Your Advantage
How can education leaders take advantage of the conflict that often accompanies change
to garner even more support for their efforts from those who are disgruntled? TheWashington State School Directors Association offers the following techniques for
resolving conflict and working with pressure groups:
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Meet conflict straight on
Set goals
Plan for frequent communications
Be honest about concerns
Agree to disagree - understand healthy disagreement should build
Make better decisions Eliminate individual ego from management style
Empower your team to create - people will support what they help create
Conduct discussion of differences in values
Stress the importance of adhering to policy
Communicate honestly - avoid playing "gotcha" games
Provide more data and information than is needed
Develop a sound management system.
Pressure Groups: Turning Groans Into Grins
Pressure group tools are persuasion, pressure, protests, politics and the press. Yours areanticipation, communication and accommodation. Here's how each can work for you.
Anticipation: preparing ahead
Review your school board policies to be certain they are in place before you needthem.
Conduct formal or informal opinion polls of your staff and community to
determine feelings on various issues and communicate the results.
Give advance public notice on controversial agenda items. When dealing with
items that are likely to elicit a great deal of community interest, it is best to set
aside a period for public comment before the board is expected to take action. Solicit ideas from your community on a continuing basis. If a pressure group
represents a large portion of the community, it may well have a significant effect
on policies or programs. If is has little support, or
If its demands are detrimental for education, bringing to light other opinions in thecommunity will help to point this out.
Always try to work with people who have a complaint. Pressure groups
sometimes form as coalitions of people who are unhappy about a variety of issues.
Do a profile on your district to identify possible pressure groups.
Analyze where the district has a "presence" and where it does not.
Send school board minutes and materials to organization presidents.
Train your school board on how to handle confrontative meetings and situationsbefore they need it.
Maintain an open door....and ear.
Communication: recognizing they won't go away
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Involve members of special interest groups on study and planning committees.
Research shows that negative people do not sway the balance of a committee, but
involvement sometimes brings them to a more objective or positive view.
Take care not to stimulate additional grievances by appearing to be rigid, non-
communicative, uninterested or insensitive to the pressure group's goals.
Try to remain emotionally unattached. Avoid getting into a public debate with pressure group representatives.
Listen to what they have to say and use a reasoned, factual style for your reply.
Accommodation: emphasizing the positive
Sometimes it might seem impossible, but pressure groups have the potential ofbecoming very important school supporters.
Search for a common denominator. Try to reach agreement on some things and
exploit those areas of agreement. This will help you keep lines of communication
open.
Stop thinking of these groups as totally adversarial. Recognize that they aresimply using the techniques they know best to put their viewpoints and
preferences across.
Don't let communication be severed. Keep talking and listening.
Clear the air. Eliminate myths or incorrect assumptions.
Be willing to give a little on minor points so you can stand firm on the importantones.
Make your decision, but continue to listen. Make allowances for valid concerns
and ideas missed in the initial process.
Keep in touch with pressure group leaders. You might even want to see if theywould like to be on your Key Communicators list.
Communicate, Communicate,
Communicate
Communication Efforts
There are many reasons boards should pay attention to and formalize their efforts to
communicate. The Washington State School Directors Association offers the followingtips for formalizing the board's communication efforts.
The need to be accountable.
The board's dual role of representing both the schools and the community.
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The need to grasp and influence public opinion about the direction and function of
public education
The board's obligation to communicate the reasons for its actions and the way theschools operate.
Planning Your Communication Plan
Elements of a board's communication plan include:
A policy commitment - to ensure that the communication between the school
system and the public goes both ways, the board must define the process clearlyin a written policy.
A provision for internal (school) communications.
A component for external (community) communications.
A commitment of funds - allocation of budget resources to a communication
program is an essential companion to the board's policy commitment to
communicate.
How good is your district's communication plan?
Is there a policy in place that defines the communication process the district will use to
ensure two-way communication between the school system and the public?
Is your public relations program evaluated regularly?
Does your public relations program involve as many people as possible?
Do all school board members, top-level administrators, department heads, faculty andon-academic staff contribute to your public relations program?
Do the board and superintendent provide leadership and gear district or school policies
and actions toward good public relations?
Do the board and superintendent provide clear lines of authority and responsibility for
public relations procedures?
Are the duties related to public relations delegated in terms of district priorities,
objectives, functions and jobs to be done?
Do the board and superintendent understand clearly the purpose and organization of
public relations program activities for the district?
Is a written statement of public relations policies given to each staff member?
Does the staff promote good public relations?
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Are all available media used?
Are the publics served by the district identified?
Are surveys conducted regularly?
Are topics of human interest used for news releases?
Does the superintendent make full use of the district's annual report as a public relationsinstrument?
Using the Communicator System
A useful tool for improving communication with the community is the key communicator
system. Using this system, education leaders target opinion leaders who:
Have a demonstrable following Have credibility on many topics
Are generally positive
Are activists - they do more than talk
Get around - they're everywhere
Have a potential interest or concern for the issue or subject
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The five major steps to develop a key communicator system are:
Step 1
Identify eight to ten people whom you believe are will known and respected in the
community using what you know about opinion leaders. Coordinate with other members ofyour board to be sure you aren't all converging on the same people.
