PowerPoint Presentation

How To Build a Communications Strategy

A 2017 Summer Playbook

Welcome to Summer 2017!

Dear No Kid Hungry Partners,

Welcome to Summer 2017! We know you’ve

been hard at work pulling together a strategy to

make sure kids in your community are able to

get the nutrition they need while school is out of

session this year.

Thank you for your tremendous efforts; we know

your success is due to a lot of hard work.

Now that you have your strategy in place, it’s

time to get the word out. Whether you’re trying to

reach community leaders, opinion elites or

eligible families, we’ve created this Strategic

Communications Playbook so you don’t have to

start your efforts from scratch.

We’ve collected tips, best practices, and

customizable assets from experts and partners

around the country so you have the tools at your

fingertips to get the right people to take the right

actions at the right time.

Here’s how this document works: Each

section will have an introductory page, followed

by a concrete example. This is followed by a

page filled with customizable assets like images,

messaging, flyers and widgets that we think

could be helpful. Finally, at the end of this

document, you’ll find a blank plan to fill out as

your own communications strategies come

together.

We hope you find this useful. And we’d love to

hear about the great work you’re doing to use

communications and marketing to drive

participation in your communities, so please,

keep in touch. And good luck this summer!

Sincerely,

Christy Felling

Welcome

Summer Tactics Hotline

Have an idea, a question, or a best practice

to share? Stay in touch!

Communications: Christy Felling

Share Our Strength/No Kid Hungry

Director, Media & Public Affairs

[email protected]

202.320.4483

Best Practices: Derrick Lambert

Share Our Strength/No Kid Hungry

Program Manager, Summer Meals

dlambert@strength.org

202.478.6519

More Summer Tools

No Kid Hungry Center for Best Practices

https://bestpractices.nokidhungry.org/free-

summer-meals-kids

Part 1: The Three Phases Of A Plan

How to build a strategic plan based on goals,

audiences and message.

Overview

Three Phases of a Strategic Communications Plan

All successful strategic communications strategies have one thing in common: They begin

with a sharp focus on goals, audiences and objectives. This will lead to smarter decisions

around capacity, budget and ensure that strategy is driving tactics, not the other way

around. Before focusing on what we plan to do, take a moment to answer these questions.

Phase 1: Right Targets

Define GOAL

At the most basic level, what are we trying to accomplish this summer? Get as specific as

possible; what needs to happen for this summer to be a “win”?

Define PROBLEM

What is the problem we’re trying to solve? Is this a problem that is solved by

communications? Is additional outreach or media attention a solution? Or is this solved

through other means?

Define DECISION MAKERS

Who is the “right person” who can actually achieve our goal? Who has the power of “yes” or

“no” to achieve the goals we’ve defined?

Phase 2: Right Message

Define AUDIENCE

Sometimes our audience is our decision makers. Most of the time, our audience is made up

of the people who can reach our decision makers.

Define MESSAGE

What do we need this audience to hear? How does this audience usually get their news and

information? Finally, how can we make this message targeted and repeatable so it reaches

our decision makers?

Phase 3: Right Tactics

WHAT are we going to do? Build a tick-tock – a week-by-week tactical to-do list - making

sure they reach targeted audiences and help achieve our stated goals.

WHEN are you going to do it? Add a timeline to your tick-tock with budget, project leads,

assets attached.

HOW will you know it was successful? What do you plan to measure?

PHASE ONE: Right Targets

A successful strategic communications

campaign has one mission:

Getting the right people to take the right

action at the right time.

The most important first step is to clearly

define our focus. This will allow us to make

targeted decisions about tactics, capacity and

budget.

We need to:

Fight the urge to jump straight to tactics.

We need to take our time with this step to

clearly define what problem we are trying to

solve and who are the people who will

ultimately say “yes” or “no.”

Be as targeted as possible. “Increase

participation in summer meals” is an OK

goal, but “increase participation in summer

meals in these three specific counties which

have good transportation options” is even

better. Targeting “moms” as decision-

makers is OK, but “moms with school-age

children who are already seeking assistance

through WIC clinics” is even better.

As we develop message and tactics, let’s

constantly take a step back and make sure

everything we are doing has a direct

impact on our decision-makers and goals.

Remember: Sometimes the smartest

decisions are dropping tactics because they

aren’t on target.

PHASE ONE: Example

Example Targets: Summer 2017

What do we need to

achieve?

Problem to solve

Who makes this

decision?

Increase summer meal

participation, specifically

through building increased

awareness of the program in

high-need areas with

transportation.

Families are unaware that

meal programs exist, or are

unsure about how to

participate. How do we make

sure people know what meals

are and how to find

when/where they’re served?

Parents – the ultimate

decision makers to drive

participation rates.

State agency staffers – can

help with target data and in

scaling outreach.

Coordinate outreach efforts

among groups serving eligible

families for a streamlined,

smooth process.

Different organizations using

different messages and

outreach. How do we

coordinate messages with

faith-based, government,

advocacy, education and

parental groups? And how do

we identify and replicate things

that are working well with

specific partners?

Advocates – trusted voices in

the community (school,

church, sports) who can find

solutions for kids in need.

Set the groundwork to improve

program reach in areas facing

specific barriers, educating

influencers about potential

solutions, including the

effectiveness of summer EBT

pilots or mobile meals.

Summer hunger is still

“invisible” problem for officials

with power to collect data,

make policy changes. How do

we change conversation

around summer hunger to

make a priority?

Media elite – can elevate our

message so it reaches

lawmakers, influencers,

others.

Lawmakers –

can make policy

changes.

PHASE TWO: Right Message

Choose Our Audience

Sometimes our priority audience is made up

of our actual decision makers. Sometimes, it’s

made up of the people who can influence or

speak to our decision makers.

Each of our priority audiences will require

different messages and tactics, so we need

to be as specific as possible.

Choose Our Message

Once we’ve identified our priority audiences, it’s

time think through the best ways to connect

with our audience.

Questions to ask:

• How does this audience receive information?

(Radio ads? Twitter? Handouts from school?

Flyers?)

• Who are the most trusted messengers to

convey this information? (Teachers? Church

leaders? Articles in the news? Word of mouth

from friends?)

• What are the top worries, concerns or

passions of this audience?

• How much does this audience already know

about summer meals?

• What is the current environment? Are there

external factors who could affect our

message?

Click here for sample summer messages to

customize for specific audience needs.

PHASE TWO: Example

Example: Audiences and Messages

We find our summer audiences generally fall into three “buckets.” Here is an example chart:

Audience

Where Audience

Gets News

Action To Take Primary Message

POTENTIAL

PARTICIPANTS

• Parents

• Kids themselves

• Word of mouth from

friends

• Respected leaders –

school, health,

church

• Organizations

already offering

services

• Media – radio ads,

non-cable TV ads,

social media

Participate in the

summer meals program

• What are summer

meals?

• Texting number

• Impact

• Safety/trusted sites

• Free, supervised

meals

COMMUNITY

ADVOCATES

• Hunger/poverty

allies. Educators

• Service offices –

WIC, lawmaker,

other

• Health –

Pediatrician

• Site operators –

faith, library,

community orgs

• Peer-to-peer –

newsletters, blogs,

social media

• Direct outreach from

community leaders,

NKH partners

• State agencies

Share information about

how to participate in the

summer meals program

• How to find summer

meals

• Sharing outreach

materials

• Barriers kids face

• Impact of program

on health, education,

well-being

THOUGHT LEADERS

• Lawmakers

• Op-ed writers

• Business leaders

• Education leaders

• Op-Eds/ Social

media

• Hands-on

experiences

• Peer-to-peer –

legislative,

education, business

journals

• Create the policies

that end childhood

hunger

• Make ending

childhood hunger a

top priority in the

community

• Set the stage to

attract new sponsors

next year

• Urgency of summer

hunger

• Impact of summer

hunger (health,

education)

• Barriers to summer

meals

PHASE THREE: Tactics

Create Our Tick-Tock

Putting our tactics and activities into a living,

organized chart - a tick-tock – keeps our

campaign strategic. A great tick-tock has five

key parts:

• Tactic – what is the most direct, specific

thing we can do to reach your audience? And

does it help to reach our stated goal?

• Timeline – Put specific dates to tactics. Find

ways to bundle tactics so they create a burst

of activity.

• Assignments – Designate who is taking

lead, who needs to sign off, and who is

needed to execute

• Budget – Take time to budget both money

and capacity. Be realistic!

• Measurement – What does success look

like? How will we measure both outputs and

outcomes?

List Our Tactics

Once we have our goals, audience, message

and calls to action, it’s finally time to think

about tactics and activities.

Some examples of tactics include kick-off

events, backpack flyers, radio PSAs, social

media, meetings, phone calls, paid ads,

newsletters, site visits, and op-eds.

For each tactic, ask ourselves, will this directly

reach my priority audience, will it help

achieve our goals, and do we have the

capacity to execute this?

Be ruthless; if a tactic sounds great but will

not directly reach our audience, shelve it. It’s

much better to have a few really powerful

tactics than a long list of ineffective ones.

PHASE Three: Example Tactics

Example 1: Tactics List

Here is non-exhaustive list of potential tactics/activities organized by which audience they are meant

to reach.

Audience and

Goal

Potential Tactics Needed: Assets

Make sure

POTENTIAL

PARTICIPANTS

have information about

summer meals – what

they are, where they

are, how they work.

• PSAs – Radio

• Signs – bus, store,

yard

• Robocalls

• On-receipt

campaigns (utility

bill, grocery stores)

• Canvassing

• PSA – Video (TV,

Web, DMV etc)

• Info cards at service

providers

• Backpack flyers

• Local organization

flyers

• Local news media

coverage

• Flyers

• PSA

• Call script

• Signs

• Media pitch

• Photos for media

• Spokesperson

• Info cards/card

holder

• Video

Make sure

COMMUNITY

ADVOCATES

have the tools and

information needed to

reach out to families

• Newsletter items for

specific group

• Texting widget

• Signs, flyers, cards

• Packets of info sent

to local groups

(faith, schools,

medical)

• Social media drive,

asking people to

share text number

or flyers

• Paid ads promoting

text number

• Desk-sides w/

reporters

highlighting local

hunger heroes

• Webinar w/

resources

• Church bulletin

outreach

• Info cards for WIC,

pediatrician, etc.

