Telling Your Story Communication strategies to support local school district referenda

1. Telling Your StoryCommunication strategies to support local school district referenda Presenter: Susan Brott, APRChief Marketing and Communications OfficerWest St. Paul-Mendota Heights-Eagan Area Schools

2. Challenges in Communicating Complex Issues • Definitions are needed to understand • Context is broad • Explaining “what’s in it for me” • Delineating the differences in topics • We often care more than our audiences • “Off the radar screen” – audiences are disconnected

3. Face to Face contact Small group discussion or meeting Speaking before a large group Phone conversation Hand-written, personal note Typewritten, personal letter Personal “form letter” Mass produced, non-personal letter Brochure sent as a direct-mail piece Articles in a newsletter News carried in the press Advertising in media Hierarchy of Effective Communication

4. Effective Communication • Mass communication – used to inform • Does not change attitudes or behaviors. • Does reinforce attitudes and behaviors, create awareness by sharing information. • Interpersonal communication – used to connect on a personal level • More likely to lead to a change in a person’s attitudes or behaviors.

5. Three Key Parts of Communicating Complex Issues • Messages – what are we communicating? • Audiences – what groups and individuals are we targeting? • Strategies – how will we deliver our messages and measure desired behavior?

6. Key to success – Good Research • Identify most supportive audiences • Identify issues/messages that resonate with audiences • Identify overriding issues that may block understanding • Identify communication methods that are most effective

7. Evaluate as you go … • Identify what messages are getting through • Identify any areas of misunderstanding • Identify what areas to focus on next

8. Developing Key Messages

9. What Is a Key Message? • A key message is a significant idea or thought that you want your audiences to know, understand, remember and – if you’re lucky – repeat. • An effective key message leads your audience to the desired behavior.

10. Framing Your Message • You can choose to frame the issue and deliver your message from your perspective. • Without this focus, people will wander through the “message countryside” and never take in what you are communicating. • If you don’t frame it, someone else will!

11. Effective Key Messages • Are based on your research • Are true • Are concise and simple • Related in human terms • Connect with people’s emotions

12. Effective Key Messages • Time – most people cannot understand complexity with only one exposure • Context – provide understanding of how message fits with other issues • Repetition – repeat and remind people of key messages • Layering – communicate in layers or smaller messages Communicating Complex Issues Requires:

13. Biggest Message Mistakes • Use of technical terms and jargon • Lack of clear meaning • Cannot be fully supported by facts • Lack of key point - too many messages • Audience is not paying attention • Lack of emotional appeal • Aimed at wrong audience • Environment too cluttered • Poor delivery of message • Lack of repetition • Does not motivate action or change in behavior

14. Understanding your Audiences

15. Identifying your audiences • What is their profile? • What beliefs, needs, prejudices, tendencies, misconceptions and preconceptions do they have that affect how you connect with them? • What do you want them to know and do? • How do you need to present your message to be credible? • What issues will resonate with them? • How have they responded to your messages in the past?

16. Don’t forget school staff Research indicates that school staff – especially custodians, secretaries, bus drivers and food service workers – are the most believed sources of information about our schools. Your community listens to these people!

17. What Audiences Want To Know What’s in it for me?

18. Developing Strategies that Work

19. Strategies for Communicating Complex Issues • Get on their radar screen – your audiences will never hear your messages if they are not listening

20. Strategies for Communicating Complex Issues • Connect the information silos – help people to see how issues connect and interrelate

21. Strategies for Communicating Complex Issues • Use metaphors to make it more clear – relating a complex issues to something more familiar will quicken and deepen understanding

22. Strategies for Communicating Complex Issues • Tell stories, not just share data – relate the complex information to how it affects children or what is happening in a classroom

23. Strategies for Communicating Complex Issues • Build and use an opinion leader network – key communicators can help spread your message and deepen understanding

24. Strategies for Communicating Complex Issues • Relationships are the key – must have on-going, two-way communication to build positive relationships with audiences

25. Strategies for Communicating Complex Issues • Explain reasons behind decisions – knowing why something was decided will help people to understand complex issues

26. Strategies for Communicating Complex Issues • Practice message discipline – speak with one clear voice and repeat what you want people to remember

27. Strategies for Communicating Complex Issues • Communicate from the inside out – start all communication with internal audiences so they can help carry messages to other audiences

28. Strategies for Communicating Complex Issues • Share bad news and move on – when bad news happens, share it all at once and share steps to help people to move on past the bad news

29. Communicating for a Referendum

30. The Realities of “Winning” • You can win … • Without everyone being happy • With substantial negative media visibility • If you remain focused • If you’re helpful • If you can move 51% of your base to action * James E. Lukaszewski, “Building Community Relationships: Gaining and Maintaining Public Consent,” 2006

31. Rules for “Winning” • Refuse to be distracted. • Bear down on your positive objectives. • Consciously reduce the media’s influence. • Control with positive power. • Wage peace from the start. • Focus on consent rather than opposition. * James E. Lukaszewski, “Building Community Relationships: Gaining and Maintaining Public Consent,” 2006

32. Planning • No single plan exists that meets the needs of every school district and every election environment • You must tailor your plan to fit your community!

33. Effective Referendum Planning • Coordinate district communication activities with that of the citizen’s campaign • Throughout the planning process, create one campaign in which the district and citizens have clearly defined role. Every activity is coordinated!

34. Roles of District vs. Campaign • District communications = Information • What is proposed? • How much will it cost me? • Why should I vote for it? • What happens if it passes or fails? • Campaign communications = Advocacy • Less product, more emotion • Face to Face contacts • Carry VOTE YES message

35. Roles of District vs. Campaign • Accept that there will be some overlap of key personnel. • Be smart about scheduling your time!

36. Role of the Superintendent • Strategic planning • Working closely with campaign to execute and coordinate efforts • Obtaining support and participation from staff in cooperation with campaign committee • Providing information, support and resources campaign committee

37. Role of the School Board • Maintain focus on student needs • Provide unanimous resolution to conduct election • Align final proposal with community values and perspective on spending • Involve citizens in campaign • Provide support to administration and volunteer committee

38. Role of District Staff • Solidify and strength relationship with primary audience (parents) • Identify way to reach out and enhance secondary audiences (seniors, non-parents) • Demonstrate good stewardship of what the district currently provides • Ask questions and stay informed • Support and participate in the campaign

39. Role of Campaign Committee • Identify overall theme and coordinate messages • Gain influential support (endorsements) • Strategically canvass the community to identify probable “yes” voters • Recruit volunteers for leadership roles • Implement campaign plan • Coordinate campaign activities with district initiatives.

40. Shaping Messages • Core Message – targeted message at primary audience • Subordinate Message – similar goal, but targeted at secondary audience.

41. Shaping Messages • Remember the 3 C’s of communication when developing key messages: • Clear • Concise • Compelling

42. Dealing with the Opposition • Use the 80/20 rule • 80% of your response should be on message • Respectfully acknowledge • Briefly Respond • Return to your message STAY ON MESSAGE!

43. Dealing with the Opposition • The best defense is a strong offense • Be your own worst critic • Provide advance warning • Have your facts straight • Keep your eyes on the prize * MASA publication, Rapid Referendum Response: What to do when you district is blindsided by anti-referendum attacks, 2006

44. Contact Information Susan BrottChief Marketing and Communications Officer West St. Paul - Mendota Heights - Eagan Area Schools 1897 Delaware Avenue Mendota Heights, MN 55118 (651) 403-7008 susan.brott@isd197.org

45. Contact Information www.minnspra.org