Title: Telling%20Your%20Story%20Communication%20strategies%20to%20support%20local%20school%20district%20referenda
1Telling Your Story Communication strategies to
support local school district referenda
- Presenter
- Susan Brott, APR Chief Marketing and
Communications Officer West St. Paul-Mendota
Heights-Eagan Area Schools
2Challenges in Communicating Complex Issues
- Definitions are needed to understand
- Context is broad
- Explaining whats in it for me
- Delineating the differences in topics
- We often care more than our audiences
- Off the radar screen audiences are
disconnected
3Hierarchy of Effective Communication
- Face to Face contact
- Small group discussion or meeting
- Speaking before a large group
- Phone conversation
- Hand-written, personal note
- Typewritten, personal letter
- Personal form letter
- Mass produced, non-personal letter
- Brochure sent as a direct-mail piece
- Articles in a newsletter
- News carried in the press
- Advertising in media
4Effective Communication
- Mass communication used to inform
- Does not change attitudes or behaviors.
- Does reinforce attitudes and behaviors, create
awareness by sharing information. - Interpersonal communication used to connect on
a personal level - More likely to lead to a change in a persons
attitudes or behaviors.
5Three Key Parts of Communicating Complex Issues
- Messages what are we communicating?
- Audiences what groups and individuals are we
targeting? - Strategies how will we deliver our messages and
measure desired behavior?
6Key to success Good Research
- Identify most supportive audiences
- Identify issues/messages that resonate with
audiences - Identify overriding issues that may block
understanding - Identify communication methods that are most
effective
7Evaluate as you go
- Identify what messages are getting through
- Identify any areas of misunderstanding
- Identify what areas to focus on next
8Developing Key Messages
9What Is a Key Message?
- A key message is a significant idea or thought
that you want your audiences to know, understand,
remember and if youre lucky repeat. - An effective key message leads your audience to
the desired behavior.
10Framing Your Message
- You can choose to frame the issue and deliver
your message from your perspective. - Without this focus, people will wander through
the message countryside and never take in what
you are communicating. - If you dont frame it, someone else will!
11Effective Key Messages
- Are based on your research
- Are true
- Are concise and simple
- Related in human terms
- Connect with peoples emotions
12Effective Key Messages
Communicating Complex Issues Requires
- Time most people cannot understand complexity
with only one exposure - Context provide understanding of how message
fits with other issues - Repetition repeat and remind people of key
messages - Layering communicate in layers or smaller
messages
13Biggest Message Mistakes
- Use of technical terms and jargon
- Lack of clear meaning
- Cannot be fully supported by facts
- Lack of key point - too many messages
- Audience is not paying attention
- Lack of emotional appeal
- Aimed at wrong audience
- Environment too cluttered
- Poor delivery of message
- Lack of repetition
- Does not motivate action or change in behavior
14Understanding your Audiences
15Identifying your audiences
- What is their profile?
- What beliefs, needs, prejudices, tendencies,
misconceptions and preconceptions do they have
that affect how you connect with them? - What do you want them to know and do?
- How do you need to present your message to be
credible? - What issues will resonate with them?
- How have they responded to your messages in the
past?
16Dont forget school staff
Research indicates that school staff especially
custodians, secretaries, bus drivers and food
service workers are the most believed sources
of information about our schools. Your
community listens to these people!