• Newsletter text

• Widget

• Signs

• Flyers

• Cards

• Social media ad

• Reporter list

• Webinar deck

• Designed church

bulletin info

• Info packets/cards

Engage THOUGHT

LEADERS, educating

about local hunger,

summer meal

solutions, local heroes

and potential

improvements.

• Video about

summer hunger

• Line up local

influencer for oped

• Invite reporters,

influencers,

lawmakers to site

visit

• Kick off event

• Share text widget

• Media partnership

w/ local broadcast

• Summer EBT info

pack to media

• Summer fact pages

to reporters,

legislators

• Fact pages

• Video

• List of influencers

• List of reporters

• Widget

• Event plan

• Summer EBT

packet

PHASE Three: TickTock

Example 2: NKH HQ Summer TickTock

Here is the (incomplete) start of a sample Summer Plans TickTock we’re working from here at HQ,

pulling together the elements of a summer marketing campaign.

Tactic Audience Timing Assignment Budget Status

Summer op-

ed, teacher

Influencer Mid-late June Write: CHF

Place: CHF

5 hrs

(write/pitch)

Finding

teacher;

drafting

message.

Radio PSA Participant Mid-May Script: MB

Record: Brian

Placement: MB

2 hrs each

$250

Find voice;

write script;

get list top

radio stas.

School flyers Participant Mid-May

Creation: Paul

Connect to school

groups: BD

Tracking: BD

1 hour creation

5 hours

execution

$3K print costs

Customize

flyer;

coordinate

w/ school

admin RE

distrib; find

best print

shop

Packets to

faith-based

groups

Advocates Early May

through late

June

Creation: MB

Distribution: BD

5 hour creation

3 hour

distribution +

present at

clergy

association

meeting

$0K

Packet list; will

distribute

electronic

versions,

reach out to

clergy

association

RE agenda

for next mtg.

Center for

Best

Practices

Webinar

Advocates in

field

Early May Slides – CHF

Webinar – Derrick

Presentation - MB

Prep time

Presentation –

1 hr

$0K

Slides in for

review –

BM, DL

CHF and MB

meeting to

talk

presentation

Part 2: Resources

Customizable resources so we don’t need to start

building assets from scratch.

Resource Appendix

Summer Meals Overview:

Slide deck that reviews the basics of the Summer Meals Program.

Collaborative Planning:

Collaborative planning is the foundational summer meals strategy that allows stakeholders to

join and address child hunger in creative ways that no individual organization can carry out

on its own. The Center for Best Practices No Kid Hungry Summer Collaborative Planning

Toolkit is an online resource designed to help you engage partners and hold meetings to

plan and evaluate summer meals programming.

Summer Core Message Document:

Sample language to ensure our overall message on summer hunger and its solutions

remains consistent, powerful and effective.

Outreach Materials:

Templates (in English and Spanish) for flyers, postcards, yard signs and more to help get the

word out about summer meals in your community.

Media Tip Sheet:

Target influential audiences by getting the message out in local news publications. We have

tips, overviews and best practices to help maximize the chances of getting something

placed. Learn more about using press releases, op-eds, letters to the editor, and blog posts.

Social Media:

Pre-written tweets highlighting the texting number, allowing families and advocates to find

their nearest summer meal sites.

Summer Texting Widget:

Pin this widget to your website (and encourage partners and allies to do the same) to make

sure families know how to text to find nearby summer meal sites.

Photo Archive:

Populate 1-pagers, Facebook feeds, websites and banners with these summer-themed

photos of kids enjoying great summer meals.

Part 3: Build Your Own Strategic

Communications Plan

A blank template to guide our teams through

building a strong, targeted communications plan.

PHASE ONE: Example

Example Targets: Summer 2017

What do we need to

achieve?

Problem to solve

Who makes this

decision?

PHASE TWO: Audience and Message

Audiences and Messages

Audience

Where Audience

Gets News

Action To Take Primary

Message

POTENTIAL

PARTICIPANTS

COMMUNITY

ADVOCATES

THOUGHT LEADERS

OTHER

PHASE Three: Tactics

Tactics List

Here is non-exhaustive list of potential tactics/activities organized by which audience they are meant

to reach.

Audience and

Goal

Potential Tactics

Needed: Assets

Make sure

POTENTIAL

PARTICIPANTS

have information about

summer meals – what

they are, where they

are, how they work.

Make sure

COMMUNITY

ADVOCATES

have the tools and

information needed to

reach out to families

Engage THOUGHT

LEADERS, educating

about local hunger,

summer meal

solutions, local heroes

and potential

improvements.

OTHER

PHASE Three: TickTock

Tick-Tock (Structured To-Do List)

Tactic

Audience

Timing

Assignment

Budget Status