Blog

As we all strive to foster stronger connections with diverse communities and supporters, we know that effective communication strategies play a key role. Whether you are raising awareness for a cause, mobilizing volunteers, or fundraising, the ability to communicate your message and tell your story clearly and in a compelling way is crucial.  

By Anne Derber and Michele Goodrich

If you’re lucky, your organization will achieve key milestones or anniversaries. Maybe you’ll celebrate how many years you’ve been in service to your community or perhaps you’re marking programmatic milestones such as number of pets adopted, ministry impact or neighborhoods served. Whatever you’re celebrating, you have the opportunity to use that milestone to enhance the culture of philanthropy in your organization.

At the recent Global Leadership Summit, Juliet Funt, CEO of Whitespace at Work shared the concept of 2D vs 3D communications. It’s a simple idea that encapsulates why our communications – within our organizations and especially with our volunteers – are sometimes more painful than they need to be.

When you are conducting an annual campaign, capital effort, or even an endowment program, publicity can be helpful. Positive “buzz” helps improve community understanding and support. But too often, we rely on buzz to do all the work. We assume that some good publicity will raise money for us.

Every leader fears a crisis. So much time and effort are rightly invested in reducing risk, bolstering safety, and ensuring protocols are followed. All are essential to protecting your organization. But sadly, most organizations are at greater risk because they have not prepared – and never practiced – to communicate in times of urgency.  I remember a friend rightly pointing out, “Prayer is not a communication strategy.”

Over the past few months, I’ve been in several conversations with nonprofit development and marketing staff about some of the newer social media tools, including the one that confounds and intrigues everyone the most: Snapchat.

While flying the friendly skies has become a routine part of my life, I still don’t take safety for granted (code for, “I am still afraid”). Like most folks, I pay little attention to the pre-flight safety instructions, but I do look for the nearest exit and – if seated in an exit row – which way to throw the window in the event of an emergency.