I’ve been getting a lot of calls in the wake of the 2024 election from CEOs and communications leads at nonprofits who want to talk. Last week, for example, I spoke with a communications lead whose chief executive was pressuring them to “get more press” before Donald Trump takes office. They’ve been spending most of their time over the last four years on graphic design, which is…a red flag. I said it sounds like rather than hiring a media relations consultant, you need to have an assertive conversation with your boss. If they want more press but are obsessing over the appearance of your fundraising materials, they need to pivot more broadly. An internal communications lead should have the time to focus on a CEO’s priorities, and if a CEO has too many priorities, then they’re not actually priorities. That’s where the conversation should probably start. They were grateful in the end that I didn’t just give them a ballpark number for media relations work that won’t deliver. I wished them luck in standing up for themselves internally. That’s never an easy position to be in, and it helps to have an external ally who knows the territory. We might chat again.
You can tell by now that I screen my would-be clients carefully! Still, if you’re panicking a bit and seeking to get a sense of where your strategic communications efforts are at, post-election, I’ve prepared a 10-minute “at a glance” strategic communications audit. Click through to this Google doc, make a copy, and fill it out over coffee. There are 20 questions, and here are a few to give you a preview:
- How satisfied are you with the press coverage your organization is receiving?
- How would you rate the quality and effectiveness of your organization’s current communication strategies? Think about the clarity, consistency, and impact of your messaging.
- How well do your communication efforts resonate with your target audiences?
- How aligned are your communication strategies and tactics with your organization’s overall mission and goals?
- How effectively are you using different communication channels? Consider earned media, social media, email marketing, your website, and content marketing (like blog posts).
- How would you rate the level of expertise and assertiveness of your internal communications team? For example, do you trust their judgment on delicate matters? Do you invite them to attend leadership meetings?
- How proactive are you in seeking out opportunities to shape public discourse and influence policy decisions? For example, are you drafting opinion pieces in response to the news cycle?
When I meet with a would-be client, I often ask a few questions to see where they’re at. I’m reminded of the anecdote about a consultant who’s brought in to fix a Xerox machine. He looks at it for about five minutes, then whacks it with a hammer in the right place and presents his bill. The client says, “you only whacked it with a hammer, I’m not paying for that!” And the consultant says, “ah, yes, but it took me 20 years to know exactly where to hit it.”
Except, in communications consulting, there’s less mystery and snake oil at work. I often tell my clients that communicating strategically isn’t rocket science. This survey represents 20 simple questions you can ask yourself— they’re in the spreadsheet! —to give you a good idea of what needs to be a priority. The bigger question, often, is whether you’re bought into the idea that communicating strategically is important for the delivery of your mission. If your board is asking questions about press, or if there’s a concern that your website isn’t up to scratch, then those are the canaries in the coalmine. It’s time to get serious and clear about the underlying issues.
I was talking with a client last week about this, a chief executive. They were saying that they’ve not yet delivered a communications strategy for the organization, but that they’ve been around for several years. They’re starting to notice that other organizations in the space are taking credit for some of their achievements, and they’re starting to realize: Communicating about what you’re doing is as important, in many ways, as doing the actual work. Otherwise, funders look at your competitors and you get to do less of what matters because your competitors are more successful, now. They’ve attracted the major grants while you had your head down, working. Communication isn’t optional work, in that context. It’s vital. It’s not too late to get started, I said. But time’s-a-ticking.
That’s when to bring me in for a look at your metaphorical Xerox machine. All the better if you can say, first, that you did a 10-minute audit of your communications practices and identified a few areas that are in serious need of attention. I promise not to bring a hammer to our meeting, honestly, especially if it’s taking place over Zoom, but I am a good listener, and I can help you to strategize for some quick wins, as soon as possible, as well as for some deeper foundational work. That’s where I hope you’ll value my input and see the potential for a productive working relationship. I’ve had yearslong productive relationships that began with a 30-minute zoom call, when you’re ready. But: No pressure. I realize this requires bandwidth you may not have, to get into, and I’ll be here when you surface for some air.
—Matt Davis is a strategic communications, PR and editorial thought leadership consultant and writer for a wide variety of clients. He lives with his wife and son in New York.
