Communications strategy. Small charities communications conference, 23 September 2016

Communications Strategy

John Grounds

John Grounds

strategic consultancy

• Making the case• Demystifying and mythbusting• Building a strategy

John Grounds


Why do some organisations get it and others just don’t ?

• It’s a luxury; if only we could…• Our mission, strategy, work on the ground comes first• We’re too small• Brand, Strategy, Narrative are complex and expensive

John Grounds


Mythbusting

1. It’s a luxury

• You can’t exist without communicating; you can either do it well or badly.

• You ‘communicate’ something about the organisation you work for if you don’t invest in communication

• Is succeeding a luxury? Is existing a luxury?

John Grounds


Mythbusting

2. Mission, Strategy, Work on the ground comes first

• It’s not a choice• One is intrinsic to the success of the other

John Grounds


John Grounds


Brand

NarrativeStrategy

IntegratedCommunications

Internal and External Audiences



Mythbusting

3. It’s only for big charities - we can’t afford it• If you exist, you are a brand• If you are trying to achieve something you must have a

strategy• If you are trying to change something you must have a story to

tell

John Grounds


Mythbusting

3. It’s only for big charities - we can’t afford it• …and someone you need to to think, feel or do something• You have a budget, even if it’s £50• That’s all you need to build a communications strategy

John Grounds


Mythbusting

John Grounds


4. Strategy is too complex/expensive

• What impact are you trying to achieve ?• What objectives do you have?• By doing what ?• By when ?• How will you know?

Mythbusting

John Grounds


4. Branding is too complex/expensive

• The set of ideas images and associations about a product, company or organisation that remain in someone’s head after one or a series of interactions between that person and a product, company or organisation

Mythbusting

John Grounds


4. Branding is too complex/expensive

• Is – says – does – feels like• What people say when you’re not there• Vision, mission, values, principles, images, promises, visual and verbal

expression, essence.

Mythbusting

John Grounds


4. Narrative is too complex/expensive

• Why you exist• What change you are trying to achieve in the world, why and for whom• Why you do things the way you do• What you believe• How you behave• How you tell your story

John Grounds


Demystifying Communications Strategy

What is a communications strategy? (Pompous Version)

• A holistic planning approach to engaging a brand’s audience to ensure greater effectiveness

• A management technique for determining the most effective method of communicating with the marketplace

John Grounds


What is a communications strategy? (Honest Version)

• What are you trying to do and why?• Who do you need to tell them? What do you want them to think/feel/do• What help or information do they need?• How are you going to engage with them? • How much will it cost? • How will you know if you’ve succeeded?


John Grounds



Myths

• Only large organisations can afford to have a communications strategy • All communications strategies are expensive• The size of your budget determines whether you can have one• Communications strategy is up to the communications team• Communications is mainly there to support … (delete as appropriate)

John Grounds


Components of a Communications Strategy

• Rooted in corporate objectives/strategy• Communications objective(s)• Audiences• Messages/desired engagement/action (think, feel, do)• Resources• Timescales• Channels/Media/Touchpoints• Execution (tactics)• Measurement and evaluation

John Grounds


Two examples

• NSPCC• Imaginary local Safe Spaces to play charity• Demonstrate that principles and approach are very similar

John Grounds


Rooted in Corporate Objectives

How can you deliver the corporate strategy through communications activities?

NSPCC Strategy (NB this refers to strategy c2006-10)

• To mobilise everyone to take action to end cruelty• To give children the help, support and environment they need to stay safe from

cruelty• To find ways of working with communities to keep children safe from cruelty• To be and be seen as someone to turn to for children and young people

John Grounds


Communications Objectives

What are you trying to do through your communications activities?How is this related to your corporate objectives?Distinguish between output and outcome

NSPCC:

• To show people how to take action for children and make it easy to do so• To show children there is someone to turn to for help (ChildLine)• To build trust and create opportunities so that children engage with ChildLine

Who do you need to engage with to achieve your objectives?

