Benton Foundation
 
Strategic Communications...
...in the digital age  

ARCHIVAL MATERIAL

Think it Through

Put it to Work

Advocacy
Community Building
Partnerships
Reach Your Audience

What to Watch

Peer2Peer Learning

Funders' Corner

BENTON FOUNDATION

www.benton.org

© Benton Foundation 2001
Reach Your Audience
A perfect message is nothing if it doesn't reach your target audience.

The tools and resources in this area can help you conduct effective outreach campaigns to the people that you really want to hear your message. Be sure also to check out:

An important component to reaching your audience is using the mass media including print, television and radio. Visit our Media Relations page to learn how best to work with the media.

Tools & Resources:
Use these how-to articles and tip sheets to help your nonprofit reach your target audience.

Family to Family Strategic Communications: Media Relations for Child Welfare
The Annie E. Casey Foundation has compiled resources for confronting problems facing child welfare agencies nationwide. One guide, titled Strategic Communications: Media Relations for Child Welfare, offers an example of a communications strategy through the lens of child welfare. Although specifically written for this sector, the lessons can used by all nonprofits. Also included is a sample communications plan outlining the goals, beliefs, audiences and message of the Family to Family initiative. A free registration is required to view the PDF overview and full report.

Now Hear This: Specify What People Should Do
According to this publication from Fenton Communications, the best way to spur your audience to action is to make your "ask" simple and doable. This means breaking down your larger campaign to one simple action your audience can do to contribute.

Using Grassroots Documentary Films for Political Change
This article from MediaRights.org describes the potential of using documentary films for outreach. The author offers eight tips for maximizing the outreach potential of a documentary; the advice can be translated for other types of media as well.

Getting Started: Outreach Via the Internet for Not-for-Profit or Public Sector Organizations
Coyote Communications provides suggestions and resources for publicizing your message on the Internet and through e-mail.

Publicizing Your Web Site
This resource from ONE/Northwest lists several ways to publicize your online efforts to both people you know and new audiences.

Tips for Effective Online Media
NetAction shares their recommendations for getting your word out electronically.

Web Site Promotion and Submission
from About.com includes information on how to submit your site to search engines and what you should know before you do.

How can an email newsletter support our nonprofit Web site?
This brief article from the Nonprofit Genie explains how an email newsletter can support your Web efforts by driving traffic to your site and includes the basics of creating one.

Profiles:
For inspiration, read these stories and lessons learned by other nonprofits doing marketing and outreach.

Environmental Defense: From Brochureware to Actionware
As one of the earliest adopters of Internet technology in both the nonprofit and environmental activism sectors, Environmental Defense has many lessons to share. Learn from their challenges and successes in this interview conducted by Michael Stein.

Using the Internet to End Domestic Violence
The Family Violence Prevention Fund uses the Internet for outreach, fundraising, and advocacy in pursuit of their mission to end domestic violence.

Smart Strategies: CARAL Chooses the Internet
This interview with the California Abortion and Reproductive Rights Action League (CARAL) reads like a model "how-to" guide to nonprofit communications on the Internet. Learn how CARAL uses its Web sites and e-mail to collect donations, encourage activism, and communicate with supporters as they fight to defend a woman's right to choose.

Using the Internet to Deliver Technical Assistance
In this profile, a representative of Consortium for Appropriate Dispute Resolution in Special Education (CADRE) shares how this national nonprofit has harnessed Internet technology to deliver technical assistance to its constituency.

The Impact of Internet Technology on Big Brothers Big Sisters of San Francisco and the Peninsula
From online giving to newsletters to discussion boards, BBBS has tried it all! Michael Stein interviewed them about what BBBS learned developing their own Internet strategy.

Moyers and Outreach: Lightning In The Sky: A Call To Confront Death
Learn about the successful nationwide outreach campaign for the program On Our Own Terms: Death and Dying by Bill Moyers and the Public Broadcasting Corporation. Utilizing a coalition of nonprofit organizations from across the country, as well as outreach via all media, PBS was successfully able to reach their audience and increase viewership of the program. Although a national campaign, the lessons learned from this outreach effort can be translated to local initiatives as well.

Online Discussion: Targeting Your Audience
Read first hand accounts of how nonprofits are reaching their audiences in this online discussion hosted by Benton and Helping.org in January 2001.

 

What to Watch:
These articles address audience-related trends in communications.

Contributor Relationship Management
In this article, Shirley Sexton recognizes the importance of building relationships with your current and potential contributors with a special focus on doing so via the Internet.

Nonprofits and the Internet: Creating An Effective Online Presence
In this brief article, Internet consultant Michael Stein outlines methods for making the most of your organization's Web presence.

 

Last updated: 17 July 2001 mff