Media, Public Engagement & Outreach

Visibility and Dissemination Toolbox

Moving your great cause with external communication

How are you communicating with your target groups, stakeholders, public and private institutions, partners, and donors? Are your messages clear, strategic, and engaging? Use these 10 cards to build trust and great relationships with everyone you communicate with outside your organization.

Become a celebrity via traditional media (newspaper, TV, radio, online)

Do you strategically navigate the traditional outlets—press releases, announcements, interviews—or are you just sending out messages and hoping they land? Are you building meaningful relationships with journalists, influencers, bloggers, and podcast hosts? Use these 10 cards to build relations with traditional media and influencers and make them a microphone for your values.

Storytelling for impact: turn boring into exciting

Are your blog posts and presentations captivating, or are they just a collection of facts that fail to inspire? Are you engaging your audience emotionally and making them care about your cause? With the right storytelling techniques, you can turn any project, initiative, or data into a narrative that sparks action and fosters deeper connections. Use these 10 cards to amplify your impact and master narrative-driven communication.

Disclaimer

  • Project: Visibility and Dissemination Toolbox for NGOs.
  • Project number: 2023-1-DE04-KA220-YOU-000159755.

These materials were created within the framework of the project "Visibility and Dissemination Toolbox for NGOs" implemented by TERRA TECH Förderprojekte e.V. from Germany, LifeZone Group from Estonia, My Madeira Island from Portugal and Clictic S.L. from Spain. 

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  • All Rights Reserved. © 2024
The Importance of Presenting at Conferences
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Engage with peers, share insights, and build credibility.

Why It’s Needed:

Presenting helps you share your ideas with others, learn from them, and show your expertise, which can lead to new opportunities.

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  1. Identify Relevant Conferences: Research and create a list of upcoming industry conferences.
  2. Choose a Topic: Decide on a subject that showcases your expertise and relates to the audience.
  3. Prepare a Proposal: Write a short description of your presentation to submit to the conference organizers.
  4. Create Your Presentation: Develop slides or materials that are engaging and informative.
  5. Network During the Event: Make connections with attendees and other presenters.
  6. Follow Up: After the event, reach out to new contacts and express appreciation for their interest.
Segmenting Your Audience
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Tailor communication to match each group’s needs and interests.

Why It’s Needed:

Segmenting helps you understand different groups better so you can send them messages that resonate and are relevant.

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  1. Identify Audience Groups: Write down different types of audiences (e.g., donors, beneficiaries).
  2. Collect Information: Use surveys or interviews to find out what each group's needs and interests are.
  3. Create Profiles: Summarize the characteristics, interests, and preferences of each group.
  4. Develop Specific Messages: Craft tailored messages for each audience based on their profile.
  5. Test Messages: Share your tailored messages with a small group from each audience for feedback.
  6. Launch Targeted Campaigns: Roll out your tailored communication and adjust based on responses.
Developing Vision and Mission
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Define your organization’s purpose and goals.

Why It’s Needed:

Having a clear vision and mission helps everyone in the organization understand what you aim to achieve and guides decision-making.

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  1. Conduct Team Workshops: Gather input from team members about what the organization stands for and its goals.
  2. Draft Simple Statements: Write concise drafts of your vision (what you aspire to be) and mission (how you will get there).
  3. Solicit Feedback: Share drafts with your team and ask for their thoughts to refine them.
  4. Finalize Statements: Agree on clear, engaging versions of your vision and mission.
  5. Communicate These Widely: Post your finalized vision and mission on your website, social media, and promotional materials.
  6. Integrate into Strategy: Ensure that all projects and actions reflect these statements, using them to guide decision-making and strategic planning.
Understanding Your Target Group
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Discover what motivates your audience members.

Why It’s Needed:

Understanding your audience helps you communicate more effectively and create stronger connections.

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  1. Conduct Surveys or Interviews: Ask your audience about their needs and preferences.
  2. Analyze Information: Look for common themes or patterns in the collected data.
  3. Create Audience Profiles: Summarize the key characteristics, needs, and interests of different groups.
  4. Craft Tailored Messages: Use the profiles to write messages that specifically appeal to each group.
  5. Test Your Strategies: Implement small campaigns to see how well your messages resonate.
  6. Gather Feedback: Collect responses to improve future communications.
Be Accessible
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Respond quickly to build trust and engagement.

