Communications Tips
Enhancing your Mission Message
Frame The Debate to Your Advantage
Most of you are already familiar with the work of the brilliant linguist George Lakoff and already own
the book "Don't Think of an Elephant: Know Your Values and Frame the Debate--The Essential Guide for Progressives" (if not,
stop reading this page and get it at Amazon!).
But what steps have you taken to update your organization's literature to take advantage of the insights he offers?
While your arguments may be compelling, you are destined to lose when you (and the press) accept and use the terms offered
you by the opposite side which place them in an inherently positive light. You must, then, reframe the debate by reclaiming the language.
An environmental lobbyist, for example, might refer to a 'dirty skies' act rather than a 'clean air' act, because they are for - not against - clean air (who in their right mind could be against clean air?),
they are against dirty skies.
Offer a Positive and Optimistic Message
Americans pride themselves on being self-reliant, and your message won't get far if it is perceived as whining. Frame your message
as a cause, not a grievance, or you risk having it fall on deaf ears. And rather than presenting mind-numbing statistics of how bad things are,
try presenting positive solutions and ways in which the listener or reader can join forces with you. Al Gore's movie,
An Inconvenient Truth, as well as his slideshow presentation, end not with a doomsday
prediction but with a message of hope and unity. He brilliantly reminds us of how we have joined forces in the past to accomplish great things, and gives
us steps we can each take to reduce our impact on global warming today.
Fundraising - Yes it's Really Okay
Your organization may realize that more people would donate if they knew of your good work. You may have dedicated
in-house Public Information and development staff working to raise your profile as best they can. But no matter what organization you belong to,
Public Information efforts will exist within tight spending constraints. Philanthropic organizations cannot spend on publicity or awareness-raising without adversely affecting
their percentages.... you know the ones we're talking about: the percentages that donors look at when making philanthropic decisions.
But before you decide you cannot fundraise, consider the following arguments set forth by Arthur Brooks in his book Who Really Cares:
America's Charity Divide - Who Gives, Who Doesn't and Why it Matters :
- charity stimulates prosperity, happiness, and health
- fund-raising organizations receive, on average, more than five times as much donated income each year as those that don't
- non-profits should see themselves not as supplicants but as offering a valuable service, of benefit to their donor: their very well being. Donors do not need t-shirts, they need "a good cause and prompt evidence their donations are being used wisely"
Do you have a communication tip to share with others in the philanthropic community? Please use our contact page to share it with us.
