A 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 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!
We’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.
Easy-to-read messaging is kind. It helps your audiences understand your work and what you want them to know. On the flip side, when a message uses big words, acronyms and jargon, it is – by definition – exclusionary. Today, we’re sharing more about how we recommend approaching your messaging.
Read MoreFamilies in your district know their teachers – they communicate with those teachers – they trust teachers. While as a district leader, you play a truly critical role in helping your district succeed (and frankly, we think you’re awesome for it), you're not always the one parents are engaging with weekly, or even daily. And THAT, my friends, means you have a huge communications opportunity in front of you. We’re sharing more here.
Read MoreCommunicators like us face disinformation and misinformation spreading through social media, the news and in our communities every day. We’re sharing a few tips about how to combat this misinformation here — starting with why people believe it in the first place.
Read MoreOur old ways of brute force and hustle culture never served us. Why bring those attitudes into the new year? Here, we’re sharing three ways to ensure your communications goals for 2023 are smart and focused on your team — and set you up for success, too.
Millions across the US choose to swipe right on, or decidedly say no thank you to, potential partners on dating apps every month. And much like hopeful (or jaded) singles swiping through profiles, your potential supporters, partners and stakeholders often make the decision to learn more about you – or write you off – in mere seconds. I bring this up because thinking about your organization’s brand personality as a dating profile…can actually be a great exercise! We’re including an example here.
Read MoreAs I think about tomorrow’s election, I’m listening to The Final Countdown on repeat. Our campaigns are on their final stretches – and our country’s future is in our voters’ hands now.
No matter what the results are, I know many of us will be making the tough decision of whether to issue statements or responses about the election results. Or not.
Read MoreAs experts who focus on messaging, we’re always advising our clients to make strategic choices about the information they share, the comparisons they make, and the words they use. Knowing more about framing can help you win campaigns, change hearts and minds, and move your work forward.
There are typically three framing scenarios that communicators face when leading a campaign. Let’s dive into them.
Read MoreThrough her work with school districts and nonprofits, Forthright senior advisor Lauren knows how to reach a variety of audiences. Today, Lauren is sharing how organizations and districts like yours can better include grandparent caregivers in your tactics and build more inclusive communications.
Read MoreThere’s a buzz in the air, tempting you with ideas like: “Can we stand up a whole campaign next week? Can we land that shiny New York Times piece? Can we push out all of our fresh data to everyone across digital?”
And maybe, “You know what… we’re gonna need some help with this.”
Ultimately, knowing if and when you're ready to engage a communications firm helps make sure that you’re making a sound investment and sets you up for a solid, successful partnership!
Read MoreI grew up the middle child – not the first born, not the baby of the family. Yet I can confidently say that (as a future communicator) I was still the best at convincing our parents to do what I wanted.
My secret? Thinking about what was personally important to them…and then matching what I wanted with what they valued.
And that secret, my friend, is the entire secret to good communications.
Read MoreEarlier this year, we asked you to share the skills you're most focused on building in 2022.
Many of you said that you'd like to do more around audience analysis for communications planning. You want to gain a better understanding of your audiences' values, motivations and their pain points – ultimately setting the stage for an effective campaign.
So, we put together an easy three question checklist to get you started on smart audience analysis.
Read MoreI’ve scrolled past endless LinkedIn posts, tweets and Facebook comments these past few weeks -- all with the same sentiment. What we’re living through now isn’t acceptable, and we want it to be different.
Here’s the communication problem with the “something must change” posts: they unintentionally perpetuate the idea that the problems we face are too big.
Read MoreWe’ve all heard the phrase a picture is worth a thousand words. And that’s true – but in marketing and advocacy, the images aren’t just about the pictures themselves and the words they represent. They are also about the feelings they evoke and the narratives they help shape.
Read MoreWe know your work – all of our work – is directly impacted by recent tragedies and crises. Dallas, Buffalo, Laguna Woods, Uvalde. The formula crisis, attacks on necessary equity efforts in our schools and child care shortages. These all signal the need for a major revolution.
So what do we want? Long-term, sustainable policy change to help our children and families thrive. When do we want it? NOW. (I mean, years ago, really.)
So that’s what we’re focused on today. We reviewed more than 10 peer-reviewed journal articles, book excerpts and research studies (in addition to years of experience working with policymakers!) to ensure that you have what you need to succeed in your advocacy.
Read MoreWhen talking about big issues that aren’t disappearing anytime soon, relying on sentimental language, grim details, or an instinctually emotional reaction from audiences can actually do more harm than good. Here are three things to think about when communicating about tough topics.
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