Who do you need to make it happen?

•Adults – especially parents and grandparents

•Children and young people – especially 11-16 year-olds

•Teachers

•Childcare professionals

•Staff

•Supporters

•Political opinion formers

John Grounds


Audiences

What are you trying to get people to think, feel or do?

Adults

•We all have a responsibility to take action

•You can help children by supporting the NSPCC

•You can safely report your concerns about a child

Children/Young People

•Talking helps it stop

•You can trust ChildLine

•ChildLine understands your life

•Contact ChildLine

John Grounds


Messages

What can you afford to do?

Just because you can afford it doesn’t mean you should do it.

How to apportion your resources to audiences

•Full range of channels

•Not always the obvious/of you have the money don’t just do the most expensive

•Children first, parents second, professionals third

•Remember that it might cost more to reach a lower priority audience

John Grounds


Resources

John Grounds


Timescales

Are you clear and realistic about what you want to deliver and achieve over what period of time?

Have you set milestones – for spending, execution, review and evaluation?

Are there non-negotiables?

•Project delivery plan (not the same as a strategy)

•Campaign targets - Annual targets - 5-year targets

John Grounds


Channels/Media/TouchpointsWhich are the most effective channels to reach your audience?

John Grounds


Channels/Media/Touchpoints

Which are the most effective channels to reach your audience?

Remember the biggest or most obvious isn’t always the most

effective

• Adults – TV, national and local media, a parenting magazine,

doctor’s surgeries

• Children – web/radio/magazines; schools; social networking;

games

John Grounds


Execution/Tactics

What combination of activities will work through the channels you have

chosen?

Does the activity fit the medium?

(how long do people spend looking at a poster? How comfortable are

people speaking to someone face to face about a particular topic)

John Grounds


Execution/Tactics

• A campaign designed to encourage simple actions which can be taken from your armchair – give, campaign, report abuse. A choice of actions delivered through website – all media directing people to the website

• A campaign encouraging children to speak out about abuse and help their friends to do the same. Creating safe spaces on-line to exchange thoughts and fears; combination of trust-building activities, music, competitions, social networking

John Grounds


Measurement and evaluation

How will you know you’ve succeeded?

Difference between output and outcome?

Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Time – Quant and Qual

•Adults - Attitude shifts; Willingness to act; Actions

•Children – Change in visibility; change in trust/willingness; calls/contacts

John Grounds


Different Scale – Same Principles

•Rooted in corporate objectives/strategy

More safe play spaces in Crawley

•Communications objective(s)

Raise awareness of lack of play spaces

Encourage support of community for more spaces

Get majority of councillors to voice support

John Grounds



•Audiences

Parents and children

Teachers; youth leaders; local community groups; councillors, local influencers

•Messages

Children with places to play cause less trouble

Safe play spaces reduce bullying and vandalism

The ultimate cost will be less

Show your support

John Grounds



•Resources

£1000

20 volunteers – 3 hours each

Free poster site opposite council building

•Timescales

Council vote in January

Launch campaign in spring

Use summer holiday and term times as framework

John Grounds



•Channels/Media/Touchpoints

Local newspaper; leaflets; posters; schools; council offices

•Execution (tactics)

Use the money to produce the materials

Use the time to get face to face

Go to where the audience is – schools, clubs

John Grounds



•Measurement and evaluation

Outputs – no. of leaflets

Media – no of articles; quality and message

Proof of support – petition? Letters?

Council support?

Vote?

New spaces

John Grounds


Components of a Comms Strategy

• Rooted in corporate strategy/brand/narrative• Communications objective(s)• Audiences• Messages• Resources• Timescales• Channels/Media/Touchpoints• Execution (tactics)• Measurement and evaluation

Communications Strategy

John Grounds

[email protected]

John Grounds


mailto:[email protected]

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23 September 2016

London

#CCsmallcharity

Small charities

communications

conference

Government & Nonprofit

Communications strategy. Small charities communications conference, 23 September 2016