17What Audiences Want To Know
18Developing Strategies that Work
19Strategies for Communicating Complex Issues
- Get on their radar screen your audiences will
never hear your messages if they are not listening
20Strategies for Communicating Complex Issues
- Connect the information silos help people to
see how issues connect and interrelate
21Strategies for Communicating Complex Issues
- Use metaphors to make it more clear relating a
complex issues to something more familiar will
quicken and deepen understanding
22Strategies for Communicating Complex Issues
- Tell stories, not just share data relate the
complex information to how it affects children or
what is happening in a classroom
23Strategies for Communicating Complex Issues
- Build and use an opinion leader network key
communicators can help spread your message and
deepen understanding
24Strategies for Communicating Complex Issues
- Relationships are the key must have on-going,
two-way communication to build positive
relationships with audiences
25Strategies for Communicating Complex Issues
- Explain reasons behind decisions knowing why
something was decided will help people to
understand complex issues
26Strategies for Communicating Complex Issues
- Practice message discipline speak with one
clear voice and repeat what you want people to
remember
27Strategies for Communicating Complex Issues
- Communicate from the inside out start all
communication with internal audiences so they can
help carry messages to other audiences
28Strategies for Communicating Complex Issues
- Share bad news and move on when bad news
happens, share it all at once and share steps to
help people to move on past the bad news
29Communicating for a Referendum
30The Realities of Winning
- You can win
- Without everyone being happy
- With substantial negative media visibility
- If you remain focused
- If youre helpful
- If you can move 51 of your base to action
James E. Lukaszewski, Building Community
Relationships Gaining and Maintaining Public
Consent, 2006
31Rules for Winning
- Refuse to be distracted.
- Bear down on your positive objectives.
- Consciously reduce the medias influence.
- Control with positive power.
- Wage peace from the start.
- Focus on consent rather than opposition.
James E. Lukaszewski, Building Community
Relationships Gaining and Maintaining Public
Consent, 2006
32Planning
- No single plan exists that meets the needs of
every school district and every election
environment - You must tailor your plan to fit your community!
33Effective Referendum Planning
- Coordinate district communication activities with
that of the citizens campaign - Throughout the planning process, create one
campaign in which the district and citizens have
clearly defined role. - Every activity is coordinated!
34Roles of District vs. Campaign
- District communications Information
- What is proposed?
- How much will it cost me?
- Why should I vote for it?
- What happens if it passes or fails?
- Campaign communications Advocacy
- Less product, more emotion
- Face to Face contacts
- Carry VOTE YES message
35Roles of District vs. Campaign
- Accept that there will be some overlap of key
personnel. - Be smart about scheduling your time!
36Role of the Superintendent
- Strategic planning
- Working closely with campaign to execute and
coordinate efforts - Obtaining support and participation from staff in
cooperation with campaign committee - Providing information, support and resources
campaign committee
37Role of the School Board
- Maintain focus on student needs
- Provide unanimous resolution to conduct election
- Align final proposal with community values and
perspective on spending - Involve citizens in campaign
- Provide support to administration and volunteer
committee
38Role of District Staff
- Solidify and strength relationship with primary
audience (parents) - Identify way to reach out and enhance secondary
audiences (seniors, non-parents) - Demonstrate good stewardship of what the district
currently provides - Ask questions and stay informed
- Support and participate in the campaign
39Role of Campaign Committee
- Identify overall theme and coordinate messages
- Gain influential support (endorsements)
- Strategically canvass the community to identify
probable yes voters - Recruit volunteers for leadership roles
- Implement campaign plan
- Coordinate campaign activities with district
initiatives.
40Shaping Messages
- Core Message targeted message at primary
audience - Subordinate Message similar goal, but targeted
at secondary audience.
41Shaping Messages
- Remember the 3 Cs of communication when
developing key messages - Clear
- Concise
- Compelling
42Dealing with the Opposition
STAY ON MESSAGE!
- Use the 80/20 rule
- 80 of your response should be on message
- Respectfully acknowledge
- Briefly Respond
- Return to your message
43Dealing with the Opposition
- The best defense is a strong offense
- Be your own worst critic
- Provide advance warning
- Have your facts straight
- Keep your eyes on the prize
MASA publication, Rapid Referendum Response
What to do when you district is blindsided by
anti-referendum attacks, 2006
44Contact Information
- Susan BrottChief Marketing and Communications
Officer - West St. Paul - Mendota Heights - Eagan Area
Schools 1897 Delaware Avenue Mendota Heights,
MN 55118 (651) 403-7008 - susan.brott_at_isd197.org
45Contact Information
www.minnspra.org