Step 2
Call the identified leaders on the phone personally. Tell them you are trying to improve
two-way communication about the schools and want to identify key opinion leaders who
can help you. Ask them to identify 10 such leaders and invite them to include themselves,as well. Try to get both names and phone numbers.
Step 3
Compare the lists from these calls. Several names should pop up on more than one list.
These are your potential Key Communicators.
Step 4
Call each of these people. You don't have to know them. Tell them you want to improvetwo-way communication between the community and yourself as a school board member.
Ask them if they would be interested in being part of a cadre of community leaders who
will:
Receive a personal monthly update on school board activities and districtissues and help provide reaction and feedback to you;
Be willing to keep their ears open about the schools and pass on rumors,
commonly held perceptions, and questions they can't answer to you; and
Be willing to share what they know about the schools with others.
Step 5
Schedule time to call each one. Spend more time listening than telling. Take notes on the
questions they ask and issues they raise. Look for trends.
Elements of a Strategic Communications PlanDetermine Goal
Identify and Profile Audience
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Develop Messages
Select Communication Channels
Choose Activities and Materials
Establish PartnershipsImplement the Plan
Evaluate and Make Mid-Course CorrectionsPage 2
Step 1: Determine GoalTo initiate a successful and effective communications effort, start
with an
assessment of your current organizational goals. Examine what
your
organization stands forits mission, values and beliefs. Look
closely at who your
organization is serving. This process will help narrow and sharpen
the focus for
yourcommunication initiative(s).
What issue is most important to your organization right now?
_____________________________________________________
________________
_____________________________________________________
________________
_____________________________________________________
________________
_____________________________________________________
________________
Who is most affected by the issue stated above?
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_____________________________________________________
________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
________________
_____________________________________________________
________________
Who makes decisions about the issue?
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
________________
_____________________________________________________
________________
_____________________________________________________
________________
What is the overall goal you want to achieve? (i.e., What changewould you be
able to observe?) (Be specific.)
_____________________________________________________
________________
_____________________________________________________
________________
_____________________________________________________
________________
_____________________________________________________
________________
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What tangible outcomes would you like to achieve through a
communications
effort? i.e., How will you know you are achieving your goals? (Be
specific. Whatwould you see, hear, or have in-hand that would let you know you
are making
progress toward the goal?)Page 3
_____________________________________________________
________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
________________Page 4
Step 2: Identify and Profile the AudiencesOnce youve identified your key issues, its time to identify and
profile specificaudiences to target with a communications initiative.
The reason for taking the time to look this closely at your
audiences is that this
kind of background information is essential in choosing the most
effective ways
to communicate with the audience. Madison Avenue has learned
this lesson well,now we need to apply some of the same kind of thinking to
communicating about
your issue.Page 5
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Audience Definition WorksheetOf the audiences listed on the Step 1 worksheet, whose knowledge,
attitudes
and behavior must be changed in order to meet your goal? (These
groups now
become your primary audiences.)
_____________________________________________________
________________
_____________________________________________________
________________
_____________________________________________________
________________
_____________________________________________________
________________
Who else is affected if you succeed in your goal? (secondary
audience)
_____________________________________________________
________________
_____________________________________________________
________________
_____________________________________________________
________________
_____________________________________________________
________________
Are there others who can influence primary and secondary
audiences? (tertiary
audiences) (You may wish to design a communication initiative to
reach some of
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these audiences as well. Or you may see a role for these folks as
allies and
partners.)
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
________________
_____________________________________________________
________________
_____________________________________________________
________________Now you are ready to complete worksheets for each of your
audiences identified
above. (see next page)Page 6
Audience Segmentation Worksheet(Note: you will probably need to make multiple copies of this worksheet.)
Audience:_____________________________________________________
________________
Describe what you know about this audiences knowledge,
attitudes and
behaviors as they relate to your issue:
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
________________
_____________________________________________________
________________
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_____________________________________________________
________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
________________
What are the barriers to this audience fully supporting or
participating in reaching
your goal? What are the benefits if they do?
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
________________
_____________________________________________________
________________
_____________________________________________________
________________
What are the characteristics of this audience? How do they spendtheir time?
What is their gender, ethnicity and income level? How have they
been
educated? What are the language considerations? What or who are
they
influenced by? What makes new information credible for them?
What or who
could motivate change or action?
_____________________________________________________
________________
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_____________________________________________________
________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
________________
_____________________________________________________
________________
_____________________________________________________
________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
________________
_____________________________________________________
________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
________________
_____________________________________________________
________________Page 7
Page 8
Step 3: Develop MessagesYour messages are closely tied to your goal and objectives. They
deliver
important information about the issue and compel the targeted
audience to think,
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feel, or act. They can:
Show the importance, urgency, or magnitude of the issue
Show the relevance of the issue
Put a face on the issue Be tied to specific audience values, beliefs, or interests of the
audience
Reflect an understanding of what would motivate the audience to
think, feel,
or act
Be culturally relevant and sensitive
BeMemorable
The messages you develop by using the worksheet provided in this
section can
be used in many ways. First, they are a set of statements that you
and your
team agree upon as conveying the key information for your
initiative. They willnot include all the detail and supporting ideas and data that you
may use in
printed materials or other forms ofcommunication. The messages
you develop in
the worksheets can become the underlying themes for your
materials and
activities. You may develop slogans based on them. You may
develop sets of
talking points that members of your team will use in making
presentations. And
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they easily become the basis for radio and print PSAs, the genesis
for posters,
and may suggest topics for fact sheets, drop-in articles, and even
letters to theeditor or newspaper editorials.
