In the child and family-focused work that we do, it can be hard to get real photographs of real people to use in your materials. But it’s definitely worth it. So with a little intention, a dash of project planning, and a can-do attitude, here are four steps you can take to get great photos for your organization.
Read MoreSmart communicators are moving away from press releases and using pitches — short emails tailored to specific reporters about specific topics. But we know writing the perfect pitch — and building personal relationships with journalists — can be tricky, so we’ve created a pitching checklist just for you! Download this free resource today and pitch with confidence, knowing that you’re following the best media relations practices possible.
Read MoreHave you ever received a draft of a written or designed document – and your heart sank because it isn’t quite right? We’ve all been there. Here are a few tips to get your creative project back on track!
Read MorePumpkin spice lattes may be taking over our world, but we're already thinking about the spring and making 2024 the best year yet. That's why – by popular demand – we're opening our training opportunities for 2024! Our trainings have been called “an excellent investment." Also: “polished and downright perfect." Here’s a (sampling of) what we’re offering starting in January.
Read MoreWe’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again: simple writing is…weirdly hard? That’s why we *just* updated one of our most popular resources – Writing for Your Community: How to Ensure Your Messaging is Easy to Understand – with fresh new data and updated best practices!
Read MoreThat exciting first date. A job interview for the perfect position. Your key communications materials. Can you guess what all of these have in common? The answer: first impressions really, really matter for all of them. You’re on your own with the first part of this list – but at Forthright, what we CAN do is to help ensure your communications materials get that first impression rose. Below, we’re sharing our favorite questions to ask while conducting a communications audit.
Read MoreLook, I get it. It’s absolutely not easy being a solo communications shop – you’re the one who writes the tweets AND dreams up the strategic communications plan. You’re over there photographing an event AND coordinating the reporter interviews. If you’re the only communicator in your organization, you deserve a round of applause. Today, I’m sharing four tips for solo communicators based on what we’ve learned through our work across more than 30+ one-person comms shops.
Read MorePeople hate change.
It makes us feel uncertain, uncomfortable and like things are out of our control. And that’s not just coming from me – that’s directly from Dr. Joseph Ciarrochi, author of “What Makes You Stronger: How to Thrive in the Face of Change.”
And this fact is really, really important for our work – because to best serve kids and families, we often have to lead innovation – also known to your families and team as change.
Here at Forthright, we’ve done a lot of research and work around tricky topics. We’ve included a few key takeaways from our most recent research project – school redistricting – below.
Read MoreWhether you’re watching, selling, teaching or learning, video remains a critical communications tool. As a matter of fact, 92 percent of marketers say video leads to a positive ROI. And your video options are virtually limitless. That’s why today, we’re breaking down two video types – animated and live action – to help you choose which one is right for your next big campaign!
Read MoreMaybe you just joined a new district or organization and want to do a communications audit. Perhaps you’re considering a big change that affects students. Or you simply want to build better communication with the families you serve through your nonprofit or foundation. No matter the reason, there’s one critical piece to all successful communications work: listening. Today, we’re sharing tips for before, during and after your listening sessions.
Read MoreWhen our team kicks off our work on a communications campaign, we focus first on the objective we’re trying to achieve. What’s our goal? But quickly afterwards, we ask the important question: who can make our goal a reality And that’s when we start our search for likely AND unlikely allies. We’re sharing what unlikely allies are — and how you can find them — here.
Read MoreOur besties know we *love* feedback. We always want to hear from YOU – the nonprofit and foundation leaders, the communicators, the public school superintendent, our PIOs – about what will make YOUR life easier.
You’ve shared that you know we have great resources – but sometimes have a hard time finding them. We heard you. That’s why we created a brand-new, easy-to-search resources page!
Read MoreA couple of weeks ago, my colleagues and I were reminiscing about “how PR used to be.” In addition to making us feel – well, like seriously seasoned comms professionals who have seen it all – it made us realize just how different things are.
So then I asked the rest of our teammates how PR has changed over their careers. Here are their answers, just for fun.
Read MoreWhen we work with a client on a branding and logo project that involves decisions about color choices, we always start with strategy. We ask questions such as: What do we want people to feel when they consider the organization? What emotions do we want people to associate with the brand?
Knowing the answers to those key questions can help us make smart color choices.
Read MorePassive language is the enemy of simple, easy-to-understand language. Using passive language can confuse your audiences – or even stop them from reading/listening to your message. We’re breaking down why, along with writing best practices.
Read MoreWe’ve spent years creating campaigns to reach both families with AND without internet access. Through our extensive research, we’ve put together a list of tactics that you can begin to implement – or use to improve your existing strategy – to effectively reach audiences without internet access. In the worksheet, we’ve included five tactics, the data that support each tactic and best practices to use while implementing each one!
The weather is warming, the days are longer and summer break is so close you can practically taste it. (And we hope it tastes like tropical beverages by a beach, or iced tea on a porch with nothing but you, a good book and a view.) During this final stretch, we have a few tips to finish strong, maximize on the summer and build positivity with your community and team.
Read MoreWe’re sharing the freshest data about how people are consuming news in 2023, so you can ensure your information gets in front of your target audiences, even while they’re sunning themselves at the beach.
Public school enrollment continues declining, and the U.S. Department of Education has the data to prove it. We’re sharing more of the fresh stats – and of course tips for your next steps.
Is your team stuck in a rut? Need some skills-building? Looking for a laughter-filled get-together centered around learning? Our marketing and communications workshops are jam-packed with helpful how-tos. You and your team will walk away with confidence and the knowledge you need to take (successful) action. Plus, we’ll have fun while we’re doing it! Here’s a (sampling of) what we’re offering this spring and summer…
