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Resilient Communications Strategies / Webinar Recap

Updated: Mar 18

Thanks to everyone who joined the second webinar in our Navigating Chaos series. We hope you learned something and have a few new ideas to incorporate into your organization's communications.


We were joined by Bridget Hayman at Access Living. And we had a great conversation! If you missed it, here's the replay. Read on below for highlights and links to resources from our presenters.



Highlights and Resources from Our Conversation


What makes a communications strategy resilient?

The term "resilience" itself may be overused and problematic - particularly for communities that are constantly forced to be resilient. The focus should be on building effective, nimble communications systems that can consistently deliver impact.


While being responsive is important, successful communications require having strong foundational elements in place (like storytelling and governance) so organizations can stay focused on their core messages rather than getting knocked off course.


Resources:


Communicating amidst the deluge of mis- and disinformation while keeping strategic priorities front and center

  • Don't focus on refuting every piece of misinformation. It's better to proactively tell your own truthful story rather than constantly playing defense. Trying to correct everything puts organizations on their back foot and takes away from sharing what's actually true.

  • Build trust and relationships with stakeholders by being a reliable source of information. Find where your audience is (online and offline) and work with trusted community influencers.

  • Take opportunities to educate your audience rather than assuming their knowledge level. Break down concepts (like how executive orders work) while connecting them to real-life impacts through storytelling.


Resources:


Collaborating with important stakeholders and audiences to co-create effective comms strategies and the role of research

  • Co-creation with stakeholders is crucial for effective communication.


  • Organizations should avoid the common mistake of focusing too narrowly on a single “target audience.” Consider the broader ecosystem of stakeholders.


  • Research should be an ongoing, iterative process rather than a one-time effort that gets shelved. Teams need to create continuous feedback loops to stay agile and adjust their strategies based on what they learn.


  • Research is a valuable tool for communicating with leadership. It helps communications teams demonstrate impact, justify resource allocation, and make data-driven decisions.


Resources:


Prioritizing accessibility, sustainability, data privacy, inclusion, and more with finite resources

  • The solution isn't always more time to do tasks - it's more time to plan. Even short (under half an hour) planning processes can help teams make better decisions.


  • Having clear processes and checklists is helpful for maintaining quality and values during busy times. They can reduce decision fatigue and ensure important elements don't get overlooked when teams are under pressure.


  • Teams should regularly evaluate their content strategy to determine what needs to stay versus what can go.


Resources:

  • Which Metrics Really Matter?: In a tech-enabled communications world that encourages us to measure everything, this post can help teams hone in on the most important outcomes-driven metrics.


  • Content Strategy Worksheet + post: This 8-step worksheet can help you define a content strategy process that meets your goals while also prioritizing more responsible practices that support data privacy, accessibility, and sustainability.


  • Content Audit: A Step-by-Step Guide: Use the process outlined in this resource to audit existing content so your team can do more of what works and less of what doesn’t.


Keep In Touch


Here’s how to connect with our speakers.

Access Living


Mightybytes


Buoy 231 Consulting


Learn more about the Navigating Chaos webinar series and sign up for future events!

 
 
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