Introduction to Communications

“Thanks for your e-mail and for bringing your organization to my attention. It’s important work that you do and I’m pleased to know Girls Action Foundation is working to make a difference in girls’ lives.”

~ Kathy Rumleski, London Free Press

What Communications Means to Girls’ Programming

Once you start running your program, you may find that there is a need to tell people about the great work you are doing and gain their support and involvement. To build an effective and successful program you can integrate various types of communications strategies and tools. Communicating information about your project, including the mission and values, has many benefits. Some of these benefits can:

Raise awareness and build a profile for your organization or project.
Build credibility within your community, as well as with potential partners and participants.
Recruit volunteers and participants for your program.
Gain community partners, sponsors and potential donors.
And more!

Tips for Communicating Effectively

What do you want to communicate?

What is your message and what do you want the outcome to be? Knowing what your needs are for communicating will help you decide who to communicate to and how.

Who do you want to communicate to?

After you figure out what you want to say, you need to decide who you want to say it to. There are different ways of communicating for different audiences. For example, what you want to say to the media and how you say it will be different from your communications to potential funders or program partners.

How will you communicate?

Different audiences require different ways of being approached and communicated to. If you are trying to get a message out to the media, one way would be to use a press release. If you are trying to get funding, you may want to write a letter and for recruiting participants or volunteers, you may want to use social networking sites online. Figure out who you want to send your message to and decide what the best way is to reach that audience.

Two Important Rules when Creating Communications Tools

The 5 W’s

Regardless of who you are communicating to, make sure to answer What, Who, When, Where, and Why. This will help clarify what you are trying to say and ensure that you are providing your audience with all the relevant information they need.

Visual Aspects of Communicating

Make sure what whatever method you choose to utilize for communicating is clear and appealing to your audience. Make sure your communications look organized and are easy to read and understand. This will attract your audience to your message and engage them to find out more (and maybe even get involved!)

Basic Communications Tools Every Project Should Have

The Pitch

You should prepare a short and clear description of your project and its goals in order to explain what your project is all about. This pitch should be to the point and easy to understand. Most of all it should be natural for you to explain and an easy sell to others on what it is you do and the impact of your work.

The One Pager

Every project or organization should have a one-page summary of what the project is all about, who is involved, where it happens, when it happens and why it exists. This one pager will come in handy as a supporting document for all other communications initiatives, and can be used as an information sheet for those who are looking to get more information about your project or organization.

Things to Consider

Make sure your communications tools are easy to understand and all the pertinent information has been included and that your audience understand the message you are trying to get across.

Avoid: