5 Ws of Communications
Beginning writing courses force students to answer the 5 Ws in every story they write - who, what, when, where, and why.
By flipping the traditional order of the same 5 Ws, starting with the "what," you can create an easy communications roadmap for 2015. Here's how:
What: Identify the #1 thing you need to have happen this year. Is it to get a new program off the ground? Raise more individual dollars? Better measure outcomes for your programs? Recruit more volunteers?
Most organizations likely have dozens of goals, and certainly you can pick more than one for your communications effort. But, if your communications capacity is limited, you'll be far more successful by focusing on fewer goals.
Who: Decide who you need on board to help you achieve your goal. Individual donors, grant makers, policy makers, clients/members/customers, volunteers, employees? If you don't already have it, pull together a list of all these people with their contact information, including mailing address, email, and social media tags.
Why: Figure out why your target audience would be moved to action. Will this audience react to data, personal stories, or both? Do they want to hear from the head of the organization, from staff, volunteers, or from clients? Will they be motivated by personal recognition? Are they motivated by the success of the organization? Or, maybe they are motivated by being part of a larger change effort. Use all this information to create a storyboard with messages.
When: Determine at what points throughout the year you will connect with your target audience. Depending on your goal, decide if you will reach out once a week? Once a month? More? Less? Most organizations tend to communicate with target audiences far to infrequently, so consider that when making your plans. Depending on the goal and the audience, you should also consider running a limited-time campaign during which you will work to engage with your audience more aggressively.
Identify a calendar of opportunities to connect with your target audience, including pre-existing opportunities like days of observance (e.g., Memorial Day), government-related dates/periods (i.e., budget cycle, State of the City/State).
Where: Establish "where" you will reach your audiences - online via your website, social media channels, and emails? Via earned media? An event or series of events? Snail mail?
How will you use the current materials you create - brochures, annual reports, newsletters - to communicate with your target audience?
