LMG PUBLIC RELATIONS LLC
Storytelling involves trust inside an organization, but this can be one of the hardest things to accomplish. Employees need to be able to trust you enough to share the emotional aspects of their work. The more trust staff has with you, the more compelling the stories shared. The following are three points to consider when building internal trust within your agency:
1. Engage all levels in the process. Make staff feel vested. Work from the bottom up and engage all levels. Listen to all of the voices and give them a task in the campaign. Help staff see themselves as "ambassadors" of the department message. 2. Explain how it will benefit them. Everyone wants to know what's in it for them. For instance, will strengthening the internal and external agency image make their work easier? Will it create more federal funding and donations for needed services? Will it increase morale thereby decreasing staff turnover? All of these benefits should be backed up with relevant data showing the far-reaching benefit of an effective storytelling campaign. 3. Take your time. Building trust is a process and doesn't happen overnight. Start by pitching out a few positive media stories and letting them take hold. Build on this goodwill to demonstrate the power of positive stories. Share examples of the stories you gather, so staff has a sense of what they should be looking for in their daily work.
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It's been a super-busy month for LMG Public Relations! First up was a summit session for the Public Relations Society of America Public Affairs and Government section. The theme was "Called To Serve" and isn't that the truth with public communicators? What I met was a group of very dedicated and engaged communications pros who are dedicated to serving their communities and learning more about best practices. The session focused on tips and strategies for how to tell their stories in a meaningful and relatable way. My main focus: Strip down the language, connect with your audience and build a messaging platform based on what I call "The Key 3." It was great to connect and feel the energy in the room! Next up was the National Association of Social Workers Conference in Washington, D.C. Thousands of social workers and advocates of social work from around the nation and globe attended this conference jam packed with interesting sessions. The theme? "The Time is Right for Social Work!" I had the honor of presenting (to a live and virtual audience!) on key messaging and how to tell their stories in an impactful way. I met so many dedicated professionals with empathy as their superpower and we all agreed that the time is right for social work! For more about our training, visit the Training Page!
Once upon a time there was a strange and mysterious village. It stood isolated atop a large hill. It seemed scary, aloof, and detached from the rest of the kingdom.
But within this village was a magical place. It was a land full of possibility and service. It believed in redemption. Its work changed people’s lives. This land’s influence in the overall kingdom was vast and far-reaching and its mayor and villagers were hardworking. But nobody had heard of this strange and mysterious land. Nobody in the kingdom knew that the help they were receiving was because of this mysterious land. Why? Because the mayor and the villagers never talked about it. Does this fairytale sound like your organization? You do good work that could benefit the community, and nobody knows about it? If yes, then you need to bring your org back into reality through a communications plan that is rooted in storytelling and anchored with key messages. A good comms plan goes beyond branding or a slogan. It involves how your leadership, employees, and community partners talk about yourselves and the work you do. Using very specific, unifying, and powerful language to communicate about your values and work can serve as a safe harbor in times of crisis and help shape public policy to benefit your community. Here are some questions to ask yourself: • If a stranger asks you what your work involves, could you describe it in one sentence, using simple language without using your job title or agency name? • If you had 30 seconds in an elevator and a stranger asked what you do, could you describe it in an impactful way they would really understand? • Could you tell me what you do without telling me what your job is? • Would everyone in your organization say the same thing? If you answered no to any or all these questions, consider developing a comms plan that includes effective messaging about your org and the community it serves. Let's face it. Most communicators in the non-profit and public agency world didn't get into it for the glamour or money. When you're called to serve, you do it without fanfare, lucrative bonuses or walks on the red carpet. You're not representing celebrities, you're representing us, the tax paying public, and not all of us are happy to see you all the time.
But what I know from working in the public affairs realm is the reward comes in other ways. Helping families navigate social services, educating people on where to vote and serving as first responders with information during emergencies and natural disasters serves a higher purpose and one that, as communicators, you should be proud of. But how many people outside your organization know about the important work you do? Can everyone in your organization quickly describe your work and values so that even your neighbor could understand them? Can you succinctly talk about important policies and initiatives so the community and media care? In this current climate of storytelling, public affairs and government professionals are increasingly responsible for telling the vital story of how their agencies make a difference in the community. By beginning at the foundation, with an effective key messaging strategy, you can begin creating a positive narrative that makes people care about the work you do and the people working for your agency. These stories matter. They can provide education about vital programs, help you reconnect with clients and the community and recommit your organization to building an effective communications plan that assists with the important work being done. I'm so honored to speak at this year's Public Relations Society of America Public Affairs & Government section summit in St Louis, MO! My session, "Your Story Matters: How to Build An Effective Key Messaging Campaign to Promote How and Why Your Serve" will touch on how to start building or strengthening an existing narrative through key messages. Let's start telling your story! Posters. Social posts. Flyers. Logos. Brochures. All of these are tools for telling the story of your organization, the people working in it and the community you work with. But before you even consider creating and using any of these valuable tools, you first must set the foundation for your communications.
Creating organizational messaging comes first and the right time to start thinking about crafting your key messages was yesterday. Key messaging is the common language you and your staff will use when talking about who you are, what you do and why you do it. They are not slogans. They are not taglines. Key messages use very specific and simple language to define your values and goals in a way anyone on your staff and any community partner can understand. If you haven’t developed key messages for your organization, the time is now. What do you need to get started? Here are 4 basic elements to think about:
If you need help with starting on the strategic work behind creating your key messages, don’t hesitate to contact us at LMG@lmgpublicrelations.com and follow us on IG @lmgpublicrelations |
AuthorLouise Grasmehr Archives
May 2023
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