Framing Our Message: Developing a Media StrategyFacilitator: Serena Garcia

Nonprofit Communications ConsultantJanuary 24, 2013

Developing Your Communications Strategy

SMARTYour communication strategy should be:

SpecificMeasurableAttainableRealistic

Time-Specific

Communications Decisions

identify your vision, broad goal and objective (informative, persuasive)

Vision

(What are your intentions?)

Woodhull Sexual Freedom Alliance’s Family Matters project is

dedicated to advancing, respecting and protecting the fundamental human right to family by eliminating discrimination based

on family structure and relationship choices. 

Broad goal(What do you want to achieve over the long term?)

Woodhull recognizes the diversity of family in the United States and our goal is to

protect our fundamental human right to family by eliminating discrimination based

on family structure and relationship choices.

Objective(What’s the measurable step you need to accomplish within the next 12 months to move toward your goal?)

Pass 2013 legislation to ensure same-sex couples in this state have the right to legal

marriage.

Context

Internal Scan: What staff, resources, and tools? Access to in-house research or other knowledge to

support your strategy?

External Scan: Present state of debate on your issue? Other partners? Obstacles?

Define Your PositionWhere are you/your organization in the debate?

Frame: there is no discussion about the issue of the fundamental human right to family

Amplify: the debate has been set in motion and terms favorable to your objective, discussion is going well about same-sex parenting

Reframe: losing the debate, so it’s time to switch gears by intersecting right to family with Human Rights

Strategic Choices

defining audiences (community, legislators)

messaging (sharing knowledge, building will, reinforcing action)

message delivery (influencers, decision makers)

ThemeDefine how you will approach messaging with each audience.

Select a theme that springs from your audience’s values

Examples:

o Every Child Deserves a Family.o Marriage Matters: They are Committed.

So are We.

AudiencesWho is your audience?

Where are they on your issue?Are they ready for:

being informed of an issue, building will, call to action

Important! These two are not audiences:-general public

-media

MessagingDevelop your points:

The value message.The barrier message.

The ask.The vision message.

MessagingTarget your audiences narrowly:

Segment them demographically, geographically, by age, etc.Reach them according to

segmentation

MessagingCommunity: Message to them intersectionally. Share similarities instead of differences. Select audiences that are willing to

publicly show their support. Tell them you want them to care about

and what you want them to do. Do not demonize!

MessagingLegislators: Focus on the greatest influencer and

those with the most access to decision makers.

Create shared values. Offer hope for change. Build bridges. Be careful about pushing guilt or fear.

Communications activities

Tactics

When do you need to use:

Talking points Media kits Media releases Media alerts Fact sheets Press conferences

Communications activities

Tactics

Talking points are meant to give people a quick and easy way of staying on track to address specific issues.

Communications activities

Good Talking Points: Clear and Concise

If you only want people to say one thing, what is it? Put it in the first bullet.- Organize it with sub-bullets. - Your main point needs support.- Avoid being lengthy or burying your lead.- And people think in three's.

Anticipate what the press will ask / opposition will say and pre-empt.- You don't need talking points for happy news.- Something bad or controversial has happened.- Be upfront about it.

Communications activities

Talking Points

http://www.thetaskforce.org/downloads/resources_and_tools/TalkingPointsonMarriage.pdf

Communications activities

Tactics

Why media kits are important:

A media kit brings together information and articles that could be of interest to the media, sponsors, donors, and others

Elements of a media kit - http://www.agohq.org/events/pdf-mrk/part_1/ElementsofaPressKit.pdf

Communications activities

TacticsWhy media releases are important:

Provides framing/reframing, 5 w’s & h, includes relevant quotes

Call to action - legislatorshttp://www.familyequality.org/news__media/2012/08/28/1394/family_equality_council_calls_on_candidates_lawmakers_to_endorse_lgbt_family_values_platform

Support for actionshttp://www.familyequality.org/news__media/2012/07/20/1378/family_equality_council_praises_rule_change_extending_health_benefits_to_children_of_federal_employees_in_domestic_partnerships

Communications activities

Components of a Media Release

http://www.ereleases.com/prfuel/components-of-a-press-release/http://www.ngltf.org/press/releases

Components of a Media Alerto Consists of 5 w’s & h with a short outline of a newsworthy

event or announcement

http://www.sos.wa.gov/library/libraries/projects/outreach/docs/2006/media_alert.pdfhttp://www.ngltf.org/activist_center/action_alerts

Communications activities

Tactics

Why fact sheets are important:

A summation of your issue to a specific audience It is generally one or two pages and includes 5

w’s & h

http://www.naswdc.org/diversity/lgb/SameSex-FactSheets.pdfhttp://www.ngltf.org/reports_and_research/fact_sheets

Communications activities

Tactics

Using fact sheets with legislators:http://www.aauw-il.org/PDFs/how_write_fact_sheet.pdf

Using fact sheets with the media:Tips - email it immediately before interview requests or provide a link from your website, provide a hard copy during events

Communications activities

Press Conferences

Whether you need to publicize an event, deliver an important message or warn the public about an

emergency, press conferences are a tactic to ensure you get attention.

Examples:

http://ctb.ku.edu/en/tablecontents/sub_section_tools_1066.aspx

http://thetaskforceblog.org/2012/06/05/speaking-out-against-stop-frisk-racial-profiling/

Communications activities

Twitter Link to newsworthy events, relevant issues Tweet during the moment of an activity Follow – 60 % retweet, 30 % convo and response

engagement, 10 % ask – action Use it to research, gain support, get new ideas, survey

people Isolate conversations with hash tags Use date of activity in your hash tag to review past

activity #topicdate Follow others with shared interests Balance the number of followers and people you follow

Communications activities

Facebook Use FB for storytelling to express human interest Encourage feedback and interaction Encourage actions (join, give, write, post) Encourage viewers to post their activities Support allies and partners Grow online mobilization base Show milestones accomplished Praise people for being active and supportive

Communications activitiesEmails Ask people for their emails as a courtesy Build your database with supporters Create engaging informative pieces and asks Always use cause-focused photos/videos Be specific about what you want them to do Tell them how their support will help your cause Create sense of urgency for asks Include links to other social media/websites Use active language in subject line

Communications activities

Other Tactics Meetings Websites Newsletters Press conferences Letters Phone calls Cell phone text campaigns Paid advertising

Communications activities

TacticsTimelines/Tasks

Backtrack from your intended deadline Create attainable timelines Assign tasks to various people

Measurement

Outputs o generating more news articles with your message

o participants attended

Outcomeso behavior changes

o decision making changeso attitude changes

References

National Gay and Lesbian Task ForceWoodhull Alliance-Family Matters Project

Family EqualitySpitfire

American Association of University WomenNational Association of Social Workers

Community Tool BoxSlideshare

Nonprofit Technology ConferenceLibraries of Washington State

One Seo CompanyEreleases