Presentation for BNI Volunteer Chapter about communication planning for small businesses

1. Getting the Word Out
Susanne Dalton Dupes, ABC, APR
October 27, 2011

2. A quick look at starting your plan
1. Who to reach
2. What to say
3. How you reach them
4. When to communicate
5. Measure to ensure success
www.daltondupes.com

3. 1. Audience/Stakeholders
• Customers
• Potential customers
• Employees
• Board of directors
• Shareholders
• Partners
• Potential partners
• Competitors
www.daltondupes.com

4. 1. Audience/Stakeholders (con’t)
• Regulators
• Legislators
• Vendors
• Neighbors of plant facilities
• Media (general, trade, citizen)
www.daltondupes.com

5. 2. What to say
• What are you trying to achieve?
Develop measurable communication objectives that are
tied to business strategy
• Stay on point!
Create key messages to achieve objectives
• Be factual.
Have proof to support the messages
• Speak their language.
Frame messages in the language of the audience
www.daltondupes.com

6. 3. How to reach them (so many
choices!!!)
1. Social media (LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, etc., etc.)
2. Press releases/media advisories
3. Op/Eds & guest columns
4. Letters to the editor
5. Magazine/newspaper articles
6. Blogs and guest blog posts
7. Newsletters
8. Special events
www.daltondupes.com

7. 3. How you reach them (con’t)
9. eZines
10. eBooks
11. Advertising
12. Promotional products
13. Direct mail
14. Public service announcements
15. Public affairs shows
16. Workshops, webinars, seminars
www.daltondupes.com

8. 3. How you reach them (con’t)
17. Presentations
18. Business cards
19. Letters, memos, email
20.Holiday cards
21. Thank you, sympathy, congratulations cards
22.Proposals
23.Contracts, agreements
24.Invoices, reminders
www.daltondupes.com

9. 4. When to communication
• Be intentional to be cost effective
• Create a strategy
▫ The who, the how, and the how much (time and $)
▫ Be alert to trends in your field
▫ Leave flexibility to adjust to emerging news
• Create a calendar
▫ What to do daily, weekly, monthly, etc.
▫ Newsletters, blogs, social media may need
editorial calendars
▫ Maximize holidays, special seasons, special days
www.daltondupes.com

10. 5. Measure to ensure success
• Measure based on objectives
• Evaluate as you go
• Have a measurable outcome for each tactic
• Give tactics adequate time to work before
measuring
www.daltondupes.com

11. Contact info:
Dalton Dupes Agency
141 N. Martinwood Rd., Ste. 103-4
Knoxville, 37923
susanne@daltondupes.com
@susannedupes
@daltondupesagnc
FB: DaltonDupes
LI: SusanneDupes
www.daltondupes.com