Public Relations and Communications: A Child Advocacy Center’s Journey to

Capacity Building

Presented ByRebecca Gordon, CFRE

Missouri KidsFirst

Good Afternoon!Today’s Agenda

•Overview of Missouri KidsFirst’s public relations and communications journey.

•Planning your Journey – 5 Steps to public relations and communications success.

•Your plan is your spine – not your shoes!!

•Questions

In 2001, Missouri’s Advocacy Centers formed a network. They

successfully lobbied for a 2.4 million dollar appropriation to support the advocacy center

movement.

In 2004, Missouri’s Child Advocacy Centers received a 3 year grant from Missouri Foundation for Health to develop a statewide

advocacy center system.

Now What Do We Do???The Clock is Ticking…..

Your Communications Road Trip

Step 1: Where are you now?

In In order to know where your organization should go, you need to know where you are right now.

Sacred Cows

You Must Do Your Research!!

Research is one of the most important and valuable steps in the development of any communications initiative. Nonprofits shy away from conducting research out of concern that it will be two costly and/or complicated, but it doesn’t have to be!

Primary Research on a shoestring…

•For Less than $100 in stamps and stationary, you can send a survey to 100 people asking for their feedback.•Gather a dozen of your most important constituents for an informal focus group (coffee at our place anyone?)•Invest a few hours of staff time to call a targeted group of audience members to answer a phone survey about your organization.

Four Steps in the Survey Process

•Identify your target audience.•Develop the questionnaire.•Conduct the survey.•Analyze the information.

Step 2: Where do you want to go?

\If you know where you are going and what you hope to accomplish for your organization through your communication efforts, it becomes easier to plan the most efficient and appropriate route.

The indispensable first step to getting the things you want out of life is this: DECIDE what you want!!!

author and comedian Ben Stein

I don’t know the key to success, but the KEY to failure is trying to please everybody!!!

comedian Bill Cosby

Targeting your audience!!!

Cops, Law and Order, JAG Late Show, Judge Judy, Ellen DeGeneres

2004 Presidential Election

Branding Your Organization is Essential

A brand is a living ENTITY, and it is enriched or

undermined cumulatively over time, the product of

a thousand small gestures.

Michael EisnerDisney CEO

Identity

MESSAGE DEVELOPMENT

More than 60% of nonprofits do not rely on an agreed upon series of key messages.

Great Slogans

•“A mind is a terrible thing to waste” – United Negro College Fund

•“Live Strong” – Lance Armstrong Foundation

StorytellingChild Advocacy Centers do important and meaningful work that has the ability to change lives and improve our world.

Take the time to harvest stories that demonstrate the impact your organization has on those it serves.

By telling stories of how individuals are affected by the issue you are working to solve, you personalize your mission and goals and make them more memorable.

Step 2: Where do you want to go?

• Develop a strategic communications plan with specific, measurable and realistic goals.

• Build your brand.

• Your Organizational identity is a key component of your brand. Develop is strategically and protect it vigorously.

• Frame your messages to ensure relevance to your audiences and make sure your message are memorable.

• Use storytelling as a technique to inspire your audience.

Step 3: How do we get there?

This is great but what about the money???? How much is this going to cost and how are we going to get it done?

71% of you described your communications budget as “no budget”

Lessons From the Corporate Sector

Corporations typically devote a significant percentage of their overall budget to marketing and communications. Why? Because it pays to do so.

The nonprofit world is timid about funding communications. But investing in communications can have a powerful impact on the bottom line, from expanding your nonprofit’s donor base to developing goodwill and name recognition.

Build a budget for communications. Maybe you

won’t get 5% of your organization’s total budget, but

organizations need to start budgeting for communications

the same way they include payroll and rent. Start small and

build on your success.

•Add Communications to all grant requests.

•Find Corporate partners• Creative cause-marketing

partnerships can general dollars for nonprofits.

Selling it!Don’t forget that you also need to sell your communications plan to employees, volunteers and board members. One organization needs one voice.

Prohibit design, or crafting of communications projects, by committee. Protect the creative process and put clear limits on the review and approval process.

Hiring help: staff or consultant?

Collaborating

Cause-related marketingwww.slideshare.net/rgordongor6

Step 4: What to take?

• Advertising• Advocacy• Capital campaigns• Direct mail• Donor cultivation and grant writing• Electronic media• Events• Guerilla marketing • Marketing materials• Media relations• Web sites

Step 5: Measurement/ Refining Adjustment?

Keys to effective evaluation• Set benchmarks in advance• Establish clearly defined goals• Segment your audience• Test along the way• Be creative in what and how you

measure• Routinely review and readjust your

approach.

Questions??