Before turning to the Message Development Worksheet, take a few
moments to
read Considerations for Message Construction.Page 9
Considerations for Message Construction
Both the channel (the conduit for sending your message to the
chosen target
audience) and thepurpose of communicating environmental
information
influence message design. Information may be designed to convey
new facts,
alter attitudes, change behavior, or encourage participation in
decision-making.
Some of these purposes overlap; often they are progressive. That
is, for
persuasion to work, the public must first receive information, then
understand it,
believe it, agree with it, and then act upon it. Regardless of the
purpose,
messages must be developed with consideration of the desired
outcome.
Factors that help determine public acceptance include:
ClarityMessages must clearly convey information to assure the publics
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understanding and to limit the changes for misunderstanding or
inappropriate action.
Clear messages contain as few technical/scientific/bureaucratic terms as
possible,
and eliminate information that the audience does not need in order to make
necessary decisions (such as unnecessarily detailed explanations).
Readability tests
can help determine the reading level required to understand drafted material
and
help writers to be conscientious about the selection of words and phrases.
ConsistencyIn an ideal world there would be specific consensus on the
meaning
of new findings, and all messages on a particular topic would be consistent.
Unfortunately, consistency is sometimes elusive. Experts tend to interpret
new data
differently, making consensus among government, industry, and public
interest
groups difficult.
Main pointsThe main points should be stressed, repeated, and never
hiddenwithin less strategically important information.
Tone and appealA message should be reassuring, alarming, challenging,
or
straightforward, depending upon the desired impact and the target audience.
Messages should also be truthful, honest and as complete as possible.
CredibilityThe spokesperson and source of the information should be
believable
and trustworthy.Public needFor a message to break through the information clutter of
society,
messages should be based on what the target audience perceives as most
important
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to them, what they want to know, and not what is most important or most
interesting
to the originating agency.
Prior to final production, messages should be pretested with the target
audiences (and in
some cases with channel gatekeepers) to assure public understanding and
other
intended responses.
Page 10
Source:Making Health Communication Programs Work: A Planners Guide, Office of Cancer
Communications, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health (1992).
Page 11
Message Worksheet(one for each audience)
Note: Refer to your completed worksheets for Steps 1 & 2.
Audience
_____________________________________________________
________________
What are the barriers and benefits to your audience thinking,
feeling, or acting on
your issue?
_____________________________________________________
________________
_____________________________________________________
________________
_____________________________________________________
________________
_____________________________________________________
________________
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What change in attitude (the way they feel about the issue) do you
want to
motivate in your audience to meet your goal?
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
________________
_____________________________________________________
________________
_____________________________________________________
________________What change in the behavior (day-to-day actions) of your
audience are trying to
achieve?
_____________________________________________________
________________
_____________________________________________________
________________
_____________________________________________________
________________
_____________________________________________________
________________
Now, based on what you know about your audience needs to hear
in order to
think, feel or act, what are the three most compelling sentences you
could use to
motivate the audience? These are your messages.
_____________________________________________________
________________
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_____________________________________________________
________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
________________
_____________________________________________________
________________
_____________________________________________________
________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
________________
_____________________________________________________
________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
________________Page 12
_____________________________________________________
________________Page 13
Step 4: Select Communication ChannelsCommunications channels carry the messages to the target
audiences.
Channels take many forms and there is an infinite list of
possibilities. Answering
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some key questions will aid you in identifying the most effective
channels for
reaching your audiences.
Sample ChannelsTelevision stations
Radio stations
Newspapers
Web sites
Community centers
Street festivals
Laundromats
City government offices (e.g. Division of Motor Vehicles)Malls
Parks
Schools, colleges, vocational and language training centers
Libraries
Recreation centers (e.g. basketball courts or soccer fields)
Community non-profit offices
Transportation depots/stations
SupermarketsFast food restaurants
Literature Racks
Page 14
Channel Worksheet(one worksheet for each audience)
Note: Use the work you did in Step 2 to help you with these
worksheets.Audience:
_____________________________________________________
________________
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Where or from whom does this audience get its information? Who
do they find
credible?
_____________________________________________________________________
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________________
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________________
Where does this audience spend most of its time? Where are they
most likely to
give you their attention?
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_____________________________________________________
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_____________________________________________________
________________Complete list of channels your team wants to use to reach this
audience:
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Step 5: Choose Activities and MaterialsWhat are the activities, events, and/or materialsto be used in
your selected
channelsthat will most effectively carry your message to the
intended
audiences? In choosing these, you should consider:
Appropriateness to audience, goal, and message
Relevance to desired outcomes
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Timing
Costs/Resources
Climate of community toward the issue/activity
Culturalappropriateness (including language)
Environmentgeographic
considerations
Sample Activities
News conferences
Editorial board meetings at newspapers
Radio talk or call-in showsA benefit race
Parades
Web links
Conferences
One-on-one meetings
Open houses
Speeches
HotlinesListservs
Information Fair
Materials to Support Activities
News releases
Fliers and brochures
Opinion editorials (op-eds)
Letters to the editor
PostersPublic service announcements (PSAs)
Bookmarks
Video presentations
Web pages
A float in a parade
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Buttons, pins, and ribbons
Promotional items and giveaways
Page 16
Step 6: Establish PartnershipsGroups, organizations, or businesses may exist that would aid youin reaching
your goal by providing funds, expertise, support, or other
resources. Please list
allies or partners who support or work with your audiences or
share in your goals.
