communications
Tri-County Long Term Recovery was a few months old when the current communications crew came aboard. Leadership of LTR recognized a communications/media effort was necessary during the long-term recovery process, and reached out for assistance. Others are better prepared to speak to the events immediately following the Nov. 17, 2013, tornadoes in Tazewell County. There are many groups “ The Red Cross, Salvation Army, etc. -- which deal specifically with immediate needs. LTR deals with the second wave of recovery, which may take up to two years or more. So we have gleaned a few lessons we're happy to pass along.
What went well. Communications chair Shelley Epstein is a retired journalist and public relations consultant who has served on the board of the Community Foundation of Central Illinois. Thanks to a $500,000 grant from The Robert R. McCormick Foundation, he gets some part-time help from another long-time journalist, Terry Bibo. They helped the executive board refine the communications needs for a multi-faceted group like Tri-County LTR.
Internally, that translates into streamlining information for clients, donors/volunteers and professional emergency responders/case managers, and ensuring a free flow of information between each of those groups. The right hand must know what the left is doing for this effort to be most effective.
Externally, that means helping those groups see the stories they have to tell the outside world. In the first weeks, communications efforts focused on having stories that involved LTR to pitch to media. There were many. Successfully doing so raised the profile of LTR so that it became the primary go-to organization for the second wave of recovery efforts. The communications team also counseled LTR members, clients and others about their media interactions.
The first major event in telling the LTR story was the grand opening of the office in July 2014. It attracted politicians, community leaders, case workers and clients, and they attracted media which got the word out. Additional opportunities were sought for the next several months -- volunteer days, special donations, unusual client needs, etc. From niche publications like InterBusiness Issues and Healthy Cells to local daily and weekly newspapers, radio and television, all media helped to build on the key idea: LTR exists solely to make this lengthy recovery process as easy as possible. The effort culminated with the one-year anniversary of the tornadoes, which garnered press from around the region, including Chicago newspapers, radio and television. We've built on those contacts with subsequent stories.
What could have gone better. Multiple platforms exist these days. Almost immediately after the tornadoes, a couple of Facebook pages were put together by independent community members that attracted a large following. They weren't always accurate. Although Tri-County LTR did its own Facebook page and website later, the immediacy factor was gone. A professional volunteered to design the website. She did a great job, but she had her own work to do first. In retrospect, speed would be preferred to get the website online sooner. And yet free, volunteer, professional help is always appreciated.
What we'd advise. Find a retired journalist or two for your communications committee. (There are lots of them around.) If you have a little money, they're used to working cheaply. If you don't, they'll probably work next-to-free anyway. They know how to help you find and tell your story across multiple media platforms: print, radio, television, blogs, alternative. Don't ignore any because each platform reaches different audiences in different ways. Your media advisors know who to tell your story to and how to do so effectively. While your local media want to be your friends, they have no time to waste. Burn them once and you may never have the chance to engage them again. A professional who knows public relations and the media can help you make that critical connection, benefitting your clients, your caregivers and your community.
Own the alternative media ASAP. Facebook is free; websites can be done cheaply. The key is to get accurate information out as quickly as possible, to as many people as possible. And have staff or volunteers monitor social media so it is as responsive as possible. In today's world, people expect answers immediately. The worst case scenario is when inaccurate information and rumors become truth if not challenged and corrected quickly.