Caviar Communications On a SardineSized Budget

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Caviar CommunicationsOn a Sardine-Sized Budget

• Get the RIGHT Message
• To the RIGHT Audience
• In the RIGHT Way
• At the RIGHT Time

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Caviar Communications(On a Sardine-Sized
Budget)

• Looking for effective ways to be the megaphone
  and spotlight for your agency without spending
  a lot of dough?
• Well, join us as we learn about tested methods
  and tools that will help market, promote and
  build public awareness. 

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My mantras. Shall we chant together?

• The pyramids were not built in a year. Move
  forward, keep breathing, and set a winning pace.
• You dont work for NASA and you dont have a
  patient on the operating table.
• A Buick is great for now. Try for a Lexus in two
  years.

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Step 1 Develop clear message(s).

• Why? Average American receives 3,000 marketing
  messages a day
• Information overload and lots of clutter
• Takes 3 x to get message (see it, say it, do
  it)
• Clarity drives everything else

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No smoke signals allowed.Gotta be real clear
with your messages.

• Leadership sets the tone, message
• How can I say yes? (5-star customer service)
• Once theyre in the door
• Its all about building a relationship
• Explain the mission in tangible ways
• Its ok to make mistakes be innovative
• Authenticity and honesty are non-negotiable
• Photos, testimonials

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Rule 2 Build your brand.

• How can my agency stand out in the crowd?
• Its like a cattle drive, Ma. I know my cows from
  the herd because they are unique.
• What makes your agency unique?
• History? Founders? Programs? Years? Impact?
  Location?
• Create an annual slogan that says something
• Create quarterly key messages

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Branding

• Logo (yours, A2H)
• Colors
• Look feel (fonts, paper, etc)
• Whether it is the website or a printed pieceit
  all comes from the same family

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Rule 3 Define Your Audience(s)

• Horizontal marketplace (wide audiences)
• Define your service area
• Is it the general public?
• People in a particular zip code?
• People with a certain zip code?
• Ethnic? Age? Gender?
• Make a one-pager that lists
• Your mission
• Your programs
• Who you serve (describe your clients)
• Benefits to clients
• THIS DOCUMENT BECOMES YOUR 1 RESOURCE!

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Define your audiences, cont.

• Vertical Marketplace (segmented groups)
• Employees
• Board of Directors
• Donors (indiv, corps, fnds, other)
• Food Drive donors (indiv, corps, fnds, other,
  food drives)
• Volunteers
• Other supporters (people who care)
• (continued)

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define your audience(s)

• (continued) Vertical Marketplace
• Prospective donors (indiv, fndn, corps, etc)
• Media (print, TV, radio, Web, faith, ethnic,
  trade)
• Faith groups
• Elected officials (local, county, state, fed)
• Governmental agencies (USDA, etc)

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Yikes! Thatzz a lot of folks in my marketplace!
Im on overload!

• True but that is the pool of water in which you
  will you will throw your line.
• YOUR MINDSET you are providing the opportunity
  for these people (market segments) to be engaged
  in a cause that is VERY meaningful and rewarding.
  You are presenting them with a BENEFIT, WIN-WIN
  proposition.
• People are looking for MEANING in their LIVES!

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Now what do I do?

• Create a database and code each segment so you
  can pull unique groupings out.
• WHY? Because you should communicate with each
  segment in the way THEY want to receive
  information.
• OTHERWISEtheyll tune you out.

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Step 4 Your target markets

• EXAMPLE
• Board Members (they dont want a lot of info
  just enough to keep them informed of the right
  stuff)
• Quarterly newsletter
• Special event invitations
• Opportunity to sign up to e-zine

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Your target marketscont.

• EXAMPLE
• Donors
• Direct mail letters
• Newsletter
• Event invitations
• Opportunity to sign up for e-zine
• Personalized notes (based on giving level)

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Target markets

• EXAMPLE
• Media
• Ask your key media how they want to receive info
• Email or Fax press releases/advisories
• Newsletter with a cover letter
• Handwritten thank you note after coverage (or
  email)

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Step 5 Create your Communications PlanUsing
Your Toolbox

• Create a Communications Plan built off your
  agencies annual strategic plan
• NTFB To be THE MAIN source for food banking
  issues in North Texas
• Make your plan achievable and measurable, with a
  little stretch. (remember - NASA?)