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________________Page 17
HARNESSING THE POWER OFPARTNERSHIPSAllies and Partners
Groups, organizations, or businesses may exist that would aid you in reaching
your goal by
providing funds, expertise or other resources toward your communications
The prospect of developing partnerships with area businesses and local
organizations mayseem overwhelming if you havent had much experience in working with the
private sector.
However, there are some practical steps you can follow that will focus your
energies and
resources where they will be most effective.
Determine Your Needs
Before you ask for help, its important to identify what you need most. Make a
Wish List and
include areas like equipment (computers, vehicles, or supplies); services;
educational
activities and materials; and specific products that can be donated. This list will
help set your
priorities and guide who you need to contact.
Identify Potential Partners
There may be hundreds of organizations to approach in your communitywhere
do you
start? Let your fingers do the walking and start with the Yellow Pages. By usingyour Wish
List to identify categories of need, you can narrow the types of organizations that
can help
you. Dont limit yourself at this stage and try to be imaginative. For instance, a
local pizza
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parlor may not have an obvious link, but if it is a popular hang-out for high school
students,
the restaurant might host a pizza party and allow you to hand out information on
ORVs.
Other sources for potential partners are your Chamber of Commerce directory,general
corporate directories, and personal contacts, including your board of directors or
existing
coalitions. For national contacts as well as local, there are several national
directories that
are available at your local library. The Corporate Giving Directory, which is
updated annually,
is an excellent choice. Dont forget to monitor the local media. Who sponsored
that nonprofit
ball and where was it held? What company bought the T-shirts for the annual 10K
Run to
support environmental research? Also, if you have a good relationship with other
nonprofits
or agencies, they may share their giving list.
Prioritize Your Contacts
When you have a list of possible contacts, begin making your partnership circle.
This circle
will help you further identify your most important contacts so you can prioritize
your efforts.
Youve chosen possible partners by categorynow look forpersonal contacts.
Think of
dropping a pebble in the water and watching the ripples spread out. By putting
organizations
where you already have contacts in the center, you will anchor your effort as you
movefurther and further out.
Start with organizations that have helped in the pastthey will be the very center
of your
circle. Then talk to employees, your board of directors, or coalition members.
Who do they
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know? You may discover that someone on staff went to school with the president
of a local
bank. Put organizations where you have close personal contacts on the next
wave of your
circle. After examining personal contacts, look for those organizations that wouldmake
perfect partners, i.e., organizations that have supported environmental issues in
the past.
Keep going until you get to the very outer layer, which would be organizations
where you
have no contacts at all and no apparent links. Now you have prioritized your
outreach list!
Page 18
The final step before preparing your proposals is finding the correct contact. You
may have
this information if youve used an up-to-date directory or have a personal contact,
but if
youre not sure, make a phone call. Ask to whom you would send a partnership
proposal; be
sure to get the persons name, title, full address, and phone number. And finally,
dont
overlook the importance of using the Internet to research target organizations.Make Your Proposal Strategic
Companies have a giving strategy, so your proposal should be strategic too. A
fundraiser for
a major national nonprofit once said, There is no corporate philanthropythey
all give for a
reason. Most organizations give strategically, meaning they give in an area(s)
where they
have an interest, want to influence someone or something, or stand to gainsomething
employees, customers, and the community influence those decisions as well. We
all know
that there can be tough competition for nonprofit support, and that decisions are
sometimes
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made on small details. Look at your partnership circle and carefully look for
connections. Has
a city councilperson recently dealt with an environmental issue? Look for logical
allies and
mutual goals and put that information in your proposal.Make the proposal mutually beneficial. Just as you have asked for something, be
prepared
to offer something in return. Try to at least reward the organization with positive
community
exposure and recognition for its efforts.
Use your best judgment on the proposal. If you know someone, a letter may
suffice. If youre
sending a proposal to a large company, you may want to send a letter, an
information kit,
and a recent newspaper article on what your organization is doing in the
community. Always
demonstrate the importance of the issue, the importance of the program in the
community,
specifically how the organization can help strengthen your efforts and how the
organization
will benefit from its participation.
Face-to-Face Follow-up
About a week after sending your proposal, call the contact to verify that he/she
received the
information. At this point, introduce yourself (if you dont know the contact
already) and offer
to answer questions or send more information. Ask when would be a good time to
call back
to schedule an appointment; mark the date and call promptly at that time.
The best way to sell the proposal is face-to-face where you can talk about thecampaign, its
goals, and its accomplishments. Its important to be realistic. Smaller businesses
may not
have extra funds to support community programs, but may be able to provide in-
kind
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support. They may be willing to include information on ORVs in their mailings to
the
community, fliers to circulate to their employees, in their stores, etc. If youve
done your
homework, you will be able to request help that the company will gladly agree toprovide.