Why It’s Needed:

Being accessible shows your audience that you value their questions and concerns, leading to stronger relationships.

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  1. Set Clear Response Guidelines: Decide how quickly you aim to reply to inquiries.
  2. Train Your Team on Communication: Provide training on best practices for responding to queries.
  3. Regularly Monitor Communication Channels: Check emails and social media accounts frequently.
  4. Use Auto-Responses: Set up automatic replies to acknowledge receipt of messages.
  5. Ask for Feedback: Find out what your audience thinks about your accessibility.
Involve Decision-Makers
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Involve leaders in your initiatives.

Why It’s Needed:

Engaging key stakeholders helps them witness the impact of their support and increases their commitment to your mission.

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  1. Identify Key Stakeholders: Make a list of important decision-makers within your organization and community.
  2. Plan Invitations: Create opportunities for them to participate in events or initiatives, such as project tours or workshops.
  3. Prepare Impact Stories: Gather data and stories that showcase the positive outcomes of their support to share during interactions.
  4. Encourage Involvement: Ask them to contribute ideas or speak at events to strengthen their engagement.
  5. Follow Up: After events, send thank-you notes and updates on project progress to keep them involved.
  6. Provide Regular Updates: Keep stakeholders informed about ongoing projects and impacts to maintain interest.
Highlight Your Supporters
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Recognize and appreciate contributions.

Why It’s Needed:

Acknowledging supporters fosters loyalty and encourages ongoing engagement with your cause.

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  1. Gather Donor Information: Create a list of all supporters, including their contributions.
  2. Craft Thank-You Messages: Write personalized thank-you letters or emails expressing appreciation for their support.
  3. Utilize Social Media: Share posts highlighting supporters and their contributions, tagging them if possible.
  4. Include in Reports: Feature them in annual reports to publicly acknowledge their impact.
  5. Create a Recognition Program: Establish a regular program to spotlight supporters in newsletters or events.
  6. Engage with Updates: Keep supporters informed on how their contributions make a difference through regular updates.
Hosting Promotion Events
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Engage the public and increase visibility.

Why It’s Needed:

Community events help raise awareness about your organization and build stronger local connections.

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  1. Plan Event Type: Decide on the format of the event (e.g., fair, workshop, open house) based on community interests.
  2. Set a Date and Venue: Choose a convenient time and accessible location for attendees.
  3. Promote the Event: Use social media, flyers, and community boards to spread the word.
  4. Prepare Activities: Plan engaging activities that showcase your mission and encourage participation.
  5. Collect Feedback During the Event: Ask attendees for their thoughts to improve future events.
  6. Follow Up with Participants: Send thank-you emails and share highlights from the event to maintain interest.
Memorability Through Merchandise
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Create lasting impressions with branded items.

Why It’s Needed:

Quality merchandise fosters recognition of your brand and keeps your organization top-of-mind.

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  1. Identify Merchandise Ideas: Brainstorm items that reflect your brand (e.g., T-shirts, mugs, eco-friendly bags).
  2. Source Quality Suppliers: Find reliable vendors for producing your merchandise.
  3. Design Thoughtfully: Ensure the design aligns with your branding and mission.
  4. Distribute Strategically: Use merchandise as giveaways at events, for fundraising, or as thank-you gifts for donors.
  5. Promote Merchandise: Feature items on your website and social media to increase visibility.
  6. Gather Feedback: Ask recipients how they feel about the merchandise to improve future offerings.
Strategic Social Media
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Enhance visibility through engagement and targeted posts.

Why It’s Needed:

A strategic approach to social media increases interaction and builds relationships with your audience.

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  1. Choose the Right Platforms: Identify which social media platforms your audience uses most.
  2. Create a Content Calendar: Plan and schedule your posts in advance for consistency.
  3. Utilize Engaging Content: Share photos, stories, and videos that resonate with your audience.
  4. Tag Partners: Include stakeholders in your posts to expand reach and visibility.
  5. Monitor Engagement: Track which posts perform best to refine your strategy.
  6. Respond to Interactions: Engage with comments and messages to build community and trust.

Audit your online presence

Making a Responsive Website

What will people discover if they Google your organization? Will they find a polished presence that reflects your mission and values—or an outdated website and half-forgotten listings on platforms like SALTO? Are your public presentations at events aligning with your brand?