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Build your Communications Planusing tools

• Communications Tools
• Website (make it a magnet)
• 1 way people get info today
• Our website mission Inform, educate, engage
• Feeling of hope, uplifting, results
• Accurate, timely, intuitive (never have an
  incomplete page up)
• Educate on nutrition, programs, hunger info
• Ways to help (, food, volunteer, advocacy, etc)
• Staff photos, bios, email link
• Show value of agency (awards, ratings, press
  coverage)

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Tools

• Printed materials (collateral)
• Expensiveso make it count
• Brochures
• Fliers
• Postcards
• Greeting cards

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Tools

• Newsletter
• Its all about thanking the donor and showing
  them how their efforts (, food, volunteering
  etc)
• MADE A DIFFERENCE!
• - Newsletter pays for itself

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Tools

• Communications materials
• Post on your website
• E-mail blasts to promote events
• Monthly e-zine (email newsletter)
• Your email signature (consistent for all staff)
• Add your logo or seasonal image within e-mail

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Tools

• Style Guide
• Keeps your images consistent
• Hard copy Digital
• Post on website
• Email to vendors (printers, artists, direct mail
  company)

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Tools

• Speakers Bureau
• Low cost, fabulous way to get your message out
• Train staff (diversity helps)
• Post on website
• Provide tools for speaker (video, fliers, etc)
• Speakers Bureau Box
• Report back on audience size etc

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Tools

• Warehouse Tours
• Post presentation checks on walls
• Post other signage, messages
• Introduce visitors to warehouse staffers enroute
• They share what they do with visitors (dual
  benefit)

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Tools

• Giveaways
• Annual message on t-shirt
• Mugs, note pads, pens
• Pallet pads
• Keep it simple, branded, inexpensive yet quality
• MIB (Mobile Information Box) for drivers (they
  are your ambassadors, too!)

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Tools

• Volunteer Program
• Very, very, very, very.important!
• 25 of our new donors came from vol. program
• Make it a memorable experience from the front
  door to their departure exceed their
  expectations!
• Treat them like houseguests arriving at your home
• Train employees or front office receptionist

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Toolsyour Volunteer Program

• Front door
• White board welcome messages
• Nametags (I helped end hunger today.)
• Sign in (capture contact info for TY notes, etc)
• Mini-tour enroute to work station
• Trained warehouse staff (cheerful, informative)
• Tell them how their efforts helped (lbs boxed)

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More tools

• Fact Sheets (annually)
• Key Messages (seasonal, quarterly)
• Boilerplate (annually)
• Biographies (annually)
• One person responsible
• Post on website

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Got my toolsnow, how do I use them?

• Look at your target audiences
• Determine best way to keep each target group
  engaged
• Dont overload with too many communiqués
• Less is better.

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Step 6 Measure your work.

• Track of volunteers, speeches, tours, donations
  by type-of-donor
• Track media hits (s of media stories)
• Track of new donors, formerly volunteers
• Survey groups (volunteers, food drive
  coordinators, etc)
• TOOL Survey Monkey (www.surveymonkey.com)

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Step 7 Motivate your team.

• You are the coach (staff, volunteers)
• You are one of the chief storytellers. Tell it
  with true passion, and remember, you are bringing
  a benefit to your listener (a way for them to
  engage in meaningful work)
• Let your enthusiasm be contagious.
• Acknowledge successes of your team -
  appropriately

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Motivating your team

• Skills needed to accomplish all of this?
• People with a passion for the cause
• Strong writers
• Energy (no flat EKG screen lines wanted)
• Can they roll up their sleeves?

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Non-negotiables

• Three non-negotiables
• Honesty
• Honesty
• Honesty
• Awwwwrightieso what else?
• Authenticity in visuals, words. (nuttin canned
  except for food drives! ? )
• Make it tangible

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Encouragement

• Good communications is not just about having a
  brochure, business card and an open front door.
• Good communications infuses everything in an
  organization. (Think of a tea bag dropped inside
  a clear glass of water. See the clear water turn
  into golden amber? Good communications flows into
  everything in your food bank world)

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Encouragement

• You have a passionate opportunity to present to
  another personsomething that will add meaning
  and fulfillment to them.
• Share the message appropriately and you will
  receive the anticipated response
• Deepen the relationship
• Exceed the expectation of the person and you
  will...
• Make them Caviar Ambassadors for your Agency!

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How may I help you?

• Colleen T. Brinkmann
• North Texas Food Bank
• Colleen_at_ntfb.org
• 214-330-1396, x122
• www.ntxfoodbank.org
• Call anytime! Were all in this together!