Effective Communication Strategy

Identify and Analyze Your "Audiences"

First, split your organization's audiences into "Internal" and "External" categories and then list the appropriate groups and subgroups for each. Your internal audiences may include staff, volunteers, and board members. You may further want to place these into subgroups. For example, the staff group could include executives, program managers, hourly staff, salaried staff, etc. Your external audiences could include media, donors, members, etc.
Once you've completed this exercise, determine the needs for each group / subgroup. Sometimes organizations choose to take a formal approach by conducting surveys (either delivered via email or phone) to determine needs. Some conduct their surveys more informally. How you do it is up to you. What you need to determine is the How, What, When:

• HOW should each audience receive information from your organization?
• WHAT type of information do they need from you?
• WHEN is the frequency for communicating?

EXAMPLE: Using donors as the audience example, you may determine that a newsletter (the "How") detailing what your organization is doing for the community (the "What") on a quarterly basis (the "When") is the best way to communicate.

Audit Your Communication Vehicles

By this point, you've determined how you want to communicate to each group. Most likely, the majority of the "how's" you've included in your audience analysis are communication vehicles you already use: your Web site, memos, letters, emails, newsletters, and press releases.
Ask for some help getting objective feedback from the end-users of these pieces to see if you need to make some adjustments.

Ask a marketing firm to provide limited pro bono consulting to do this for you. If you can't find a firm that can help, send out a sample to your core audiences for their review. Ask your staff to anonymously complete a written survey on your internal communications pieces; send your members the most recent newsletter and ask for feedback; and/or ask your Web site users to complete an online survey about usability and message presentation.

Important note about your Web site: because of the nature of the Web, this will be your most dynamic tool - you can have the most up-to-date information available, and the site is interactive. If you don't have a presence on the Web, consider establishing one (you can even apply for a grant to provide funding for Web development).
When you get feedback, use it to make improvements that work within your budget and timeframe.

Build and Consistently Use Key Messages

Once you have your audience analysis and the vehicles you're going to use, then it's time to develop some key messages around your organization's mission. What are the 3-5 things you want people to know about your organization? Once you determine these facts, incorporate them into all your communication pieces, wherever appropriate.

Let's say your organization works to help the homeless. What are the 3-5 service areas of your organization? Do your staff and/or volunteers know what they are? If not, include them in appropriate communication vehicles targeted to your internal audiences. For external groups, include those 3-5 key messages on your Web site as a footer in your emails, in every press release, etc.

The important thing is to remain consistent. If your organization is addressing a crisis that is covered by the media, make sure your internal audiences are getting and delivering the same key messages.

Identify Your Organization's Communicators

You're almost done with your overall communications strategy. Now you have to choose the primary "deliverers" of your messages. You should have one group (or person if you're smaller) that creates all your internal communications to ensure consistency in style and content. The same guidance applies for external pieces: identify one representative (or more, if your organization is larger) to address any media inquiries, etc.

Gauge Your Communications Effectiveness

Once you start putting your strategy to work, it's time to test it and gather feedback to continuously improve this function of your organization. When donors provide gifts, ask where they heard of you. You might begin to spot a trend that will help you further target your communication efforts.
(Source http://www.ccfbest.org/communications/creating.htm)