Joe Mueller, Principal of Mueller Communications, presented on building a communications committee at the Community Service Public Relations Council's 2013 Spectrum Conference on May 7, 2013. Get more information on improving your organizations communications at muellercommunications-stl.com

1. Building A Communications
Committee;
A Plan For Your Organization
Joe Mueller
Mueller Communications
Community Service Public Relations Council
2013 Spectrum Conference

2. Always ask, ‘Why?’
 Simon Sinek’s TED Talk
 10.4 million views
 “Start With Why” book
published in 2009

3. Why are you here?
Objectives
 Why you need to develop a committee, group or
team?
 Where do you get volunteers for committee—
players for the team?
 How do you get organized and execute?
 How do you evaluate performance?
 Takeaway: 2 or 3 action items. Who is going to do
what and by when?

4. Why build a committee or group?
 Assist with creating, maintaining
content—your organization’s
story
 Assist with specific channels—
print, web, social media, etc.
 Become an executive producer or
editor—a project manager
 Become better at strategy—create
time to survey
landscape/battlefield

5. Why build a committee or group?
 Increase institutional knowledge
of marketing & communications
 Increase efficiency—better
results without substantially
increased overhead
 You can’t do it all
 Free your psychic RAM

6. Review your organization’s mission
 Why do we exist?
 What are foundational elements for operating?
 Money-fundraising
 Membership—clients
 Awareness—who needs to know we exist?
 People—volunteers, staff
 Program—services and activities

7. EVERYONE in your organization
plays a role in communications
 Establish a clear vision you want to achieve
 Use your plan as a map—everyone gets something
from your success
 Get buy-in from,
 Executive director
 Staff
 Board
 Key volunteers
 Key funders, donors
 Create benchmarks and reporting mechanisms

8. Primary functions of your committee
 Develop, implement and evaluate the plan
 Identify, communicate trends
 Communicate to audiences
 Support delivery of the organization’s program

9. Primary functions of your committee
 Promote new programs, projects
 Create consistent messages
 Create content
 Conduct, analyze and utilize research

10. www.jfmueller.com 10

11. Identify your needs
 Publications
 Photography
 Video
 Website (analytics)
 Digital—e-newsletter and social media
 Writing and editing
 Research
 Media relations
 Special events support

12. 12
John,
CEO of
WOM
P.R.
Cindy, Owner of Web
Solutions
Tim, Production Mgr.
KWMU-TV
Ella, VP of Rather
Marketing
Greg, Freelance Graphic
Design

13. Sample Organization Chart
Marketing
Chairman
Social Media
Facebook
Twitter
Video
Fundraising
Program
Promotion

14. Committee or group structure
 Chairman, member of governing board
 Get more brains in the game—assemble people
with contacts and influence to brainstorm ideas for
people to serve on committee

15. Committee or group structure
 Where to find committee members
 Local college, university marketing and business
departments
 Ad agencies, PR firms
 Radio, television stations
 AMA (American Marketing Assoc.) PRSA (Public
Relations Society of America), IABC (International
Association of Business Communicators)

16. Committee or group structure
 Where to find committee members
 Corporate marketing, advertising, graphic design
companies
 Freelance writers, designers, photographers
 Newspapers, magazines, other print media
 Companies with large marketing presence
 University and school district communications, public
relations coordinators

17. Developing an integrated plan
 Conduct a communications audit
 SWOT analysis of five fundamental areas of
operations
 Determine your organization’s most important
objectives
 Determine the tactics you will implement to
accomplish each objective

18. 18
Objectives
Increase individual donations
Increase clients
Improve Awareness Of
Prevention Programs
Assist upcoming capital
campaign for new facility
Increase participation in
volunteer training
Establish awareness of
endowment fund

19. Increase participation in
volunteer training
Increase individual donations
Increase client services
Blog
Brochure
Video
Media
Campaign
Brochure
Video
Media
Campaign
Direct
Mail
Direct
Mail

20. Implementing, executing the plan
 Build a team that can serve your organization, OR
 Assign people to work with program department
and request assistance for services
 Establish editorial calendar
 Create accountability—meetings, scorecards
 More information on planning:
 Attend Allison Collinger’s session today at 3:15 p.m.
 Visit: slideshare.net/jfmueller

21. Review—are our initiatives moving the
organization forward?
 Review your organizational metrics or scorecards
 How do we improve, be more effective?
 Celebrate success
 Share results with staff, volunteers, board
 Earn, maintain a ‘seat at the table’
 Stay on top of trends
 Do we need more help?
 Do we need help in new, specific area?
 FEEDBACK IS A GIFT—accept positive or negative
response as precious

22. Recognition
 Reward your team
 Build camaraderie, enthusiasm
 Celebrate success
 People jump ON bandwagons and OFF sinking ships

23. Joe Mueller
Blog/Website: muellercommunications-stl.com
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/jfmueller
E-mail: joseph.f.mueller@gmail.com
Twitter: @jfmueller
Cell: (636) 232-7730