Make Your Community Partners Part of Your Team
Dont ask for something and then never contact the organization again! Keep a
database of
all donors (even listing those who said they might give in the future) and
recognize them
periodically with a personal note or newsletter. Keep them informed on whats
happeningwith ORVs and other environmental issues in the community and continually offer
opportunities for participation, including volunteering. Also, offer a chance for
feedback so
you can establish a two-way dialogue with your partners. A town meeting, an
online seminar,
or a presentation, are all ways to share information with your partners. Make them
team
members and they will continue to support you for years to come!
Page 19
Step 7: Implement the PlanThere are many tools for organizing yourself around time, dollars,
and staff
needed to implement an initiative. One approach is given here as
an example.
Of course you should feel free to use your own tried and truemanagement tools.
Use the following steps to determine time, budget and staffing
needs:
1. List all activities
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2. Under each activity, outline the steps, in order, that will lead to
its completion
3. Assign a budget estimate to each step
4. Assign a staffing needs estimate to each step5. Working backwards from the activity completion point, assign a
date for each
step in the activity.
You can plot your dates on calendar pages if youd like, or you can
organize
them in another timeline such as a Gantt chart (date/timeline runs
horizontallyacross page; tasks are listed in chronological order down left-hand
side. A line
extends across the page from each task, showing the date work
begins and ends
on that task or subtask).Page 20
Sample Timeline Planning SheetActivity: Place print PSAs in up to 25 periodicals, newsletters, or
bulletins
[Preliminary Work] Design camera-ready PSA slicks ;10 person
hours.
[Weeks 1 & 2] Identify list of potential placement opportunities
and get names
and addresses of public service director or advertising manager for
each
publication; (local phone charges); 4-6 person hours.
[Week 1] Draft/review/refine cover letter to director/manager;
$0.00; 2 person
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hours.
[Week 2] Print letters; $0.50 (paper); 1 person hour.
[Week 2] Acquire flat envelopes and blank labels for mailing;
$10.00; 1person hour.
[Week 2] Create labels for mailing; $0.00; 3-4 person hours.
[Week 2] Assemble mailing; $0.00; 2-3 person hours.
[Week 2] Mail print PSAs; $13.75 (.55x25); .25 person hour.
[Week 3] Begin follow-up calls to PSA directors to encourage
placement;
(local calls); 6-8 hours (could be done by 2 persons;).[Weeks 3-10] Monitor PSA placement; $5.00 to purchase papers;
3-4 person
hours.
[Week 10] Write report about initiative, its outcomes, midcourse
corrections,
and things you would do differently next time; $2.00 paper &
repro; 4-6person hours.
[Week 10 or 11] Circulate to appropriate members of your
organization;
$0.00; 1-2 person. hours
Total direct costs: $31.25
Labor: 28-38 person hours (over 4-10 weeks time after acquiring
PSAs)Page 21
Step 8: Evaluate and Make Mid-Course
Corrections
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Specify times to take stock of progress in completing
communications plan.
Determine strengths and weaknesses.
Identify obstacles. Create and implement new approaches for success.
Consult with communications technical assistance advisors.Page 22
Campaign Planning WorksheetConsider the following questions when planning a comprehensive
communications campaign:
1. What are your short-term and long-term campaign objectives?
2. What is your timeline for completion of the campaign?
3. Who are your target audiences?
4. What are the key communications messages (no more than
three,
please)?
5. What are your staff and financial resources?
6. What materials and activities will best disseminate these
messages?
7. What media have you targeted?
8. What specific roles have you identified for your spokespeople?
9. What role will consortium members, corporate partners, and
staff play?
10. How will you evaluate your campaign?
Strategic Communication Plan for the Research Profile Project
September 2003
The Message: Research Makes Sense For Students
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PROBLEM/OPPORTUNITY:
ISSUE
Perception that research takes away resources from teaching lack of awareness of
the role of research at U of A
Lack of Awareness of the Impact of research on the campus and external community
Lack of coordinated profile about research successes and the contribution of that
research to teaching
Lack of awareness of research opportunities for students (particularly undergrad)
Lack of awareness about the role of research students both grad and PDF
MESSAGES
Research activities directly impact the classroom and curriculum
Research is done in the context of training students
Research brings in resources for teaching
A quality research environment increases quality faculty which increases quality of
training for students
Research directly benefits the external community through breakthroughs, spinoffs,
technology transfer, etc.
Training of highly qualified personnel drives the knowledge economy
We are training of the leaders of tomorrow
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Graduate students and postdoctoral fellows play a crucial role as teachers,
researchers, mentors, etc.
Research students enhance the learning environment for undergraduate students
The U of A and external community needs to celebrate research success by linking
that success to students
We need to celebrate the success of our students involved in research
The University of Alberta believes in providing research experiences to ALL
students
STRATEGY AND TACTICS:
STRATEGY
1. Launch and promote the theme - "Research Makes Sense For Students"
2. Develop materials for the theme
3. Ensure all key members of administration acknowledge and utilize the theme and the
resources developed through the project
4. Work with university campus to develop tools (database, etc.)
5. Engage campus in debate on research and teaching
6. Get researchers (incl graduate students and PDFs) talking about research and teaching
7. Show examples of how classroom/curriculum content is impacted by research on
campus
8. Profile Department and Faculty Research activities
9. Market current research opportunities for undergraduate students
10. Work on developing communication about the impacts of research on community
11. Ensure that the University of Alberta Strategic Media Relations Team has stories of
students involved in research activities
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12.
