By creating a shorter annual report, you can communicate about all of your priorities with your most important stakeholders, while saving your team time, effort and money. Here, we’re going to be sharing an (only four-page!) annual report we love. We’re pointing out specific things we love about it and how you can use this as an example for your own work!
Read MoreAs communicators and leaders, we’re constantly having to put ourselves in other people’s shoes. At the heart of good communication is empathy—anticipating how our audience will receive information, and then customizing our approach based on that. I’m sharing my advice for how to do this here!
Read MoreOur country is in a reckoning. As leaders and communicators, it’s our responsibility to communicate—and, well, lead—during this time, all while processing our own emotions. That’s why here, we’re sharing resources, tips and strategies to help you communicate during this tumultuous time.
Read MoreOur hope for the holidays is that you find time to power down your big, beautiful brain long enough to enjoy a nap by the fire and enter 2021 equipped to incorporate self-care into your daily routines.
Read MoreWhen you know what audiences value about your work and their barriers to accessing your services, you can make smart, informed communications decisions. Ideal audience profiles enable you to speak to your audiences' unique values, address their pain points and share information on channels they frequently use.
Read MoreThis election’s outcome will represent something a little different for all of us. But the one thing I can promise is that we're going to work through the results—and what they mean for our work—together, and we’ll be right here to support you along the way.
Read MoreWe’ve heard from many of you that you’re struggling to break through the noise and that your audiences “just aren’t getting it.” You’re not alone. Right now, our brains are busy juggling uncertainty, stress and anxiety. That’s why we’re sharing two tips to help you reach your audiences.
Read MoreIf you’re struggling to slow down, remember this: your best work is produced when you are focused and calm. So what’s a chronic multitasker to do when faced with a global pandemic? Here are three ways we can all slow down.
Read MoreCustomizing your social media is one of the best ways to speak directly to your audience. We’re including step-by-step instructions on how you can ensure your social media posts are helping you accomplish your goals in our blog. (And we’ve created a free, printable worksheet just for you.)
Read MoreA recent Chronicles of Philanthropy report shared that your supporters and families want to hear from you during this pandemic. We’re sharing one of the best ways to communicate with them—and as always, we’re sharing the data behind our specific recommendations.
Read MoreMedia monitoring tools scour the internet for you and send you email alerts when the search terms you’re interested in are mentioned in the media. Here are our recommendations for the best (free) tools to use, along with a step-by-step guide for getting started!
Read MoreLong-term and strategic plans are a critical place to mitigate bias, ensure that we're preventing unanticipated outcomes and being intentional in our outreach efforts. Here are three tools that we love using in our work with clients to ensure our work does the most good possible.
Read MoreAs communicators, it’s our job to simplify our messaging so ALL our audiences understand what we’re sharing and why. That’s why we’re sharing why readability is important, what readability score writers should aim for, how to simplify complex messaging and how to use Microsoft Word to test readability through our blog and free PDF download.
Read MoreOur brains are wired to look for things we recognize and find patterns. So when you’re trying to make a complicated concept easy to explain, comparisons are your friend! We’re including tips on how to use them in your messaging here.
Read MoreBeing invited to the table AFTER all the big decisions have been made can be disheartening AND make our work harder. So how do you ensure that you are looped in early and often? Here are three suggestions to try.
Read MoreWe’ve ALL had to adjust to our new reality—and in many cases, that means hitting reset on a campaign to ensure we’re focusing on what’s most important to our target audiences and clients RIGHT NOW, building messaging to meet their needs and moving our priorities forward. That’s why today, we’re taking you behind-the-scenes by revealing the first three questions we ask at the start of any new project. (Or when recalibrating.)
Read MoreMost Fridays, my husband and I take half an hour to read to first graders. Not only does the activity keep me grounded in Forthright’s mission and in a school setting each week, but it’s also a great place to be reminded of some communications lessons. Here are three things I’ve learned about communications from spending time reading with first graders.
Read MoreThe average email open rate ranges between 15-25 percent. SMS messages are opened more than 95 percent of the time. That’s a crazy stat! Forthright team member Lauren breaks down why texting is a critical communications tool—now more than ever.
Read MoreWe don’t have to tell you that families and school staff have a lot going on right now. Searching for information—and wondering what they can trust—just adds to their stress. That's why we’re sharing tips to ensure your audience sees and trusts your messaging.
Read MoreWith coronavirus diagnosis and information changing in mere minutes, we’re hearing how hard it is for everyone to keep a clear head and stay focused on best practices. So this week, I figured we could do what I always do when I feel overwhelmed: take it back to basics. Let’s revisit some crisis communications best practices.
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