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ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATIONS
HOW TO CONNECT WITH YOUR MEMBERS ELECTRONICALLY
DINICA [email protected]
www.pinterest.com/dinicaw/digitalwww.slideshare.net/dinica
Learning objectives• Components of communications Social media best practices
Dealing with online "trolls”• Email marketing software• OEA’s website
AN OVERALL COMMUNICATIONS
PLAN
SOCIAL MEDIA NEEDS TO BE PART OF
Internal vs. External• Internal▪To the
membership• External▪To the public▪To the opposition▪To the mediaWhat do we say and how do we say it?
Spreading the internal message• One-on-one
conversations• Meetings –
building, general membership
• Flyers, newsletters• Emails• Social media
Keep members updated on bargaining
Support organizing
“The organizing drives the communications. Communications
shouldn’t drive anything.”
Message development• Define the issues• Define the
opposition• Define the
motivations• Encourage member
engagement
What we mean by “organizing drives communications”Support and promote organizing
activitiesReinforce the message you’re hearing from members Stay disciplined, consistent & focusedShort & direct beats long & vagueUnderstand the audience, and the unintended audience
Message development best practices• Consistent, clear, short
message• Tailored to the
audience, but mindful of secondary audience (nothing is truly private anymore)
• Use the method that works best for you, but be flexible and open to new ideas
External communications• Rather than directed at members, it’s directed
toward the Board, parents and students, the larger community, and the media
• If done right, it can sway public opinion
• If done wrong, it can make life more difficult
Avoid the temptation to “Do the Math”
Some examples…• John Kerry, 2004: “I actually voted
for it before I voted against it.”• George H. W. Bush checking his
watch in town hall debate, 1992• Todd Akin, 2014: “In cases of
legitimate rape…”
Means of external communications• Press
conferences• Flyers• T-shirts• Buttons• Signs• Social media
What social media does• Provides a forum for interaction• Helps spread your message• Makes it easy for people to find your
message
What social media doesn’t do
• Doesn’t create supporters all by itself• Doesn’t replace organizing• Doesn’t replace face-to-face
communication
SOCIAL MEDIAENGAGING MEMBERS WITH
• Build support & mobilize supporters up the ladder of engagement from lack of awareness to understanding, agreement, and ultimately leading to activism and advocacy
The ladder of engagement
Online leads to offline
Find a social media manager• Social Media Experience
• Photo and Video Editing Ability
• Creative• Good Writing Skills• Knowledgeable• Good at Community
Building/Organizing
Which social media to use???• FACEBOOK: This one really is a must-
have for everyone; your Facebook Page should be like a second website.
• TWITTER: Information is key; good for users who are sharing a lot of articles, facts, or real-time sharing.
• INSTAGRAM: Good for reaching younger audience and have something visually appealing to share
• PINTEREST: Good for reaching women 35+ if you can take advantage of the DIY niche. Good if you have a robust website.
• You have evidence that a large segment of your members don’t use Facebook
• You are trying to reach a specific demographic
• You want to convey strictly objective information.
• You have lots of online materials you want to promote.
• You have a volunteer who specializes in another social media channel.
You should probably be on Facebook, unless
Fill out your profile
information!
Brand you social media• Profile picture: 1000x1000px
Round: Instagram, Pinterest, YouTubeSquare: Facebook, Twitter
• Cover photo: Facebook: 828x315pxTwitter: 1500x500px
Algorithms• It’s all about the newsfeed &
engagement▪Your post is 40% – 150% more
likely to been seen in their newsfeed than on your page
#1 tip for all social mediaPost images whenever possible.
Photos can get up to 4X more engagement on Facebook than links
Photos of members, events, flyers, buttons, signs, etc.
Ways to add images to posts
Add text to a photo/memes
Ways to add images to posts
Memjacking – knowyourmeme.com
Ways to add images to posts
Share high-performing content posted by other organizations.
856 likes765 shares
419 likes470 shares
Ways to add images to posts
Infographics, charts, statistics
Ways to add images to posts
Free image-making platforms
• Canva – Correctly sized social media graphics, posters, presentations, flyers, postcards, etc.
• Pikochart – infographics, posters, presentations, reports
• ImgFlip, Memecrunch – memes
• Aviary, PicsArt – photo editing
Get creative
Facebook posts that are 80 characters or less receive up to 66% more engagement
And positive content receives 5X more engagement than negative content.
Keep it short and sweet
Ask in the right way
75% of the engagement on a post happens in first 5 hoursGeneral advice says post at night and at least once on the weekend in the morning or early afternoon, but check you data!
Timing
Scheduling platforms• Facebook – native scheduling• HootSuite – 3 social accounts
free• Buffer -1 social account free• TweetDeck – Twitter only
Include a linkUsing more than two hashtags in a tweet actually decreases the retweet rate (unlike Instagram).
Twitter Tips
• Skews very young (18-29) and people with at least some college
• Engagement is higher on Instagram than any other social network
Millenials on Instagram
Pinterest niche
• Do NOT delete all negative comments. This will bring into question your integrity to not only the complainer, but all your followers.
• DO block users who abuse the site, and remove offensive comments, ones that are too far off-topic, or just trying to use your site to sell a product or service.
Handling negative comments
From Education Minnesota, Adapted from U.S. Air Force
Protocol for comments
EMAIL MARKETING
Advantages of emailIt’s quick.It’s free or low cost.You can communicate more frequently.It’s easy to track.It’s effective. You can make calls to action.It’s easily shareable.It’s personal.
66% of email is now opened on a mobile device.
SIDE NOTE
Email platformsKey features:Mobile responsive templates Analytics Number of subscribersMail Chimp: freeVertical Response: freeSend in Blue: freeConstant Contact: $20/month
Email writing tips• Describe the candy, not the
wrapper.• Get to the point; stop mumbling. • Shorten your sentences. • Resist the passive voice. • Eliminate weasel words. • Get personal.
Final thoughtsYou get out what you put it.Develop an overall communications strategy and decide how social media will fit in.Set goals.Post at least 3 times a week.Make time to review your results.