Profile Undergraduate students conducting research projects
13.
Identify and profile graduate students and postdoctoral fellows from Alberta
14.
Profile convocating PhD students
15.
Profile major award winners in research
16.
Ensure every Alberta Bound incorporates students involved in research
AUDIENCE
Our target audiences for the Research Profile Project includes: current and prospective
undergraduate students, graduate students, and postdoctoral fellows; the rest of the U of A
campus community; the general public in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, and the world; the
Governments of Canada, Alberta, and Edmonton; and the media.
OBJECTIVES:
EXPECTED OUTCOMES
The campus community, students, external community, and government
will recognize the importance of research and teaching together at a university
The campus and external community will appreciate the impact that research has on
the economy, but also on teaching and on campus activities
Students, the campus and external community, and government will all realize the
importance of research students at the U of A
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Students, the campus and external community, and government will realize the
success of the U of A and will recognize the need of both teaching and research for
continued success in the future
Students, the external community and government will all realize that the U of A is
actively involving students in research, particularly at the undergraduate level
The ABCs of Strategic
Communications
This article details the process of designing a plan for strategic communications as
discussed in The Jossey-Bass guide to strategic communications for nonprofits, writtenby Kathy Bonk, Henry Griggs and Emily Tynes, 1999.
A communications plan is an important part of an organization's daily operation. As a
living document, it frames media activities, including internal and externalcommunications, clarifies the organization's priorities, target audiences, resources and
staff assignments.
What are the elements of a communications plan?
The elements are basically the same whether an organization is, for example, a large not-
for-profit hospital, a museum, a university, a small advocacy group, service provider, orfoundation. A communications plan affirms and is driven by the organization's goals and
outcomes, its vision, as expressed in a mission statement, and its values and beliefs.
Overall communications goals:
The organization's communications goals may include: Developing and implementing communications plans for enhanced visibility and crisis
management
Generating positive media coverage by cultivating relationships with reporters Increasing the awareness and involvement of specific, targeted groups of individuals
Changing attitudes or teaching new skills to clients and staff
Generating support from the public, policy makers, and clients for community reformsacross your state
Encouraging financial contributions
The activities in the communications plan should support the organization's overall
communications goals. It is important to set measurable goals in order to know when theyhave been achieved and to be able to gauge the progress along the way.
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Vision and mission statement
The organizational mission statement is the cornerstone of the communications plan,
driving the overall direction of media activities. The organization should include thismission statement at the very beginning of the communications plan to remind staff,
board members and other internal decision makers that media-related activities flow from
the organization's core mission and vision, not just from its communications department.Media activities enhance the organization's overall image, advance its agenda and
influence public will.
Organizational values and beliefs
Every organization, foundation, public agency and institution has at its heart a system ofvalues and beliefs. These values should be reflected in all that the organization plans and
does, including communications goals and strategic plans.
Critical elements of a communications plan
In addition to the goals, vision and values that form the cornerstone of an organization's
communications strategy, there are six critical elements organizations need to constructthat strategy:
1. An understanding of the target audience and how to reach it
2. Research into past media coverage and public opinion about the issues3. Messages to be delivered
4. Materials to be produced
5. Financial resources from which staff and equipment will be drawn6. A written work plan
It is important to identify these elements and put them in place before implementing day-
to-day activities. Successful implementation of a communications plan depends onpulling these elements together:
Identification of the target audience
The first task is to identify who the target audience is and how to reach it. List categories
of people who are important to the success of the organization and identify ways to reach
them. Audiences may include donors, potential members, elected officials, churchgroups, judges and the legal community, business leaders, communities of color, trade
associations, women's leaders, teens, senior citizens, and the general public. In addition to
these important outside audiences, it is important for organization not to forget its internalaudiences, such as staff, board members and volunteers.
Research into media coverage, public opinion and facts How do target audiences perceive
the organization and its issues? With the Internet, it is not difficult to develop a profile of
how the organization's issues are covered in the media, how often the organization isquoted or described, and what public opinion polls have been done on relevant topics. A
short and simple media analysis can be an instructive tool and will indicate the amount of
resources necessary to increase name recognition.
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Good data can be a gold mine in outreach to the media. Most media use "factoids" to help
their audiences put stories in perspective. A good communications plan should collect
data on the important issues in formats that can answer the "who, what, when, where,why and how."
Message developmentDevelop a phrase of four to ten words to describe the organization that can be used every
time a reporter does a story about the agency. It is important to be able to tell reportershow the group wants to be described; otherwise, journalists will come up with
descriptions that may not be accurate.
The next step is to develop message points for the organization's spokespeople to usewhen they talk with reporters. One might consist of the basic facts about the group, but
should be limited to three or four points to communicate in each interview.
Answer the following questions in-house before every media event or interview: What
should the headline be? What should the article include? Answers given in the interviewor at the media event should always deliver the key points.
