We “start with the end in mind” ~ Stephen Covey
- What’s the problem you’re trying to solve?
- What’s the outcome you seek?
- Who are the people you need to convince?
These questions will identify your most important audiences, what they need to know and how best to reach them.
You never “just want a speech” for the Chamber of Commerce or the AGM. You want the audience to leave knowing something specific or to be compelled to take action.
You never “just want a news release.” You want to reach a defined audience with a clear message or call to action.
And, you want to ensure your message is consistent, memorable and delivered in different ways to maximize reach and reinforce the call to action.
Here’s an example
Challenge: In 2020, the Waterloo Region Crime Prevention Council and a coalition of 18 community groups needed people to: be aware of the higher risk of family violence during COVID-19 lockdowns; know how to help; and understand that shelters were still open and safe.
Strategy: Use a multi-pronged approach to leverage the reach of coalition members. Use media relations and social media for public awareness. Initiate a government relations strategy to urge local leaders to share campaign materials. Launch an employer campaign to reach thousands of employees through the region’s largest employers, including participating municipalities. Hold online bystander training workshops to empower community members.
Outcome: In just a few months, the campaign
- Generated over 1M earned media impressions in the target region
- Proactively engaged local elected, community and business leaders
- Neighbouring communities requested campaign materials to expand the reach beyond the original target.
Together, we’ll explore the issue you’re facing and the outcome you’re looking for to develop a custom approach that may include:
- Corporate communications (employee or leadership communications, events)
- Media relations
- Government relations
- Stakeholder relations
- Coalition building
- Social media
Accolade Communications 