So you just landed a job as a communications director. Welcome to the big leagues, my friend! Whether you earned an internal promotion or you’re new to the organization, as someone who has stood in your shoes multiple times over the years, I’ve got a few tips to help you make the most out of your new role.
Read MoreI’ve had clients tell me that they’re nervous to do live television appearances or even speak with a reporter. “What if they ask me something I don’t know the answer to?” they ask us, dread in their voices. “What if they ask me about something I don’t want to talk about?”
Well, friends, you don’t need to be nervous, you just need to pivot.
Read MoreAs a PR firm founder, it’s my job to watch for macro-trends and patterns across our work. I’m keeping an eye on the big picture and constantly taking a pulse on the audiences (parents, school district administrators, child care providers, etc.) we frequently target through our work.
And honestly? I’m concerned.
Read MoreI was in DC this spring, and I spotted someone wearing a tee shirt reading “words mean things”.
My husband, a software engineer, didn't understand why I instantly fangirled over this shirt.
But as leaders and communicators, you get it — words DO mean things. We have a responsibility to choose them wisely and understand how they land and how different people interpret them.
Read MoreI grew up the middle child – not the first born, not the baby of the family. Yet I can confidently say that (as a future communicator) I was still the best at convincing our parents to do what I wanted.
My secret? Thinking about what was personally important to them…and then matching what I wanted with what they valued.
And that secret, my friend, is the entire secret to good communications.
Read MoreIt’s overwhelming out there, these days, eh? A flood of news. Constant notifications. According to recent health data from OnePoll, we’re all feeling overworked and exhausted.
So as changemakers, how do we break through the tired and overwhelmed in order to move our work forward?
The answer is simple:
One.
Read MoreEarlier this year, we asked you to share the skills you're most focused on building in 2022.
Many of you said that you'd like to do more around audience analysis for communications planning. You want to gain a better understanding of your audiences' values, motivations and their pain points – ultimately setting the stage for an effective campaign.
So, we put together an easy three question checklist to get you started on smart audience analysis.
Read MoreTwitter has made its intentions clear: to keep your feeds free and clear of this kind of “disruptive,” duplicative posting.
We waited a beat to see how this rule was playing out in our feeds, the algorithm and in our partners’ social strategies. Here's what *we know* this means so far for all of us and our Twitter experiences.
Read MoreI’ve scrolled past endless LinkedIn posts, tweets and Facebook comments these past few weeks -- all with the same sentiment. What we’re living through now isn’t acceptable, and we want it to be different.
Here’s the communication problem with the “something must change” posts: they unintentionally perpetuate the idea that the problems we face are too big.
Read MoreWe’ve all heard the phrase a picture is worth a thousand words. And that’s true – but in marketing and advocacy, the images aren’t just about the pictures themselves and the words they represent. They are also about the feelings they evoke and the narratives they help shape.
Read MoreWe know your work – all of our work – is directly impacted by recent tragedies and crises. Dallas, Buffalo, Laguna Woods, Uvalde. The formula crisis, attacks on necessary equity efforts in our schools and child care shortages. These all signal the need for a major revolution.
So what do we want? Long-term, sustainable policy change to help our children and families thrive. When do we want it? NOW. (I mean, years ago, really.)
So that’s what we’re focused on today. We reviewed more than 10 peer-reviewed journal articles, book excerpts and research studies (in addition to years of experience working with policymakers!) to ensure that you have what you need to succeed in your advocacy.
Read MoreWhen talking about big issues that aren’t disappearing anytime soon, relying on sentimental language, grim details, or an instinctually emotional reaction from audiences can actually do more harm than good. Here are three things to think about when communicating about tough topics.
Read MoreWhen it comes to storytelling, you’re already sold. You know stories about your work help demonstrate your organization’s impact in a personal, relatable way.
Now, it’s on to actually telling the stories. That starts with interviews. And this – this is the step when even seasoned communications professionals can get a little nervous. From how to ensure you’re getting consent to asking questions in a respectful way, it can be a little tricky!
Here’s Forthright’s true-blue formula for asking for initial consent and asking questions.
Read MoreYou’re not the only one feeling this weary. Our brains are stuffed. Our overwhelm is preventing us from thinking clearly and from making decisions in the way that we used to.
And yet…we’ve got real work to do. Fighting for change for children and families is necessary today. The time is now. Our work, our life’s work, it’s more important than ever before.
As consultants who work with busy brains every day, we have a few tricks up our sleeve that we use to focus and move our work forward. Here are a few of our current favorites.
Read MoreWhen Jon Jon served as Forthright’s social media strategist, his wise counsel about how and when to use our voice on national issues was a guiding beacon for us. Today, Jon Jon joins us for special projects like this one – helping you decide if, when and how to chime in on Big Conversations.
Read MoreForthright Senior Advisor Ashley Peterson-DeLuca dug into the research about how our inbox-reading behavior changed during and after the pandemic. Check out her email marketing tips to make sure you’re following up-to-date practices.
Read MoreThe way we process information in a crisis – like, you know, an ongoing pandemic and wartime – is different. Right now, our attention spans are shorter, and we’re more forgetful, too.
This means that to best serve our audiences, we need to focus on delivering information as clearly as possible.
The key to this clarity? Breaking it up!
Read MoreForthright founder Katie recently sat down with Elana Leoni, founder of Leoni Consulting Group, to chat about this exact topic: the power of storytelling.
We’re sharing a few key takeaways from the conversation here. (Or, listen to their podcast convo here!)
Read MoreYou have 20 tabs open.
You’ve got your phone in one hand, scrolling through your feeds, while you’re checking your emails on your laptop.
You’re wondering what hashtag you should use.
Put down your phone. Close those tabs. Resist the trending hashtag.
We’re always being told more is better. More social media outlets, more messaging, more fries, more EVERYTHING. But here’s the thing: that’s a lie (with the exception of the fries part.)
Read MoreDifferent year, same annual report. Do you find yourself having similar thoughts as you launch your 2022 annual report process? If you do, you’re not alone–we’ve heard this sentiment from communicators across the country.
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