Production of high-quality public relations materials Public relations materials are
important tools for reaching reporters, donors, policy makers, and others in the target
audience. These should include:
A consistent and easy-to-recognize logo and stationery design An easy-to-understand, one page fact sheet about the organization
At least one press kit on the issues and activities to be highlighted in the media
Hard copy brochures and consistent Web site content
Videos, slides, overheads and computer presentations Reports and studies for public release as news items
One paragraph and one page biographies on spokespeople and agency heads Copies of the current newsletter, if there is one
Copies of newspaper articles about the group
Assessment of resources
The communications plan needs to spell out how resources will be allocated, includingstaff time, budgets, computers, software, equipment, databases, in-house and contract
services and volunteer help. For mid-sized to large organizations, it is prudent to hire
communications director. In agencies with fewer than ten employees, everyone from the
executive director to the person who answers the phone should be a part of thecommunications team. A resource review for the organization should do the following:
Assess staff time, in-house services and existing media technologies
Recommend and arrange for training and technology updates as needed Designate or decide to hire a communications director
Develop a budget that includes provisions for outside contracts and services, such as
freelance writing, video production, database management, graphic design and Web site
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management
Access funding and build programs for expanded activities that include executive loan
programs, internships, pro bono support from commercial media firms, donations fromlocal and regional corporations and grants from foundations.
Development of a work planOrganizations should develop work plans for each major activity or event and try to
review overall plans at least quarterly. Elements of a communications work plan shouldspell out assignments and important tasks:
Develop timelines, calendars of events and priorities Assign responsibilities to lead and support staff, giving each a list of specific tasks
Review progress and enforce or revise deadlines
Hold people responsible for completing work and reassign tasks as needed
Crisis control
The work plan should also include a crisis control plan. This should be thought of as afire drill, and regardless how non controversial the organization, there should be a plan in
place to deal with possible negative stories in the media. This plan should include theidentification of a crisis coordination team, a plan to ensure timely and appropriate
responses to negative press and regular internal briefings about the procedures for
implementing a damage control plan.
Evaluation
No strategic communications plan is complete without a built-in evaluation component as
a way to check accountability and make improvements over time. Major evaluation
activities might include analyzing media content and monitoring certain developments,
such as shifts in public opinion, policy changes, increased membership andorganizational participation, and improved institutional capacity.
Summary
A written communications plan should be easy to read and should have a formatadaptable for overhead or computer presentations to larger audiences. Most organizations
have been through a strategic planning process at some point; this effort is no different.
Remember, the elements of a communications plan are basically the same whether theorganization has thousands, hundreds, dozens, or a handful of employees
Strategic
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for Broward County
Communica
tions
Plan Page 2I am proud to be associated with Broward County, a vital, diverse
and
progressive organization. Through the efforts of a committed and
tal-
ented workforce, we have met significant challenges over the pastfew
years. An important goal we face today is to better coordinate our
internal and external communications to improve citizen
awareness of
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the services and programs provided by the Broward County Board
of
County Commissioners. Fundamental to this effort is practical and
abundant employee-to-employee communications at all levelsthrough-
out our organization.
This Strategic Communications Plan provides a framework for
achiev-
ing that goal.
Each and every employee fulfills a valuable role in this effort,
fromensuring customer service excellence to marketing our business
op-
erations effectively. Our organizational culture is highly
empowered
and, over the years, responsibility for all aspects of
communications
has been absolutely decentralized. At the same time, we have
devel-
oped unique identities within individual agencies which, to a large
degree, has compromised our organizational identity. Many of the
programs and services we provide are not well-recognized as
services
provided by the Board of County Commissioners. A major goal of
the
Strategic Communications Plan is to create a corporate identity
which
embraces all departments and agencies of the Broward County
Board
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of County Commissioners.
As we begin implementation of this plan, we welcome your input
and
ideas. The Strategic Communications Plan is a living documentwhich
will be modified and updated as systems change, projects are com-
pleted, and our goals evolve. Through our combined efforts, we
hope
to ensure that all our communications and contacts print,
electronic
or live reflect our corporate identity, and firmly establish our
reputa-
tion, within our communities and beyond, as a well-managed, high
performance, dynamic and caring organization.
Sincerely,
Roger Desjarlais
County Administrator
Fellow Employee:Page 3
Statement of Purpose/Overview of
Goals................................................ 2
Board of County Commissioners Six StrategicGoals ............................ 4
Core Communications
Team ................................................................... 5
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Guiding
Principles ................................................................................... 6
Major Themes and
Messages ................................................................. 7Official Logo - Branding/Corporate
Identity/Image ................................. 7
Communications Strategies and
Objectives ........................................... 8
Employee-Focused Communications
(Internal) ................................... 8
Citizen-Focused Communications(External) ..................................... 10
Media
Communications...................................................................... 12
Community Presence/Citizen Input and
Involvement ......................... 13
Resources
Required ............................................................................. 15Summary
Statement .............................................................................. 15
Appendices
Public Information/Graphics - Policies and Procedures
Checklist for Publications
Samples: Letterhead, Envelopes, Business Cards, Web Masthead,
Info Boxes, Press Release
Guide to Media Relations/Media Directory
Department Plans
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Index - Table of
Contents1
Page 4
The purpose of our Strategic Communications Plan is to enhance
citi-zen awareness of services and programs provided by the Broward
County Board of County Commissioners, create a corporate
identity
for our organization, and promote our presence in the community.
