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Sanity saved via efficient communication

Clear communication, internal and external, is crucial for any nonprofit, but many in the sector believe that improving communications must necessarily involve a major effort or expenditure, or they question the importance of communication.

Speaking during the Association of Fundraising Professionals’ international conference, Kathryn DeLong of the Cleveland Clinic and Liz Lear of Liz Lear Content Marketing stressed the importance of communication said that it is possible to amp up communications without sapping any of the organization’s energy.

Being strategically efficient in communications can save time, money, energy and, yes, even sanity, they said. Toward that end, they recommended:

  • Brightening content. Electrify messages by rethinking traditional formats (infographics, pull quotes, portability and in-house video) and taking a new angle;
  • Follow up on past gifts, put the reader in the trenches, use reader-submitted content, think of innovative design/production.
  • Don’t be afraid of big ideas.
  • Recycle. Killer content equals gold, so purposefully plan to re-use, make a master calendar, no one-and-done publication articles, ride current news trends.
  • Boost the donor’s dollar. Scrutinize the program and individual projects. Think message first, vehicle second. Don’t get tied to a publication or content format.
  • Promote inner team buzz. Remember that recycling is a team effort. Be proactive. Assign ownership.