Look, 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 MoreWhen you’re used to writing emails, white papers and journal articles for your peers and colleagues, it can be really hard to switch up your writing style and draft something easy to read for a different audience. What if I told you that it doesn’t have to be that way? With a little bit of effort, and some “tricks of the trade,” I know you can create high-quality materials that are easy to read. Here’s how…
Read MoreReaching out to the media can be a solid public relations tactic. But, a little tough love here: this approach is not for everyone. Just because you’re doing amazing, life-changing work doesn’t automatically mean that it will gain you a media hit. Before you hit “send” on your email to a journalist, we have two steps you should take in order to get ready to pitch.
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 MoreWhen we get fellow advocates, board members, families, business leaders, faith leaders, youth themselves involved in a cause, we’re unstoppable. However, to get partners involved, we need to make group advocacy easy. That’s where communications toolkits come into play. I’m including two tips to build a strong toolkit below.
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 MoreWe’ve been so lucky to have such a wonderful group of leaders and communicators to grow alongside. Most small businesses fail in the first three years of operation, so this particular anniversary is really meaningful to me personally as a founder.
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.
When we’re honest about the experiences that we share with our audiences, and how these differ from — and may inform — the lived experiences of others, we uplift the issues at hand and empower our audiences to be a part of the change we want to see.
As communicators, we’re often asked to help people with different lived experiences consider, even a little bit, the lives of others. But how do we communicate about issues that we, and our audiences, don’t have lived experiences of? We’re so happy you asked! Let’s break it down.
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.
Your brand identity – from your name to tagline to logo – is your first introduction to your most important stakeholders. By approaching it with strategy and centering your audiences, you can ensure you’re building a strong brand that helps you accomplish your mission. We are including three tips here!
Read More
