At South Florida PR firm Durée & Company, a number of our client accounts are nonprofit businesses and services that make great strides to better the community. We recognize that many nonprofits don’t always have the same resources as for-profit businesses, but communicating their message and maintaining their reputation is nonetheless a critical mission. And while so many of these nonprofits greatly contribute to the community, if they are not telling their story consistently and strategically, it will fall on deaf ears.
As a case in point, our nonprofit client Broward Public Schools promotes National School Lunch Week, an annual initiative that brings to light the importance of access to healthy school lunches. To ensure this initiative is effectively communicated, we put these five best practices to work in helping our nonprofit clients build bridges with new audiences and enhance their reputations:
- Put a strategy in place to deliver success: It’s important to make sure that all efforts are connected and work together Oftentimes, nonprofits conduct a series of loosely connected communications activities to drive immediate goals. As communications professionals, our job is to connect all the dots and tie the initiatives together under one overarching strategy.
- Differentiate with a Compelling, Message-Driven Story: A core message platform is the cornerstone of any communications strategy and authentic stories make a true impact and resonate with your audience. In the case for access to school lunches, parents are an importance audience, so we can tailor the message accordingly to this specific audience.
- Identify and Message-Train Spokespersons: In actively engaging with your audience, identify spokespeople with expertise, influence and comfort speaking about the nonprofit’s mission. In the case of National School Lunch Week, Broward Public Schools is fortunate to have Celebrity Chef Rudy Poindexter on board to promote this initiative.
- Map Out All Communications Activity: Execution is crucial! Plotting out all the necessary tactics for a strategic communications campaign helps nonprofits prioritize and generate awareness. And finally, messages must be pulled consistently through all communications vehicles, from website copy to interviews to presentations.
- Use Social Media to Engage: Approach social media with the same strategic mindset you would bring to traditional communications. Interaction should be creative, message-driven and relevant to your audience. Another benefit, particularly to nonprofits, is social media’s cost effectiveness.
Our goal is to bring our nonprofit clients’ stories and mission to life. Being prepared with these five tips is the first step to succeeding at this job!
About Durée & Company
Durée & Company, Inc. is an award-winning full-service public relations, marketing and special events firm with offices in Fort Lauderdale, Florida and Aspen, Colorado. The firm serves the corporate, agency and non-profit arenas for local, national and international clients focusing on public relations for real estate, public relations for restaurants, public relations for law firms, public relations for charities, public relations for healthcare, and many more. Durée & Company services include Public Relations, Social Media, Marketing, Advertising, Special Events, and Radio Promotions and Outreach.
