Back to the Basics

Attention nonprofit organizations: passion is always attractive to those looking for a reason to become involved. Like the writer Jack Kerouac said, “The only people for me are the mad ones, the ones who are mad to live, mad to talk, mad to be saved, desirous of everything at the same time, the ones who never yawn or say a commonplace thing, but burn, burn, burn, like fabulous yellow Roman candles exploding like spiders across the stars.” This same energy is necessary in strategizing movements within nonprofits.

When reading chapter one of Strategic Communication for Nonprofits this week, it was interesting to note that being truly strategic is to anticipate and create events, not just react to them. In this modern age it is important to actively reach out to the world.  Media is there to be utilized as a powerful tool by those who are ready and willing to passionately communicate.

It is fascinating to simultaneously learn in COMM 456 and MKT 429 the importance of the nonprofit sector to society. An international phenomenon, the number of nonprofit organizations is growing and involves a significant amount of funds. Allowing citizens to collectively participate in their communities, nonprofits serve the purpose of providing services not performed by the business sector. Because nonprofits are not driven by commercial competitiveness, these organizations must recognize that great social change can be effected through the savvy use of media.

In order for a nonprofit organization to thrive, it is crucial that a capable and energetic team clearly define the mission and goals of the organization and then be proactive in their promotion. Heartwarming stories without a skilled storyteller will not win the fight for an audience in an environment competing for prized media attention. Thus, communication is a basic fundamental and key to success.

Despite the chaos of media activity, nonprofits do have an edge with personal accounts that appeal to the emotions and conscience of a charitable population. With this leg up comes the expectation that subsequent communication with that population be high on the priority list. The commitment of money and time can mean the difference between the success and failure of a nonprofit.  There are numerous dimensions of a nonprofit, but its main goal should be to express its values to various stakeholders for the purpose of resource attraction. A part of this essential is the understanding that collaboration between partner organizations results in better fundraising and constituent recruitment.

As a personal reflection, I would emphasize the appropriate and professional use of media. Cyberspace has certainly come a long way from the first computer that took up the entire room it was built in. Today, handheld devices allow interaction in a chat room with someone on the other side of the world. This nation is benefiting from increasing technological advantages that are dramatically changing the nature of media. The Internet also has the power to misconstrue original intentions of well meaning individuals or display embarrassing mishaps to the public. Naiveté mixed with online communication can have detrimental consequences to the originator. Nonprofit organizations, to whom reputation is everything, should keep this in mind.

It is revitalizing to get back to the basics when endeavoring to employ strategic communication. Working with the media is an ever-evolving challenge that should be embraced by all businesses but especially by the nonprofit sector. Of course like all communication tools, skill is required to work with the media and it is important to invest time and resources in building those skills. Excellent media outreach is of tremendous value to a passionate organization that is striving to raise awareness of its values and effect change.