Audit your online presence

Making a Responsive Website

What will people discover if they Google your organization? Will they find a polished presence that reflects your mission and values—or an outdated website and half-forgotten listings on platforms like SALTO? Are your public presentations at events aligning with your brand?

Audit your online presence

Making a Responsive Website

What will people discover if they Google your organization? Will they find a polished presence that reflects your mission and values—or an outdated website and half-forgotten listings on platforms like SALTO? Are your public presentations at events aligning with your brand?

Audit your online presence

Making a Responsive Website

What will people discover if they Google your organization? Will they find a polished presence that reflects your mission and values—or an outdated website and half-forgotten listings on platforms like SALTO? Are your public presentations at events aligning with your brand?

Audit your online presence

Making a Responsive Website

What will people discover if they Google your organization? Will they find a polished presence that reflects your mission and values—or an outdated website and half-forgotten listings on platforms like SALTO? Are your public presentations at events aligning with your brand?

Audit your online presence

Making a Responsive Website

What will people discover if they Google your organization? Will they find a polished presence that reflects your mission and values—or an outdated website and half-forgotten listings on platforms like SALTO? Are your public presentations at events aligning with your brand?

Audit your online presence

Making a Responsive Website

What will people discover if they Google your organization? Will they find a polished presence that reflects your mission and values—or an outdated website and half-forgotten listings on platforms like SALTO? Are your public presentations at events aligning with your brand?

Audit your online presence

Making a Responsive Website

What will people discover if they Google your organization? Will they find a polished presence that reflects your mission and values—or an outdated website and half-forgotten listings on platforms like SALTO? Are your public presentations at events aligning with your brand?

Audit your online presence

Making a Responsive Website

What will people discover if they Google your organization? Will they find a polished presence that reflects your mission and values—or an outdated website and half-forgotten listings on platforms like SALTO? Are your public presentations at events aligning with your brand?

Audit your online presence

Making a Responsive Website

What will people discover if they Google your organization? Will they find a polished presence that reflects your mission and values—or an outdated website and half-forgotten listings on platforms like SALTO? Are your public presentations at events aligning with your brand?

Audit your online presence

Making a Responsive Website

What will people discover if they Google your organization? Will they find a polished presence that reflects your mission and values—or an outdated website and half-forgotten listings on platforms like SALTO? Are your public presentations at events aligning with your brand?

Audit your online presence

Making a Responsive Website

What will people discover if they Google your organization? Will they find a polished presence that reflects your mission and values—or an outdated website and half-forgotten listings on platforms like SALTO? Are your public presentations at events aligning with your brand?

Audit your online presence

Making a Responsive Website

What will people discover if they Google your organization? Will they find a polished presence that reflects your mission and values—or an outdated website and half-forgotten listings on platforms like SALTO? Are your public presentations at events aligning with your brand?

Audit your online presence

Making a Responsive Website

What will people discover if they Google your organization? Will they find a polished presence that reflects your mission and values—or an outdated website and half-forgotten listings on platforms like SALTO? Are your public presentations at events aligning with your brand?

Audit your online presence

Making a Responsive Website

What will people discover if they Google your organization? Will they find a polished presence that reflects your mission and values—or an outdated website and half-forgotten listings on platforms like SALTO? Are your public presentations at events aligning with your brand?

Audit your online presence

Making a Responsive Website

What will people discover if they Google your organization? Will they find a polished presence that reflects your mission and values—or an outdated website and half-forgotten listings on platforms like SALTO? Are your public presentations at events aligning with your brand?

Audit your online presence

Making a Responsive Website

What will people discover if they Google your organization? Will they find a polished presence that reflects your mission and values—or an outdated website and half-forgotten listings on platforms like SALTO? Are your public presentations at events aligning with your brand?

Audit your online presence

Making a Responsive Website

What will people discover if they Google your organization? Will they find a polished presence that reflects your mission and values—or an outdated website and half-forgotten listings on platforms like SALTO? Are your public presentations at events aligning with your brand?

Audit your online presence

Making a Responsive Website

What will people discover if they Google your organization? Will they find a polished presence that reflects your mission and values—or an outdated website and half-forgotten listings on platforms like SALTO? Are your public presentations at events aligning with your brand?

Audit your online presence

Making a Responsive Website

What will people discover if they Google your organization? Will they find a polished presence that reflects your mission and values—or an outdated website and half-forgotten listings on platforms like SALTO? Are your public presentations at events aligning with your brand?