The Branch County Community Foundation is the convenor of the Branch County Community Network (BCCN). BCCN is the community collaborative in Branch County, and it exists to enhance community development by providing a platform for networking collaboration, and professional development. At the May BCCN meeting the collaborative held a professional development workshop on How Strategic Communications Can Benefit Your Non-Profit. The workshop was led by Lauren Slagter, a freelance content and marketing writer, and fun fact- a graduate of Coldwater High School!
Here are the top five takeaways from the workshop:
Communication plans can be complicated or simple. When deciding what your communication plan should look like, it is up to the resources available within your organization.
Goal Setting! Before you can create the communications plan for your organization, it is important to have clarity on your goals and buy-in from everyone who will be involved in helping meet the goals.
Messaging! When considering your core messages, think about what people need to know about your work, and always include a call to action so there is clear direction on what should be done next. (Donate, volunteer, etc).
The Audience! When creating a communication plan, it is important to identify an audience, and the more specific the better.
Results! A key element in your communications plan should always be sharing the impact of your organization.