The Broward County Board of County Commissioners provides a
wide
variety of services to the citizens of Broward County, ranging fromathletics programs to xeriscaping advice, from newborn health care
to
indigent burial, from critical safety services to lifestyle
(recreational and
cultural) enhancements. We cover the landscape on land, in the
air,
or at sea. The cultural diversity of our population of 1.62 millioncreates
unique challenges in providing information and delivering services
to
our target publics which include children, elderly, families, busi-
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nesses, and people in need. Given the size of our organization
(7,000
employees and approximately 100 different agencies), we
encountersimilar challenges with internal communications.
Considering the scope of the Countys responsibilities,
accomplished
within a framework of limited resources, the importance of
effective
communications internal and external must be stressed.
Effectivecommunications can help identify needs and provide solutions.
Cur-
rently, citizens receive a wide variety of visual and verbal
messages
from County departments and agencies. Likewise, employees may
not
always get clear messages or signals. The following seven majorgoals
will help improve the efficiency and effectiveness of our
communica-
tions efforts:
Create a corporate identity for the Broward County Board of
County
Commissioners with one image or logo representing all agencies
of
the Board. This branding will require all agencies, many of
which
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have developed their own logos over the years, to utilize the
Countys
official logo for all communications, media and applications.
Second-ary logos should only be used when approved and appropriate.
Enhance internal and external communications, making sure that
accurate information is shared, in appropriate formats, in a
consistent,
timely and cost-effective manner. Ensure that key messages or
themes are incorporated into those communications. Coordination
ofthese efforts will maximize our resources, minimize duplication
and
Statement of
Purpose/Overview ofGoals2
Page 5encourage cross-pollination of information.
Develop a more clearly-defined community relations function
within
our organization, building partnerships and relationships with com-
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munity groups, local governments, chambers, civic and business
organizations, homeowners associations and individual citizens.
This
effort will help establish a stronger and more pervasivecommunity
presence.
Focus and expand our media relations efforts, emphasizing a
proac-
tive component, cultivating contacts with television and radio,
improv-
ing our coordination in sharing information, updating policies andprocedures, and providing appropriate training for staff.
Further develop new media efforts, including evaluation of
additional
interactive applications on the Countys web site which will
benefit our
customers and production of public service announcements and
monthly cable/video and radio programming. Engage citizens more fully in the governmental process,
soliciting
input and feedback on County issues, including the use of focus
groups, workshops in the community and customer satisfaction
surveys. Surveys in particular will provide baseline data against
which we can measure the success of our communications efforts
and more clearly understand citizen expectations. Constructive
citizen involvement will help increase awareness of the challenges
facing County government, instill confidence in decisions made,
and
improve overall customer satisfaction.
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Reinforce employee development and training opportunities,
across
the board, which provides tools, resources, incentives and recogni-
tion of outstanding efforts. Healthy internal communicationsdirectly
reflects on our external efforts and conduct.
With the proper branding, coordination and quality control of
our
communications efforts, citizens will gain a clearer understanding
of
our organization, and the services and programs provided by theBroward County Board of County Commissioners. We will
establish a
community presence for Broward County, and our corporate
identity
will be reinforced with each and every point of contact: a book
checked out of a library, a park visited, a water bill received.
3Statement of Purpose/Overview of Goals continued
Page 6
1. To continue efforts to protect the environment and develop a
com-
prehensive environmental strategy.
2. To enhance countywide economic development effortsincluding
urban redevelopment.
3. To unify our airport and seaport activities to attract business
enter-
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prises.
4. To review transit options with the goal of increasing mass transit
ridership and reducing traffic congestion and air pollution.
5. To create a new organizational culture that focuses on deliveringcore services as efficiently as possible and creates e-government.
6. To develop innovative human services strategies for assisting
chil-
dren, elderly and low income families.
Board of CountyCommissioners -
Six Strategic Goals4
Page 7
A Core Communications Team will facilitate a team approach to
our
communications efforts. In addition to developing, monitoring and
updating the Strategic Communications Plan, each member of the
Team will have an ongoing responsibility for coordinating theimplemen-
tation of all communications projects and activities within a
department.
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The Team will meet quarterly, or as required, and will serve as a
net-
working group. In addition, the Team will identify research and
trainingobjectives, monitor and recommend modifications to countywide
poli-
cies and procedures, and integrate department communications
plans.
Team members will coordinate with the dozens of County
employees
who perform a variety of public relations, community relations,market-
ing, communications, graphics, web and public outreach tasks.
County Administration
Director, Public Communications
Director of Corporate Communications, Port Everglades
Public Information Officer, Aviation Department
Vice President, Communications, Greater Ft Lauderdale CVBDepartment of Community Services
Department of Safety & Emergency Services
Department of Finance & Administrative Services
Department of Human Services
Department of Planning and Environmental Protection
Department of Public Works
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Core Communications
Team5
Page 8
The following principles will help guide our communications
efforts: Policy vs. Administration - The Board of County Commissioners
is the
policy-setting body and the Board of Directors for Broward
County.
The implementation of the Boards policy is the responsibility of
the
County Administrator. Sometimes Less is More - Two publications may not always be
better
than one, or ten pages better than four; two-color may be better
than
four-color; four interviews may not be better than none.
Quality Always Matters - Seek appropriate professional
assistance.Writers are not always good designers. Edit twice, backwards and
forwards, then ask a co-worker to edit again. Substance is comple-
mented by style. Impressions are easily made, but difficult to
change.
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In the Sunshine -